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Mk 6

Mk 6
Aircraft bombUnited StatesImplosion fission
No freely licensed photo of this device yet.
Yield · TNT equivalent8–160 kt

Key specs

Design
Implosion fission
Type
Aircraft bomb
Weight
3.63 t
Length
3.25 m
Diameter
1.55 m
In service
1951–1962
Number built
1,100

Overview

An improved Mk 4 with a lighter casing, built in about 1,100 units in the early 1950s. Later versions with composite and uranium cores reached up to 160 kt.

Effect radii: estimates

Calculated for 160 kt

Fireball, maximum radius
≈ 460 m
Initial radiation, 500 rem (5 Sv)
≈ 2.2 km
Blast 5 psi: most buildings collapse
≈ 3.9 km
Thermal: third-degree burns
≈ 5.4 km
Blast 1 psi: windows shatter
≈ 12 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. Complete List of All U.S. Nuclear Weapons, Nuclear Weapon Archive (Carey Sublette)
  2. Mark 6 nuclear bomb, Wikipedia