Nuclear artillery

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A nuclear artillery shell is a limited-yield nuclear weapon delivered by cannon artillery. Nuclear artillery is concerned with the use of battlefield nuclear weapons integrated into the land battle. Nuclear artillery may be delivered using guns, rockets or missiles.

Shortly after the development of the first atomic bombs the USA and the USSR began investigations into devices with limited yield that could be used tactically. This developed into a number of short-range delivery systems and low yield warheads from the late 1950s onwards. The weapons included landmines, depth charges, torpedoes, demolition munitions and artillery shells.

Nuclear artillery divides into two groups of nations. Those that developed and deployed nuclear weapons and delivery systems and those that use the weapon systems. In the latter group the nuclear weapons themselves remained under the control of the originating nation until released for use. The known originating nations, in order of deploying battlefield nuclear weapons are USA, USSR, France and India. The United Kingdom planned and partially developed such a weapon system (the Blue Water missile) but cancelled it in the 1960s.

Some NATO nations have only been in the second group. These include: Belgium, Canada, Germany, Greece, Italy, Netherlands, Turkey, United Kingdom.

1 United States nuclear artillery
2 USSR Nuclear Artillery
3 French Nuclear Artillery
4 Links

[edit] United States nuclear artillery

Weapons designers and a W48 155mm artillery shell mockup.

The US development resulted in a number of test weapons. Delivery systems used by the US Field Artillery include, in approximate order of adoption:

280mm Howitzer delivering W-19 nuclear weapon
MGM-5 Corporal missile delivering W-7 nuclear weapon
MGR-1 Honest John free flight rocket delivering W-31 nuclear weapon
8 inch Howitzer delivering W-33 nuclear weapon
155mm Howitzer delivering W-48 nuclear weapon
MGM-29 Sergeant missile delivering W-52 nuclear weapon
MGM-31 Pershing missile delivering W-50 nuclear weapon
MGM-52 Lance missile delivering W-70 nuclear weapon

Upshot-Knothole Grable, a 1953 test of a nuclear artillery projectile at Nevada Test Site (photo depicts 280 mm (11 inch) gun and explosion)

The first artillery test was on May 25, 1953 at the Nevada Test Site. Fired as part of Operation Upshot-Knothole and codenamed Shot GRABLE, a 280 mm (11 inch) shell with a gun-type fission warhead was fired 10,000 m (6.2 miles) and detonated 160 m (525 feet) above the ground with an estimated yield of 15 kilotons. This was the only nuclear artillery shell ever actually fired in the US test program. The shell was 1384 mm (4.5 feet) long and weighed 365 kg (805 lb); it was fired from a special artillery piece, nicknamed "Atomic Annie", built by the Artillery Test Unit of Fort Sill, Oklahoma. Around 3,200 personnel were present. The warhead was designated the W9 and 80 were produced from 1952-53 for the T-124 shell. It was retired in 1957.

280 mm 'Atomic Annie'

Development work continued and resulted in the W19. A 280 mm shell, it was a longer version of the W9. Only 80 warheads were produced and the system was retired in 1963 with the development of the W48 warhead.

The W48 was 846 mm long and weighed 58 kg; it could be fitted in a 155 mm M-45 AFAP (artillery fired atomic projectile) and used in a more standard 155 mm howitzer. The fission warhead was a linear implosion type, consisting of a long cylinder of subcritical mass which is compressed and shaped by explosive into a supercritical sphere. The W48 yielded just 72 tons TNT equivalent.

The W48 went into production from 1963; and 135 examples of the Mod 0 variant were built up to 1968 when it was retired. It was replaced by the Mod 1 which was manufactured from 1965 up until 1969; 925 of this type were made.

Only one type of artillery round other than the W48 was produced in large numbers, the W33 for use in a 203 mm shell. Around 2,000 warheads of this type were manufactured from 1957-65. Each M422 projectile was 940 mm long and weighing around 109 kg (the standard HE shell weighed some 90 kg). M422 were fitted with a triple deck mechanical time base fuze. They were fired from a standard 8-inch (203mm) howitzer, either the towed M115 or self-propelled M110. In some NATO armies these were in specialist units.

The W33's four yields were greater than the W48's, three yielding 5 to 10 kt and one 40 kt. M422 projectiles were assembled in the field to provide the required yield. There was also a ballistically matched spotting round (HES M424) and a special white bag charge system, M80, comprising charges 1 - 3.

Efforts were made to update the warheads: the 203 mm (8-inch) W74 was developed from around 1970, intended to have a yield of 100 tons or higher; it was cancelled in 1973. A further development program began in the 1980s: the W82, for the XM-785 (a 155 mm shell), was intended to yield up to 2 kt with an enhanced radiation capability. Development was halted in 1983. A W82-1 fission only type was designed but finally cancelled in 1990.

The small Davy Crockett could be fired from a M-388 recoilless rifle.

Other developments also continued. In 1958 a fusion warhead was developed and tested, the UCRL Swift. It was 622 mm long, 127 mm diameter, and weighed 43.5 kg. At its test it yielded only 190 tons; it failed to achieve fusion and only the initial fission explosion worked correctly. There are unconfirmed reports that work on similar concepts continued into the 1970s and resulted in a one-kiloton warhead design for 5-inch (127 mm) naval gun rounds; these, however, were never deployed as operational weapons.

As well as linear implosion devices, the US developed a spherical implosion device that was very close to the theoretical lower limit of nuclear weapon yield and size. The Mk-54 Davy Crockett was designed to be fired from the M-388 recoilless rifle. Weighing only 23 kg, the warhead in its casing was 400 mm by 273 mm. It was first tested in October 1958 as part of Operation Hardtack and yielded 10 tons, but later developments increased that to 1 kt. 400 Mk-54 warheads were produced from 1961-65 and the last was withdrawn in 1971. The warhead was also adapted for the Mk-54 SADM (Special Atomic Demolition Munition), a cylinder 40 cm by 60 cm and weighing 68 kg. Fired by a mechanical timer, it had a variable yield from 10 tons up to 1 kt. 300 SADMs were made and they remained in the US arsenal until 1989.

In 1991 the US unilaterally withdrew its nuclear artillery shells from service, and Russia responded in kind in 1992. The US removed around 1,300 nuclear shells from Europe and reportedly dismantled its last shells by 2003. Focus has since moved to development of nuclear bunker buster munitions.

[edit] USSR Nuclear Artillery

USSR appears to have used larger yield weapons than their US equivalents. The control and custody of nuclear weapons is the responsibility of the 12th Main Directorate of the Ministry of Defence and its special units. Delivery systems are the responsibility of the Rocket Troops and Artillery Branch. Delivery units existed from Tank and Motor Rifle Divisions up to Front level.

In approximate order of introduction nuclear artillery delivery systems probably include: