Operation Dominic
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Nuclear test Operation Dominic
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|---|---|
 Explosive cloud from the Frigate Bird atom test captured through the periscope of the USS Carbonero submarine , 480 nautical miles off Christmas Island |
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| information | |
| nation |
 United States
|
| Test location |
Pacific (I) / Nevada Test Site (II) |
| Period | April – July 1962 |
| Number of tests | 40 |
| Test type | Above-ground tests + an underwater test |
| Max. Explosive force | 8300 kT |
| navigation | |
| Previous test | Operation nougat |
| Next test | Operation Storax |
Operation Dominic is the name of a series of nuclear weapons tests carried out by the United States between April 25 and July 17, 1962. The test suite is often divided into Dominic I (conducted in the Pacific ) and Dominic II (on the Nevada Test Site ). A total of 40 nuclear weapons were tested, 29 of which were dropped as bombs from B-52 bombers and detonated in the air . Twenty of the tests were carried out to test new types of weapons , six to test the effects and several others to check the reliability of existing weapon systems. 1,800 soldiers and scientists, as well as 60 warships and 110 aircraft were involved in Dominic I.
The Frigate-Bird test, carried out on May 6, 1962 as the fifth test in the series, was the only full test of a rocket by the United States. The Little Feller I surface test as part of the continental test series was the first test of a Davy Crockett .
Tests in the Earth's atmosphere (Operation Fishbowl)
A series of tests in the Earth's atmosphere , known as Operation Fishbowl , were also carried out during the operation . A Thor rocket was used for transport to the near-space layers of air . The most famous test of the operation was the Starfish Prime test on July 9, 1962, which not only created an artificial aurora , but also destroyed or damaged electrical equipment in Hawaii by an electromagnetic pulse .
The actual starfish test failed because the Thor missile crashed and contaminated the crash site with plutonium.
Starfish Prime Detonation
Arkansas test
Operation Dominic II
Operation Dominic II was conducted on the Nevada Test Site from July 7 to July 17, 1962. Four low-explosive nuclear weapons were tested, three on the surface and one on a turret. Almost 3,000 US Department of Defense employees and 1,000 soldiers took part in the Exercice Ivy Flats exercise during the Little Feller I test. In the Department of Defense, the test series was called Operation Sunbeam .
background
Operation Dominic took place at a time of great tension in the Cold War between the USA and the Soviet Union , the Cuban Missile Crisis took place during the tests. Nikita Khrushchev announced on August 30, 1961 the end of the 3-year nuclear test break, the Soviet nuclear weapons tests continued on September 1. Thereupon President John F. Kennedy gave his approval for Operation Dominic, the largest nuclear weapons test program carried out by the United States to date, which was also the last with nuclear explosions in the atmosphere. A year later, a bilateral agreement to restrict nuclear weapons tests was signed in Moscow .
Tests of Operation Dominic
Operation Dominic I
| bomb | Date / Time ( GMT ) | place | Test type | height | Explosive power | Remarks |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Adobe | April 25, 1962 3:45 p.m. |
Kiritimati | Dropped from a B-52 bomber | 884 m (2900 feet) |
190 kT | Testing a prototype of the W-50 thermonuclear warhead and Mk-39 re-entry vehicle |
| Aztec | April 27, 1962 4:01 pm |
Kiritimati | Dropped from a B-52 bomber | 795 m (2610 feet) |
410 kT | Testing a prototype of the W-50 thermonuclear warhead and Mk-39 re-entry vehicle |
