38:
247:
During this study group, it was determined that the XW-56-derived ESD used in the XW-59 would be unsuitable for the
Skybolt application due to the requirement for free-fall drop delivery option. In March 1961, the Skybolt joint working group met and concluded the initial July 1963 deployment date was
216:
would be responsible for the firing set, external initiators, ESD and housing and mounting structures. The warhead would also be compatible with the
Skybolt application and that all electrical components, except the external initiators, were already in production. Safety was assured by not having any
255:
As the production date for
Skybolt began to slip, first flight tests were scheduled for December 1963. Sandia objected to the planned program of only two flights, wanting eight to twelve test flights instead. In August 1961, first production date for Skybolt was rescheduled to April 1964 at Sandia's
204:
In
January 1961, the Mark 5 reentry vehicle (RV) joint working group, already assigned the task of mating the XW-56 to the Mark 5 were also given the task of fitting the XW-59 to the RV. In May, a second working group for the Mark 11 RV was formed. The plan was to introduce the Mark 11 into service
200:
Firing set components would be off-the-shelf items repackaged for the special shape required for the role. The warhead would contain no electrical power, with an externally powered rotary chopper provided to charge the weapon's X-unit. An inertial switch would be provided to prevent weapon arming
243:
began in March 1960. The requirements included a first production date of July 1963 and that the weapon could be made in large numbers. In April 1960 a study group met to determine a suitable design compatible with
Skybolt. The operational deployment date was scheduled for July 1963.
267:
The W59 was 16.3 inches (41 cm) in diameter and 47.8 inches (121 cm) long, and it weighed 550 pounds (250 kg). From official documents, it had a design yield of 800 kilotonnes of TNT (3,300 TJ). The weapon had both contact and airburst fuzing modes.
192:
Though the intermediate details and dates remain classified, at some point during or before
December 1960, a second Minuteman warhead was authorized with a planned first production date of July 1962 and a full scale production date of December 1962. In March 1961, the
353:
The report states that the 550 lb (250 kg) warhead for
Minuteman has a yield of 800 kilotonnes of TNT (3,300 TJ) and the 600 lb (270 kg) warhead had a yield of 1,200 kilotonnes of TNT (5,000 TJ). The W59 is the only 550lb warhead for
224:
warhead was design released in
December 1961. Though the Minuteman missile's operational availability date was pushed from July to September 1962, the warhead's first production date remained unchanged and the first warhead was delivered on schedule in June 1962.
302:
in fusion reactions. The weapons were not tested as extensively as some prior models due to the 1958 to 1961 test moratorium, and the reliability problem was discovered and fixed after the moratorium ended. This problem was apparently shared by the
248:
unrealistic as flight tests of the weapon had still not been conducted. Further, due to the need for a special ESD, the XW-59 warhead for
Skybolt was renamed the
708:
181:
Development of the
Minuteman I ICBM was authorized in February 1958 and by March, the study of possible warhead for the new ICBM was completed. In April, the
298:
Historical evidence indicates that these weapons shared a reliability problem, which Hansen attributes to miscalculation of the reaction cross section of
201:
before it experienced its launch environment. In December 1960, it was decided to use the environmental sensing device (ESD) from the XW-56 in the XW-59.
1606:
601:
228:
The final development report for the Mark 59 Mod 0 noted that the warhead met all the design specification, with some still classified exceptions.
1601:
217:
source of power in the warhead, the use of ESDs, and that two firing signals in the correct order had to be received to detonate the weapon.
701:
481:
669:
694:
259:
In December 1962, all effort on the XW-59-X1 was halted, and in March 1963 the Skybolt program and its warhead were cancelled.
186:
1502:
1022:
1076:
1049:
1070:
1054:
1064:
189:) was approved for development. This program required considerable effort and was accompanied by funding issues.
1328:
1059:
717:
231:
A total of 150 W59 warheads were produced from June 1962 to July 1963. All warheads were retired by June 1969.
