| W87 | |
|---|---|
 The Mk21 Re-entry Vehicles shown here for the LGM-118A Peacekeeper contain W87 warheads. | |
| Type | Thermonuclear warhead |
| Service history | |
| In service | 1986–present |
| Used by | United States |
| Production history | |
| Designer | Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory |
| Designed | Mod 0: February 1982 Mod 1: November 1986 to July 1988, March 2019 to 2030 |
| Produced | Mod 0: July 1986 to December 1988 Mod 1: 2030 onwards |
| No. built | 525 |
| Variants | 2 |
| Specifications | |
| Mass | 400 to 600 pounds (180 to 270 kg) |
Detonation mechanism | Contact, airburst |
| Blast yield | 300 kt (W87-0) 475 kt (W87-1) |
The W87 is an American thermonuclear missile warhead formerly deployed on the LGM-118A Peacekeeper ("MX") ICBM. 50 MX missiles were built, each carrying up to 10 W87 warheads in multiple independently targetable reentry vehicles (MIRV), and were deployed from 1986 to 2005. Starting in 2007, 250 of the W87 warheads from retired Peacekeeper missiles were retrofitted onto much older Minuteman III missiles, with one warhead per missile.[1] An upgraded version is planned for use on the forthcoming LGM-35A Sentinel ICBM.
- ^ Kristensen, Hans M.; Norris, Robert S. (January 18, 2015). "US nuclear forces, 2015". Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists. 71 (2): 107–119. Bibcode:2015BuAtS..71b.107K. doi:10.1177/0096340215571913. S2CID 145260117.