- W78
The W78 thermonuclear warhead is the
warhead used on most of theUnited States LGM-30G Minuteman IIIintercontinental ballistic missile s (ICBMs), along with the MK-12Areentry vehicle which carried the warhead. Minuteman III's initially deployed with the olderW62 warhead, the W78 was deployed starting in December 1979 onto 300 missiles, three warheads permissile . Declassified records indicate a total of 1,083 W78s were produced.The W78 was designed at
Los Alamos National Laboratory starting in 1974. The design is thought to combine the secondary (fusion ) stage design of older ICBM warheads such as the W50 with a more modern primary stage (seeTeller-Ulam design for more details).The W78 has a publicly announced yield of 335-350 kilotons of TNT.
Dimensions of the W78 are unknown, but it fits within the MK-12A
reentry vehicle , which is conically shaped, 21.3 inches in diameter at its base and 71.3 inches long. The W78 is estimated to weigh 700-800 pounds.The W78 does not use insensitive high
explosive s, such asTATB , which is used in many nuclear weapons because it is very resistant to accidental detonation due to shock or fire or impact. As a result, it is considered a somewhat dangerous warhead, and cannot be transported by air unless there is no other safe option.ee also
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List of nuclear weapons External links
* [http://nuclearweaponarchive.org/Usa/Weapons/W78.html W78 Warhead page at nuclearweaponarchive.org]
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