W76
Initial Operational Capability (IOC) : 1978
Total Production : ?
Model | Status | Year | Produced |
---|---|---|---|
W76 | Active | 1978 | ? |
W76-2 | Active | 2019 | ? |
W76
Group : Warheads
Status : Active
Also Known As : W76-1/Mk4A
Origin : United States of America
Initial Operational Capability (IOC) : 1978
Total Production : ?
The W76 is a 100 kiloton thermonuclear warhead developed by the United States in the 1960s and the 1970s as the replacement for the W68 nuclear warhead. The United States produced several thousand W76 warheads between 1978 and 1987 with about 2,000 upgraded nukes to remain in service after 2019 when the modernization program is expected to conclude. These weapons are deployed by Trident I and Trident II ballistic missiles. The upgraded W76-1/Mk4A nukes will remain in service with the Strategic Forces of the United States and the United Kingdom in the 2020s.
Operators
Country | Status | State | Notes |
---|---|---|---|
United Kingdom | Active | ? | |
United States of America | Active | 1,500/? |
Specifications
Notes | ||
---|---|---|
Mass | ||
Weight | 164 kilogram | |
Yield | ||
Yield | 100 kiloton |
W76-2
Group : Warheads
Status : Active
Origin : United States of America
Initial Operational Capability (IOC) : January 2019
Total Production : ?
The W76-2 is a low yield nuclear warhead developed from the 100-kiloton W76 nuclear warhead by removing the secondary part of the explosive package to achieve a yield of 5-6 kilotons only. Therefore the new nuke will only use the primary trigger of the basic W76 nuclear bomb. The W76-2 nuclear warhead will be deployed by the US Navy surface ships and submarines according to plans released in June 2018. The W76-2 warheads may be deployed by a modification of the Trident II submarine-launched ballistic missile (SLBM). The United States wants to field low yield nuclear warheads to counter Russia. The new warhead may be ready for deployment in the early 2020s.
Operators
Country | Status | State | Notes |
---|---|---|---|
United States of America | Active | ? |
Specifications
Notes | ||
---|---|---|
Yield | ||
Yield | 6 kiloton |
News
The US National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA) reported that as of September 2023, the United States had 3,748 nuclear warheads intended to equip strategic forces.
The Trump administration has been seeking funding for the modernisation of US nuclear capabilities; it plans to develop a new submarine-launched warhead, which will be included
The newest addition to the American nuclear warehouse came as a result of a change in policy introduced by US President Donald Trump, seeking to renew the country's ageing nuclear arsenal.
The US Army’s chief laid out a weapons wishlist to reporters Tuesday, noting the service sought to cancel dozens of programs it says are “not as relevant” to current US strategy
The statement by the Russian Foreign Minister comes two days after the National Nuclear Security Agency announced that the US had begun manufacturing an undisclosed number
All this to catch up with rapidly developing Russian advanced missile capabilities. The US Navy is developing a hypersonic weapon able to launch from underwater to be
Commander General John Hyten stated in a testimony before the US Congress in March 2018 that the Pentagon needs low-yield nuclear weapons as deterrence, particularly against Russia.
Notes
State Latest Known holdings/Original Procurement
Com - Date of Commissioning
Decom - Date of Decommissioning
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