W56

The W56 (originally called the Mark 56) was an American thermonuclear warhead produced starting in 1963 which saw service until 1993, on the Minuteman I and II ICBMs.

Key facts

Weapon.name: W56
Weapon.image: LGM-30F Minuteman II W56 Mk-11 warhead.jpg
Weapon.image_size: 300
Weapon.caption: Technicians work on the W56 Mk-11 warhead of an LGM-30F Minuteman II intercontinental ballistic missile.
Weapon.type: Nuclear warhead
Weapon.is_explosive: yes
Weapon.service: 1963-1993
Weapon.used_by: United States
Weapon.designer: Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory
Weapon.design_date: 1959 to 1963
Weapon.production_date: March 1963 to May 1969.
Weapon.number: 1000
Weapon.weight: sans RV
Weapon.length: sans RV
Weapon.diameter: sans RV
Weapon.detonation: Contact, airburst

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Wikidata facts

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inception: 1963-00-00
discontinuation date: 1969-00-00
production date: 1963-00-00
service entry: 1963-00-00
service retirement: 1993-00-00

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History
Mods and engineering names
See also
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The W56 (originally called the Mark 56) was an American thermonuclear warhead produced starting in 1963 which saw service until 1993, on the Minuteman I and II ICBMs.

The warhead had a yield of and a demonstrated yield-to-weight ratio of , very close to the predicted achievable in the highest yield to weight weapon ever built, the B41. Unlike the B41, which was never tested at its full yield, the W56 demonstrated its efficiency in the XW-56-X2 Bluestone shot of Operation Dominic in 1962.