165:
87:
992:
987:
1428:
213:
1554:
1039:
1549:
1544:
1539:
814:
379:
905:
1529:
752:
316:
1570:
1534:
1480:
1475:
1470:
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1398:
1388:
1373:
1348:
1343:
1338:
1323:
1303:
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1258:
1248:
1017:
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997:
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288:
284:
489:
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1146:
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1116:
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1106:
1091:
982:
951:
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799:
794:
789:
154:
20:
8:
855:
850:
845:
840:
784:
779:
774:
769:
764:
641:
594:
321:
208:
In May 1961 it was noted that the weapon's RV and fuzing system would be developed by
661:
1298:
1273:
1268:
1243:
1217:
1201:
1196:
1191:
1186:
1181:
1176:
1171:
1166:
1151:
966:
824:
653:
292:
280:
158:
961:
819:
51:
686:
725:
304:
276:
240:
205:
in January 1963 with the eventual replacement of all Mark 5 RVs with Mark 11s.
162:
1595:
738:
665:
1448:
272:
956:
515:
378:(Report). Sandia National Labs., Albuquerque, NM (USA). 1968. p. 7.
279:. Hansen's research indicates that the Tsetse primary was used in the US
503:
444:
271:
The W59 was one of five nuclear weapon designs identified by researcher
746:
398:
396:
657:
618:
575:
563:
539:
527:
551:
456:
432:
420:
408:
393:
161:
missiles from 1962 to 1969, and planned to be used on the cancelled
1580:
1575:
758:
299:
37:
220:
Flight tests of the weapon were conducted in late 1961 and the
1253:
209:
1508:
1485:
1434:
1423:
1418:
1413:
1408:
1403:
1393:
1383:
1378:
1368:
1363:
1358:
1353:
1333:
1313:
1308:
1283:
1278:
1028:
1007:
1002:
935:
930:
925:
920:
915:
890:
880:
624:
581:
569:
557:
545:
533:
521:
509:
462:
450:
438:
426:
414:
402:
375:
374:
185:
warhead designed by Lawrence Radiation Laboratory (now
42:
The Mark 5 Reentry Vehicle that housed the W59 warhead
716:
1593:
702:
197:nomenclature was accepted for this warhead.
482:"Complete List of All U.S. Nuclear Weapons"
340:Not to be confused with the Mark 5 reentry
1607:Military equipment introduced in the 1960s
709:
695:
36:
635:
633:
475:
473:
471:
479:
176:
1594:
639:
630:
468:
368:
239:Search for a suitable warhead for the
234:
187:Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory
16:American thermonuclear missile warhead
1602:Nuclear warheads of the United States
690:
595:DCI Briefing to Joint Chiefs of Staff
143:800 kilotonnes of TNT (3,300 TJ)
1077:Tactical Atomic Demolition Munition
587:
13:
1071:Special Atomic Demolition Munition
600:(Report). 1963-07-30. p. 20.
14:
1618:
1065:Medium Atomic Demolition Munition
646:Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists
480:Sublette, Carey (12 June 2020).
672:from the original on 2021-11-06
607:from the original on 2021-11-06
382:from the original on 2021-12-01
347:
334:
166:air-launched ballistic missile
88:Los Alamos National Laboratory
1:
718:United States nuclear devices
361:
1429:Reliable Replacement Warhead
640:Hansen, Chuck (2001-03-01).
625:History of the Mk 59 Warhead
582:History of the Mk 59 Warhead
570:History of the Mk 59 Warhead
558:History of the Mk 59 Warhead
546:History of the Mk 59 Warhead
534:History of the Mk 59 Warhead
522:History of the Mk 59 Warhead
510:History of the Mk 59 Warhead
463:History of the Mk 59 Warhead
451:History of the Mk 59 Warhead
439:History of the Mk 59 Warhead
427:History of the Mk 59 Warhead
415:History of the Mk 59 Warhead
403:History of the Mk 59 Warhead
376:History of the Mk 59 Warhead
214:Sandia National Laboratories
7:
310:
275:as using the common design
10:
1623:
171:
18:
1563:
1522:
1495:
1458:
1447:
1226:
1210:
1099:
1090:
1038:
975:
944:
833:
737:
724:
344:(RB) used by the US Navy.
262:
139:
127:
122:
114:
110:47.8 inches (121 cm)
106:
98:
93:
83:
78:
70:
62:
57:
47:
35:
28:
327:
118:16.3 inches (41 cm)
102:550 pounds (250 kg)
317:List of nuclear weapons
642:"Beware the Old Story"
486:Nuclear weapon archive
177:Minuteman application
155:thermonuclear warhead
21:W59 (disambiguation)
19:For other uses, see
289:W50 nuclear warhead
285:W44 nuclear warhead
235:Skybolt application
322:Teller-Ulam design
79:Production history
1589:
1588:
1518:
1517:
1443:
1442:
1086:
1085:
1040:Atomic demolition
658:10.2968/057002015
147:
146:
135:Contact, airburst
1614:
1456:
1455:
1097:
1096:
735:
734:
711:
704:
697:
688:
687:
681:
680:
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637:
628:
622:
616:
615:
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612:
606:
599:
591:
585:
579:
573:
567:
561:
555:
549:
543:
537:
531:
525:
524:, p. 18-19.
