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===Safety issues and later service===
===Safety issues and later service===
[[aging (material science)|Aging]] of the [[Polymer-bonded explosive|LX-09 Plastic Bonded Explosive]] used in the W68<ref name=global-w68>{{cite web |url=http://www.globalsecurity.org/wmd/systems/w68.htm |title=W68 warhead |publisher=globalsecurity.org |access-date=2006-05-03}}</ref><ref name=ban-bomb>{{cite web |url=http://www.banthebomb.org/archives/trisaf/ch5.htm |title=Warhead Accidents |publisher=Banthebomb.org |access-date=2006-05-03}}</ref><ref name=nuke-arch-explo>{{cite web |url=http://nuclearweaponarchive.org/Nwfaq/Nfaq4-1.html#4.1.6.2.2.5 |author=Carey Sublette |work=4. Engineering and Design of Nuclear Weapons: 4.1 Elements of Fission Weapon Design |title=4.1.6.2.2.5 Explosives |date=1999-02-20 |access-date=2006-05-03}}</ref><ref name=llnl-accident>{{cite web |url=http://www-training1.llnl.gov/training/hc/Explosive/Accidents.html |title=LLNL explosives accident training web page |publisher=Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (LLNL) |access-date=2006-05-03}} {{Dead link|date=June 2014}}</ref><ref name=nyt-81-10-03>{{cite news |agency=AP |url=https://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=9905EED91539F930A35753C1A967948260 |title=Relatives of 3 Killed in Blast At Nuclear Plant Lose Suit |date=1981-10-03 |work=New York Times |access-date=2006-05-03}}</ref> led to decomposition of the explosive, separating the [[binder (material)|binder]] and [[plasticizer]],<ref name=nuke-arch-explo/> which then caused deterioration of the detonators. This required the whole production run to be retired or remanufactured with LX-10 and LX-10-1 as new explosives from November 1978 through 1983; about 2,000 units were retired starting in 1977 rather than rebuilt.<ref name=nuke-arch-us-nukes/>
[[aging (material science)|Aging]] of the [[Polymer-bonded explosive|LX-09 Plastic Bonded Explosive]] used in the W68<ref name=global-w68>{{cite web |url=http://www.globalsecurity.org/wmd/systems/w68.htm |title=W68 warhead |publisher=globalsecurity.org |access-date=2006-05-03 |archive-date=2006-09-02 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20060902215909/http://www.globalsecurity.org/wmd/systems/w68.htm |url-status=live }}</ref><ref name=ban-bomb>{{cite web |url=http://www.banthebomb.org/archives/trisaf/ch5.htm |title=Warhead Accidents |publisher=Banthebomb.org |access-date=2006-05-03 |archive-date=2005-11-27 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20051127180644/http://www.banthebomb.org/archives/trisaf/ch5.htm |url-status=live }}</ref><ref name=nuke-arch-explo>{{cite web |url=http://nuclearweaponarchive.org/Nwfaq/Nfaq4-1.html#4.1.6.2.2.5 |author=Carey Sublette |work=4. Engineering and Design of Nuclear Weapons: 4.1 Elements of Fission Weapon Design |title=4.1.6.2.2.5 Explosives |date=1999-02-20 |access-date=2006-05-03}}</ref><ref name=llnl-accident>{{cite web |url=http://www-training1.llnl.gov/training/hc/Explosive/Accidents.html |title=LLNL explosives accident training web page |publisher=Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (LLNL) |access-date=2006-05-03}} {{Dead link|date=June 2014}}</ref><ref name=nyt-81-10-03>{{cite news |agency=AP |url=https://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=9905EED91539F930A35753C1A967948260 |title=Relatives of 3 Killed in Blast At Nuclear Plant Lose Suit |date=1981-10-03 |work=New York Times |access-date=2006-05-03 |archive-date=2007-03-11 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070311013143/http://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=9905EED91539F930A35753C1A967948260 |url-status=live }}</ref> led to decomposition of the explosive, separating the [[binder (material)|binder]] and [[plasticizer]],<ref name=nuke-arch-explo/> which then caused deterioration of the detonators. This required the whole production run to be retired or remanufactured with LX-10 and LX-10-1 as new explosives from November 1978 through 1983; about 2,000 units were retired starting in 1977 rather than rebuilt.<ref name=nuke-arch-us-nukes/>


