EN

AN 51

AN 51
Missile warheadFranceImplosion fission
No freely licensed photo of this device yet.
Yield · TNT equivalent10–25 kt

Key specs

Country
France
Design
Implosion fission
Type
Missile warhead
In service
1974–1993

Overview

The 10 or 25 kt warhead of the Pluton short-range missile of the French Army, sharing its physics package with the AN-52 bomb. The Pluton system was retired in 1992–93.

Effect radii: estimates

Calculated for 25 kt

Fireball, maximum radius
≈ 220 m
Initial radiation, 500 rem (5 Sv)
≈ 1.5 km
Blast 5 psi: most buildings collapse
≈ 2.1 km
Thermal: third-degree burns
≈ 2.5 km
Blast 1 psi: windows shatter
≈ 6.4 km

Estimated ground ranges for an air burst at the optimum height over flat, open ground, computed from the yield with standard scaling laws. These are not measurements: real effects depend on the height of burst, terrain, buildings and weather.

Formulas from: Glasstone & Dolan, The Effects of Nuclear Weapons (1977), chapter II; Carey Sublette, Nuclear Weapons FAQ, section 5

Sources

  1. AN 51, Wikipedia