519:
513:
507:
501:
500:
498:
497:
488:. Archived from
477:
466:
460:
454:
453:, p. 13-14.
448:
442:
436:
430:
424:
418:
412:
406:
400:
391:
390:
388:
387:
372:
355:
351:
345:
338:
293:B57 nuclear bomb
281:B43 nuclear bomb
159:Minuteman I ICBM
153:was an American
140:Blast yield
40:
31:
26:
25:
1622:
1621:
1617:
1616:
1615:
1613:
1612:
1611:
1592:
1591:
1590:
1585:
1559:
1514:
1491:
1450:
1439:
1222:
1206:
1082:
1041:
1034:
971:
940:
829:
729:
727:
720:
715:
685:
684:
675:
673:
638:
631:
623:
619:
610:
608:
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597:
593:
592:
588:
580:
576:
568:
564:
556:
552:
544:
540:
532:
528:
520:
516:
512:, p. 17-8.
508:
504:
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493:
478:
469:
461:
457:
449:
445:
437:
433:
425:
421:
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385:
383:
373:
369:
364:
359:
358:
352:
348:
339:
335:
330:
313:
265:
241:Skybolt missile
237:
179:
174:
132:
130:
123:
63:In service
58:Service history
52:Nuclear warhead
43:
29:
24:
17:
12:
11:
5:
1620:
1610:
1609:
1604:
1587:
1586:
1584:
1583:
1578:
1573:
1567:
1565:
1561:
1560:
1558:
1557:
1552:
1547:
1542:
1537:
1532:
1526:
1524:
1523:Primary stages
1520:
1519:
1516:
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1512:
1506:
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1497:
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1489:
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312:
309:
305:Python primary
277:Tsetse primary
264:
261:
236:
233:
178:
175:
173:
170:
163:GAM-87 Skybolt
145:
144:
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137:
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133:
128:
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94:Specifications
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1130:
1128:
1125:
1123:
1120:
1118:
1115:
1113:
1110:
1108:
1105:
1104:
1102:
1100:Gravity bombs
1098:
1095:
1093:
1092:Thermonuclear
1089:
1078:
1075:
1072:
1069:
1066:
1063:
1061:
1058:
1056:
1053:
1051:
1048:
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1043:
1037:
1030:
1027:
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1021:
1019:
1016:
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1011:
1009:
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1004:
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991:
989:
986:
984:
981:
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968:
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958:
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950:
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929:
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917:
914:
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904:
902:
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889:
887:
884:
882:
879:
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872:
869:
867:
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862:
859:
857:
854:
852:
849:
847:
844:
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839:
838:
836:
832:
826:
823:
821:
818:
816:
813:
811:
808:
806:
803:
801:
798:
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793:
791:
788:
786:
783:
781:
778:
776:
773:
771:
768:
766:
763:
760:
757:
754:
751:
748:
745:
744:
742:
740:
739:Gravity bombs
736:
733:
731:
723:
719:
712:
707:
705:
700:
698:
693:
692:
689:
671:
667:
663:
659:
655:
651:
647:
643:
636:
634:
627:, p. 16.
626:
621:
603:
596:
590:
584:, p. 22.
583:
578:
572:, p. 21.
571:
566:
559:
554:
548:, p. 19.
547:
542:
536:, p. 18.
535:
530:
523:
518:
511:
506:
492:on 2009-02-27
491:
487:
483:
476:
474:
472:
465:, p. 14.
464:
459:
452:
447:
441:, p. 10.
440:
435:
428:
423:
416:
411:
404:
399:
397:
381:
377:
371:
367:
350:
343:
337:
333:
323:
320:
318:
315:
314:
308:
306:
301:
296:
294:
290:
286:
282:
278:
274:
269:
260:
257:
253:
251:
245:
242:
232:
229:
226:
223:
222:Mark 59 Mod 0
218:
215:
211:
206:
202:
198:
196:
190:
188:
184:
169:
167:
164:
160:
157:used on some
156:
152:
142:
138:
134:
126:
121:
117:
113:
109:
105:
101:
97:
92:
89:
86:
82:
77:
74:United States
73:
69:
65:
61:
56:
53:
50:
46:
39:
34:
27:
22:
1564:Experimental
1318:
674:. Retrieved
652:(2): 52–55.
