Mark 13 nuclear bomb
The Mark 13 nuclear bomb and its variant, the W-13 nuclear warhead, were experimental
Description
The Mark 13 bomb was nearly the same size as the Mark 6 nuclear bomb it was developed from; 61 inches in diameter and 128 inches long (150 cm by 320 cm), weighing 7,400 lb (3,300 kg). The W-13 warhead was somewhat smaller, being roughly 58 inches in diameter and 100 inches long, with a 6,000 to 6,500 lb weight (145 cm by 250 cm, 2,700 kg to 2,900 kg).[1]
The Mark 13 design used a 92-point nuclear implosion system (see Nuclear weapon design). A similar 92-point system was used in later variants of the Mark 6 weapon.
Testing
The Mark 13 nuclear bomb design was tested at least once, in the Operation Upshot–Knothole Harry test shot conducted on May 19, 1953. The estimated yield of this test was 32 kilotons.
Deployment
As the Mark 13 neared production, advances in
Variants
Mark 18
The
Mark 20
The Mark 20 nuclear bomb was a planned successor to the Mark 13 incorporating some improvements in its design. Research was halted at the same time as the Mark 13.
The Mark 20 was the same size as the Mark 13, but weighed only 6,400 lb (2,900 kg).
See also
- List of nuclear weapons
- Mark 18 nuclear bomb
- Mark 6 nuclear bomb
- Mark 4 nuclear bomb
- Fat Man Mark 3 nuclear bomb
References
- ^ Complete list of all US nuclear weapons, Carey Sublette, at the nuclearweaponarchive.org website. Accessed April 17, 2007.