The remaining 3,200 warheads remained in service longer, with the last units retired in 1991.<ref name=nuke-arch-us-nukes>{{cite web |author=Carey Sublette |url=http://nuclearweaponarchive.org/Usa/Weapons/Allbombs.html |title=Complete List of All U.S. Nuclear Weapons: W-68 |date=2006-10-04 |access-date=2006-05-03}}</ref>
The remaining 3,200 warheads remained in service longer, with the last units retired in 1991.<ref name=nuke-arch-us-nukes>{{cite web |author=Carey Sublette |url=http://nuclearweaponarchive.org/Usa/Weapons/Allbombs.html |title=Complete List of All U.S. Nuclear Weapons: W-68 |date=2006-10-04 |access-date=2006-05-03}}</ref>

Revision as of 02:45, 1 September 2021

W68
A W68 warhead in a Mk3 reentry Body. See image below for scale.
TypeNuclear weapon
Service history
In service1971-1991
Used byUnited States.
Production history
DesignerLawrence Livermore National Laboratory
ProducedJune 1970 - June 1975
No. built5250
Specifications
Mass367 pounds (166 kg)
Detonation
mechanism
Contact, airburst
Blast yield40 to 50 kilotons of TNT (170 to 210 TJ)
W68 with table and models for scale.

The W68 warhead was the warhead used on the UGM-73 Poseidon SLBM missile. It was developed in the late 1960s at Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory.

Specifications

The W68 weighed 367 pounds (166 kg) and had a design yield of 40–50 kilotons of TNT (170–210 TJ)

The design was revolutionary and impacted many following systems with its achievements in warhead miniaturization.[1]

Production and deployment

A total of 5,250 W68 warheads were produced, the single largest production run of any American nuclear weapon model. It was manufactured starting in June 1970 and ending in June 1975. Each Poseidon missile could carry up to 14 warheads; at the peak deployment, there were 31 US Poseidon submarines with 16 missiles each, for a total of 496 deployed missiles, at a density of about 10 warheads per missile.

Safety issues and later service

Aging of the LX-09 Plastic Bonded Explosive used in the W68[2][3][4][5][6] led to decomposition of the explosive, separating the binder and plasticizer,[4] which then caused deterioration of the detonators. This required the whole production run to be retired or remanufactured with LX-10 and LX-10-1 as new explosives from November 1978 through 1983; about 2,000 units were retired starting in 1977 rather than rebuilt.[7]

The remaining 3,200 warheads remained in service longer, with the last units retired in 1991.[7]

See also

References

  1. ^ LLNL improvements in the 1970s
  2. ^ "W68 warhead". globalsecurity.org. Archived from the original on 2006-09-02. Retrieved 2006-05-03.
  3. ^ "Warhead Accidents". Banthebomb.org. Archived from the original on 2005-11-27. Retrieved 2006-05-03.
  4. ^ a b Carey Sublette (1999-02-20). "4.1.6.2.2.5 Explosives". 4. Engineering and Design of Nuclear Weapons: 4.1 Elements of Fission Weapon Design. Retrieved 2006-05-03.
  5. ^ "LLNL explosives accident training web page". Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (LLNL). Retrieved 2006-05-03. [dead link‍]
  6. ^ "Relatives of 3 Killed in Blast At Nuclear Plant Lose Suit". New York Times. AP. 1981-10-03. Archived from the original on 2007-03-11. Retrieved 2006-05-03.
  7. ^ a b Carey Sublette (2006-10-04). "Complete List of All U.S. Nuclear Weapons: W-68". Retrieved 2006-05-03.
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