| Arkansas | April 27, 1962 6:00 p.m. |
Kiritimati | Dropped from a B-52 bomber | 1533 m (5030 feet) |
1090 kT | Test of a W-56 warhead for a Minuteman missile |
| Questa | May 2, 1962 6:01 pm |
15 miles south of Kiritimati | Dropped from a B-52 bomber | 1594 m (5230 feet) |
670 kT | Testing a prototype of the W-59 thermonuclear warhead and Mk-39 re-entry vehicle |
| Frigate Bird | May 6, 1962 11:30 p.m. |
Johnston Atoll | Submarine-launched ballistic missile (SLBM) | 3352 m (11,000 feet) |
600 kT | The only test of an SLBM with a sharp nuclear warhead. A Polaris A1 missile was used, which was shot down by the USS Ethan Allen |
| Yukon | May 8, 1962 6:01 p.m. |
Kiritimati | Dropped from a B-52 bomber | 878 m (2880 feet) |
100 kT | |
| Mesilla | May 9, 1962 5:01 p.m. |
10 miles south of Kiritimati | Dropped from a B-52 bomber | 747 m (2450 feet) |
100 kT | |
| Muskegon | May 11, 1962 3:37 pm |
10 miles south of Kiritimati | Dropped from a B-52 bomber | 608 m (1995 feet) |
50 kT | |
| Swordfish | May 11, 1962 8:02 pm |
740 km west of San Diego | Underwater | -198 m (-650 feet) |
<20 kT | Test of a RUR-5 ASROC anti -submarine missile |
| Encino | May 12, 1962 5:02 p.m. |
Kiritimati | Dropped from a B-52 bomber | 1680 m (5510 feet) |
500 kT | |
| Swanee | May 14, 1962 3:21 p.m. |
Kiritimati | Dropped from a B-52 bomber | 896 m (2940 feet) |
97 kT | Testing a prototype of the W-56 thermonuclear warhead and the Mk-36 re-entry vehicle |
| Chetco | May 19, 1962 3:36 p.m. |
10 miles south of Kiritimati | Dropped from a B-52 bomber | 2105 m (6905 feet) |
73 kT | |
| Tanana | May 25, 1962 4:08 pm |
10 miles south of Kiritimati | Dropped from a B-52 bomber | 2752 m (9030 feet) |
2.6kT | Misfire ("fizzle") |
| Nambe | May 27, 1962 5:02 p.m. |
Kiritimati | Dropped from a B-52 bomber | 2176 m (7140 feet) |
43 kT | |
| Alma | June 8, 1962 5:02 pm |
15 miles south of Kiritimati | Dropped from a B-52 bomber | 2702 m (8865 feet) |
782 kT | |
| Truckee | June 9, 1962 3:37 pm |
10 miles south of Kiritimati | Dropped from a B-52 bomber | 2124 m (6970 feet) |
210 kT | Test of the W-58 warhead, which was later mounted on the Polaris A2 missile . |
| Yeso | June 10, 1962 4:01 p.m. |
20 miles south of Kiritimati | Dropped from a B-52 bomber | 2537 m (8325 feet) |
3000 kT | Weapon impact test for the experimental two-stage fusion bomb 16-M |
| Harlem | June 12, 1962 3:37 pm |
17 miles south of Kiritimati | Dropped from a B-52 bomber | 4159 m (13,645 feet) |
1200 kT | Test of a W-47 warhead |
| Rinconada | June 15, 1962 4:00 p.m. |
17 miles south of Kiritimati | Dropped from a B-52 bomber | 853 m (2800 feet) |
800 kT | Test of a W-59 warhead |
| Dulce | June 17, 1962 4:00 p.m. |
South of Kiritimati | Dropped from a B-52 bomber | 2770 m (9090 feet) |
52 kT | |
| Petit | June 19, 1962 3:01 pm |
17 miles south of Kiritimati | Dropped from a B-52 bomber | 4570 m (14,995 feet) |
2.2 kT | Misfire ("fizzle") |
| Otowi | June 22, 1962 4:00 p.m. |
10 miles south of Kiritimati | Dropped from a B-52 bomber | 823 m (2700 feet) |
81.5 kT | |
| Bighorn | June 27, 1962 3:19 p.m. |
30 miles south of Kiritimati | Dropped from a B-52 bomber | 3600 m (11,810 feet) |
7650 kT | |
| Bluestone | June 30, 1962 3:21 p.m. |
17 miles south of Kiritimati | Dropped from a B-52 bomber | 1518 m (4980 feet) |
1270 kT | Test of a prototype for the W-56 warhead. The radioactive cloud from Bluestone rose to a height of almost 18 kilometers. |
| Starfish Prime | July 9, 1962 9:00 am |
Johnston Atoll | Thor missile | 400 km (248 miles) |
1450 kT | Operation Fishbowl - Starfish Prime was an altitude test using the W-49 warhead to investigate the effects of the electromagnetic pulse . The test created an artificial aurora that could still be seen on Hawaii, 1,300 kilometers away. The first attempt at detonation on June 20 failed because the rocket failed at a height of nine kilometers without a nuclear reaction and contaminated the island's sand with plutonium. |
