B53 nuclear bomb
| B53 | |
|---|---|
 |
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| Type | Thermonuclear weapon |
| Place of origin | United States |
| Service history | |
| In service | 1962–1997 |
| Production history | |
| Designer | LANL |
| Designed | 1958–1961 |
| Manufacturer | Atomic Energy Commission |
| Produced | 1961–1965 |
| Number built | About 340 |
| Specifications | |
| Weight | 8,850 lb (4,010 kg) |
| Length | 12 ft 4 in (3.76 m) |
| Diameter | 50 in (4.2 ft; 1.3 m) |
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| Filling |
Fission: 100% oralloy |
| Blast yield | 9 megatons |
Fission: 100% oralloy
The Mk/B53 was a high-yield bunker buster thermonuclear weapon developed by the United States during the Cold War. Deployed on Strategic Air Command bombers, the B53, with a yield of 9 megatons, was the most powerful weapon in the U.S. nuclear arsenal after the last B41 nuclear bombs were retired in 1976.
The B53 was the basis of the W-53 warhead carried by the Titan II Missile, which was decommissioned in 1987. Although not in active service for many years before 2010, fifty B53s were retained during that time as part of the "Hedge" portion of the until its complete dismantling in 2011. The last B53 was disassembled on 25 October 2011, a year ahead of schedule.
With its retirement, the largest bomb currently in service in the U.S. nuclear arsenal is the B83, with a maximum yield of 1.2 megatons. The B53 was replaced in the bunker-busting role by a variant of the two-stage B61 nuclear bomb.
Development of the weapon began in 1955 by Los Alamos National Laboratory, based on the earlier Mk 21 and Mk 46 weapons. In March 1958 the Strategic Air Command issued a request for a new Class C (less than five tons, megaton-range) bomb to replace the earlier Mk 41. A revised version of the Mk 46 became the TX-53 in 1959. The development TX-53 warhead was apparently never tested, although an experimental TX-46 predecessor design was detonated 28 June 1958 as Hardtack Oak, which detonated at a yield of 8.9 Megatons.
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