649:
645:
620:
609:. Retrieved
589:
577:
565:
560:, p. 6.
553:
541:
529:
517:
505:
494:. Retrieved
490:the original
485:
458:
446:
434:
429:, p. 9.
422:
417:, p. 5.
410:
405:, p. 8.
384:. Retrieved
370:
349:
341:
336:
297:
273:Chuck Hansen
270:
266:
258:
254:
249:
246:
238:
230:
227:
221:
219:
207:
203:
199:
194:
191:
182:
180:
150:
148:
71:Used by
66:1962 to 1969
1211:Depth bombs
945:Depth bombs
295:, and W59.
1596:Categories
747:Little Boy
728:(including
676:2021-11-06
611:2021-11-06
496:2021-11-05
386:2021-11-06
362:References
354:Minuteman.
129:Detonation
1496:Artillery
1451:radiation
1042:munitions
976:Artillery
666:0096-3402
307:designs.
256:request.
131:mechanism
1581:RACER IV
1555:Starling
1459:Warheads
1449:Enhanced
1227:Warheads
834:Warheads
761:(Mark 3)
755:(Mark 2)
753:Thin Man
749:(Mark 1)
730:boosted)
670:Archived
602:Archived
380:Archived
311:See also
250:XW-59-X1
84:Designer
1576:Sausage
1550:Kinglet
1162:Mark 39
1157:Mark 36
1147:Mark 27
1142:Mark 26
1137:Mark 24
1127:Mark 21
1122:Mark 17
1112:Mark 15
1107:Mark 14
1050:XM1 ADM
952:Mark 90
815:Mark 20
810:Mark 18
805:Mark 13
800:Mark 12
795:Mark 11
790:Mark 10
759:Fat Man
726:Fission
300:tritium
172:History
1571:Gadget
1545:Tsetse
1540:Python
1079:(TADM)
1073:(SADM)
1067:(MADM)
1055:T2 ADM
962:Mk 105
957:Mk 101
820:Mk 105
785:Mark 8
780:Mark 7
775:Mark 6
770:Mark 5
765:Mark 4
664:
263:Design
212:while
107:Length
1530:Robin
1431:(RRW)
1274:XW-46
1254:XW-35
931:W76-2
916:XW-51
605:(PDF)
598:(PDF)
328:Notes
195:XW-59
183:XW-56
115:Width
1535:Swan
1249:TX29
1177:TX46
1132:TX22
1117:TX16
662:ISSN
342:body
210:Avco
149:The
99:Mass
48:Type
30:W59
1509:W82
1503:W79
1486:W70
1481:W66
1476:W65
1471:W64
1466:W63
1435:W93
1424:W91
1419:W89
1414:W88
1409:W87
1404:W86
1399:W85
1394:W84
1389:W80
1384:W78
1379:W76
1374:W73
1369:W71
1364:W70
1359:W69
1354:W68
1349:W67
1344:W64
1339:W63
1334:W62
1329:W61
1324:W60
1319:W59
1314:W58
1309:W56
1304:W55
1299:W53
1294:W52
1289:W50
1284:W49
1279:W47
1269:W41
1264:W39
1259:W38
1244:W28
1239:W27
1234:W15
1218:B90
1202:B90
1197:B83
1192:B77
1187:B61
1182:B53
1172:B43
1167:B41
1152:B28
1029:W82
1023:W79
1018:W75
1013:W74
1008:W54
1003:W48
998:W33
993:W23
988:W19
967:B57
936:W81
926:W72
921:W54
911:W45
906:W44
901:W42
896:W40
891:W37
886:W34
881:W31
876:W30
871:W25
866:W13
861:W12
825:B57
654:doi
151:W59
1598::
1511:-0
1505:-0
1488:-3
1060:T4
1031:-1
1025:-1
983:W9
856:W8
851:W7
846:W5
841:W4
668:.
660:.
650:57
648:.
644:.
632:^
484:.
470:^
395:^
291:,
287:,
283:,
252:.
168:.
710:e
703:t
696:v
679:.
656::
614:.
499:.
389:.
23:.
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