B83 nuclear bomb

B83
B83 with unclassified components at front
TypeUnguided bomb
Service history
In service1983–present
Used byUnited States
Production history
DesignerLawrence Livermore National Laboratory
No. built650
Specifications
Mass2,400 pounds (1,100 kg)
Length12 feet (3.7 m)
Diameter18 inches (46 cm)

Blast yield1.2 megatonnes of TNT (5.0 PJ)
A B83 casing.

The B83 is a variable-yield thermonuclear gravity bomb developed by the United States in the late 1970s that entered service in 1983. With a maximum yield of 1.2 megatonnes of TNT (5.0 PJ), it has been the most powerful nuclear weapon in the United States nuclear arsenal since October 25, 2011 after retirement of the B53.[1] It was designed by Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory.[2]

  1. ^ Blaney, Betsy (26 October 2011). "End of an Era: Last of Big Atomic Bombs dismantled". San Francisco Chronicle. Archived from the original on 28 October 2011. Retrieved 27 October 2011.
  2. ^ Sublette, Carey (11 November 1997). "Nuclear Weapons Archive - B83". Archived from the original on 4 February 2006. Retrieved 23 December 2013.