Operation Sunbeam | |
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Information | |
Country | United States |
Test site |
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Period | 1962 |
Number of tests | 4 |
Test type | cratering, dry surface, gun deployed, tower |
Max. yield | 1.6 kilotonnes of TNT (6.7 TJ) |
Test series chronology | |
Operation Sunbeam [1] (also known as Operation Dominic II) was a series of four nuclear tests conducted at the United States's Nevada Test Site in 1962. Operation Sunbeam tested tactical nuclear warheads; the most notable was the Davy Crockett .
The chief milestone of Operation Sunbeam was that it was the last nuclear test series on the Nevada Test Site conducted in the atmosphere by the United States. Since Operation Sunbeam, specifically the Little Feller 1 test of the Davy Crockett, all US nuclear tests on the Test Site have been carried out underground in accordance with the Partial Test Ban Treaty.
Name [note 1] | Date time (UT) | Local time zone [note 2] [2] | Location [note 3] | Elevation + height [note 4] | Delivery [note 5] Purpose [note 6] | Device [note 7] | Yield [note 8] | Fallout [note 9] | References | Notes |
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Little Feller II | July 7, 1962 19:00:?? | PST (–8 hrs) | NTS 37°07′09″N116°18′14″W / 37.11906°N 116.30381°W | 1,566 m (5,138 ft) + 1 m (3 ft 3 in) | dry surface, weapon effect | W-54 | 22 t | I-131 venting detected, 0 | [1] [3] [4] [5] [6] [7] | Used a stockpile Davy Crockett warhead. The Army's part of Sunbeam was Operation Ivy Flats. |
Johnnie Boy | July 11, 1962 16:45:00.09 | PST (–8 hrs) | NTS 37°07′20″N116°20′02″W / 37.12216°N 116.33395°W | 1,572 m (5,157 ft)–0.6 m (2 ft 0 in) | cratering, weapon effect | W30 TADM | 500 t | Venting detected off site | [1] [3] [4] [6] [7] [8] | TADM (Tactical Atomic Demolition Munition) test, similar to Plumbbob Stokes. |
Small Boy | July 14, 1962 18:30:?? | PST (–8 hrs) | NTS Area 5 36°47′53″N115°55′55″W / 36.798°N 115.932°W | 940 m (3,080 ft) + 3 m (9.8 ft) | tower, weapon effect | 1.7 kt | I-131 venting detected, 270 kCi (10,000 TBq) | [1] [3] [4] [5] [6] [7] | Test of missile silo hardening principles, specifically EMP, similar to Nougat Ermine, Chinchilla I/II, Armadillo. | |
Little Feller I | July 17, 1962 17:00:?? | PST (–8 hrs) | Launch from NTS Area 18, Buckboard Mesa 37°05′10″N116°19′47″W / 37.08607°N 116.32977°W , elv: 1,630 + 2 m (5,347.8 + 6.6 ft); Detonation over NTS 37°06′34″N116°19′06″W / 37.10946°N 116.31823°W | 2,550 m (8,370 ft) + 1 m (3 ft 3 in) | gun deployed, weapon effect | W54 | 18 t | Venting detected off site, 3 kCi (110 TBq) | [1] [3] [4] [5] [6] [7] | Army Operation Ivy Flats, witnessed by Robert Kennedy. Last atmospheric test at NTS, used a stockpile Davy Crockett warhead. |
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Operation Guardian was a series of 14 nuclear tests conducted by the United States in 1980–1981 at the Nevada Test Site. These tests followed the Operation Tinderbox series and preceded the Operation Praetorian series.
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Operation Grenadier was a series of 16 nuclear tests conducted by the United States in 1984–1985 at the Nevada Test Site. These tests followed the Operation Fusileer series and preceded the Operation Charioteer series.
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