Mark 17 nuclear bomb | |
---|---|
Type | Thermonuclear gravity bomb |
Place of origin | United States |
Service history | |
In service | 1954-1957 |
Wars | Cold War |
Production history | |
Designer | Los Alamos National Laboratory |
Designed | 1954 |
Produced | EC-17: Mar-Oct 1954 Mk-17: Jul 1954-Nov 1955 |
No. built | EC-17: 5 Mk-17: 200 |
Specifications | |
Mass | EC-17: 39,600 lb (18,000 kg) Mk-17: 41,400–42,000 lb (18,800–19,100 kg) |
Length | 24 feet 8 inches (7.52 m) |
Diameter | 61.4 inches (1.56 m) |
Detonation mechanism | Air burst |
Blast yield | EC-17: 11 megatonnes of TNT (46 PJ), Castle Romeo test Mk-17: 15 megatonnes of TNT (63 PJ) |
This article needs additional citations for verification. (July 2007) |
The Mark 17 and Mark 24 were the first mass-produced hydrogen bombs deployed by the United States. The two differed in their "primary" stages. They entered service in 1954, and were phased out by 1957.