| Sunset | July 10, 1962 4:33 pm |
Kiritimati | Dropped from a B-52 bomber | 1524 m (5000 feet) |
1000 kT | Test of a prototype for the W-59 warhead |
| Pamlico | July 11, 1962 3:37 pm |
Kiritimati | Dropped from a B-52 bomber | 4,368 m (14,330 feet) |
3880 kT | |
| Androscoggin | October 2, 1962 4:17 pm |
250 miles southwest of Johnston Atoll | Dropped from a B-52 bomber | 3127 m (10,260 feet) |
75 kT | |
| Bumping | October 6, 1962 4:02 p.m. |
Johnston Atoll | Dropped from a B-52 bomber | 3048 m (10,000 feet) |
11.3 kT | |
| Chama | October 18, 1962 4:01 p.m. |
Johnston Atoll | Dropped from a B-52 bomber | 3648 m (11,970 feet) |
1590 kT | |
| Checkmate | October 20, 1962 8:30 a.m. |
66 kilometers from the Johnston Atoll | XM-33 Strypi missile | 146 km (91 miles) |
low (possibly 60 kT) |
Operation Fishbowl - Checkmate was a weapon effect height test of the W-50 warhead. Since Checkmate exploded outside of the atmosphere, no fireball was created. |
| Bluegill Triple Prime | October 26, 1962 9:59 am |
19 miles southwest of Johnston Atoll | Thor missile | 49 km (30 miles) |
<1000 kT |
Operation Fishbowl - successful test, after three previous failed tests.
The test was carried out during the "hot phase" of the Cuban Missile Crisis under the direction of General LeMay . Despite Defense Condition 2 , the armed forces' highest alert outside of war, the Executive Committee was not notified. |
| Calamity | October 27, 1962 3:46 p.m. |
Johnston Atoll | Dropped from a B-52 bomber | 3590 m (11,780 feet) |
800 kT | |
| Housatonic | October 30, 1962 4:01 p.m. |
Johnston Atoll | Dropped from a B-52 bomber | 3697 m (12,130 feet) |
8300 kT | |
| Kingfish | November 1, 1962 12:10 p.m. |
43 miles southwest of Johnston Atoll | Thor missile | 98 km (60.9 miles) |
<1000 kT | Operation Fishbowl |
| Tightrope | November 4, 1962 00:00 |
2 miles southwest of Johnston Atoll | Nike Hercules (long-range anti-aircraft missile) | 21 km (13 miles) |
low | Operation Fishbowl |
Operation Dominic II
| bomb | Date / Time ( GMT ) | place | Explosion height | Test type | Explosive power | Remarks |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Little Feller II | July 7, 1962 7:00 p.m. |
Area 18 | 1 meter (3 feet) |
surface | 22 T | |
| Johnnie Boy | July 11, 1962 4:45 p.m. |
Area 18 | -0.6 meters (-2 feet) |
surface | 500 T | Test of the W-30 warhead with Tactical Atomic Demolition ammunition |
| Small boy | July 14, 1962 6:30 p.m. |
Area 5 (Frenchman Lake) | 3 meters (10 feet) |
tower | 1.65 kT | Information about the electromagnetic pulse should be gathered |
| Little Feller I. | July 17, 1962 5:00 p.m. |
Area 18 | 1 meter (3 feet) |
surface | 18 T | Davy-Crockett nuclear weapon tested as part of Ivy Flats military exercise ; last atmospheric test on the Nevada Test Site |
Web links
- Detailed information in nuclearweaponarchive.org (English)
- Documentation of the Joint Task Force 8 ( Internet Archive , English)
Individual evidence
- ↑ US Department of Energy, Nevada Operations Office: United States Nuclear Tests, July 1945 through September 1992 , DOE / NV - 209-REV 15, December 2000, (PDF, 877 kB) ( Memento from October 12, 2006 in the Internet Archive )
- ^ Robert Standish Norris, Thomas B. Cochran: United States nuclear tests, July 1945 to 31 December 1992 (NWD 94-1) , Nuclear Weapons Databook Working Paper, Washington, DC: Natural Resources Defense Council, February 1, 1994, (PDF , 4.26 MB) ( Memento from October 12, 2006 in the Internet Archive )
- ^ Gallery of US Nuclear Tests ( memento August 20, 2009 in the Internet Archive ) at nuclearweaponarchive.org
- ↑ a b Michael Light: 100 Suns , 2003