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W76

W76
Missile warheadUnited StatesThermonuclear (staged)
No freely licensed photo of this device yet.
Yield · TNT equivalent100 kt

Key specs

Design
Thermonuclear (staged)
Type
Missile warhead
Weight
95 kg
Length
1.3 m
Diameter
400 mm
In service
1978 – present
Number built
3,400

Overview

The most numerous warhead in the US arsenal: a thermonuclear warhead of about 100 kt for the Trident submarine-launched ballistic missiles, several to a missile. The W76-1 life-extension version is rated at about 90 kt, and the W76-2 is a low-yield variant estimated at 5–7 kt.

About 3,400 were built from 1978 to 1987, first for Trident I and then for Trident II. The W76-1 refurbishment ran from 2008 to 2018, and the W76-2 was fielded at the end of 2019. The British Holbrook warhead is based on the W76-1. The size and weight given here are those of the Mk 4 re-entry vehicle that carries it.

Effect radii: estimates

Calculated for 100 kt

Fireball, maximum radius
≈ 380 m
Initial radiation, 500 rem (5 Sv)
≈ 2 km
Blast 5 psi: most buildings collapse
≈ 3.3 km
Thermal: third-degree burns
≈ 4.4 km
Blast 1 psi: windows shatter
≈ 10 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. W76, Wikipedia