W55 (nuclear warhead)

W55 nuclear warhead
TypeNuclear weapon
Place of originUnited States
Production history
DesignerLawrence Livermore National Laboratory
ProducedJanuary 1964 to March 1968 and May 1974 to April 1974
No. built285 warheads produced in two production runs
Specifications
Mass465 lb (211 kg)
Length39.4 inches (100 cm)
Diameter13 in (33 cm)
Blast yieldDisputed, either 1 to 5 kilotonnes of TNT (4.2 to 20.9 TJ) or 25 kilotonnes of TNT (100 TJ)
References[1][2][3]

The W55 was a tactical nuclear weapon that was in service with the US Navy from 1964 to 1990,[4] and was carried by the UUM-44 SUBROC submarine-launched missile as a nuclear depth bomb.[5]

The last W55 warhead was dismantled in December 1996.[6]

  1. ^ Chuck Hansen (2007). Swords of Armageddon. Vol. V. p. 536-540. ISBN 978-0-9791915-5-8.
  2. ^ Chuck Hansen (2007). Swords of Armageddon. Vol. VII. p. 220-221. ISBN 978-0-9791915-7-2.
  3. ^ History of the Mark 55 Warhead (Report). Sandia National Labs., Albuquerque, NM (USA). January 1968.
  4. ^ Carey Sublette. "List of All U.S. Nuclear Weapons". Nuclear Weapon Archive. Retrieved 2022-06-24.
  5. ^ "Armaments & Innovations - The Pocket Polaris". U.S. Naval Institute. 2015-08-10. Retrieved 2024-06-09.
  6. ^ Jim McConnell; Harry Waugh (1996-12-06). Pantex Plant Activity Report for Week Ending December 6, 1996 (PDF) (Report). Defense Nuclear Facilities Safety Board. Retrieved 2024-06-27.