Nuclear weapon milestones, part 1-B

NUCLEAR WEAPON MILESTONES (Part 1-B)

compiled by Wm. Robert Johnston
last modified 3 June 2005

U.S.A. U.S.S.R./Russia U.K. France China

number of nuclear tests 1,030 715 51 211 45

number of known nuclear detonations
total yield
1,120
195 mt
969
320 mt
45
12.2 mt
210
15.0 mt
45
23.3 mt

number of known above-ground tests
total yield
213
154 mt
219
282 mt
21
10.8 mt
50
11.4 mt
23
21.5 mt

number of tests related to peaceful applications
number of devices
percent of total
27
35
3.00 %
156
156
16.10 %
0 0 0

first fission test
date
yield
Trinity
16 Jul 1945
19.3 kt
Pervaya Molniya
29 Aug 1949
20 kt
Hurricane
3 Oct 1952
25 kt
Gerboise Bleue
13 Feb 1960
~65 kt
596
16 Oct 1964
22 kt

first boosted fission test
date
yield
Item
24 May 1951
45.5 kt
RDS-6s Sloika
12 Aug 1953
400 kt
Short Granite
15 May 1957
300 kt
Rigel
24 Sep 1966
150 kt

9 May 1966
~250 kt

first multi-stage thermonuclear test
date
yield
Mike
31 Oct 1952
10.4 mt
RDS-37
22 Nov 1955
1.6 mt
Grapple X
8 Nov 1957
1.8 mt
Canopus
24 Aug 1968
2.6 mt

17 Jun 1967
3.3 mt

largest atmospheric test
date
yield
Bravo
28 Feb 1954
15 mt
Tsar Bomba
30 Oct 1961
58 mt
Grapple Y
28 Apr 1958
~3.0 mt
Canopus
24 Aug 1968
2.6 mt

17 Nov 1976
~4 mt

last atmospheric test
date
yield
Tightrope
4 Nov 1962
~6 kt
(221)
25 Dec 1962
8.5 kt
Burgee 2
23 Sep 1958
~35 kt
Verseau
15 Sep 1974
332 kt

16 Oct 1980
~450 kt?

last nuclear test
date
yield
Divider
23 Sep 1992
under 20 kt
(715)
8 detonations
24 Oct 1990
~70 kt total*
Bristol
26 Nov 1991
~11 kt?
Xouthos
27 Jan 1996
~24 kt

29 Jul 1996
~3 kt

	U.S.A.	U.S.S.R./Russia	U.K.	France	China
number of nuclear tests	1,030	715	51	211	45
number of known nuclear detonations total yield	1,120 195 mt	969 320 mt	45 12.2 mt	210 15.0 mt	45 23.3 mt
number of known above-ground tests total yield	213 154 mt	219 282 mt	21 10.8 mt	50 11.4 mt	23 21.5 mt
number of tests related to peaceful applications number of devices percent of total	27 35 3.00 %	156 156 16.10 %	0	0	0
first fission test date yield	Trinity 16 Jul 1945 19.3 kt	Pervaya Molniya 29 Aug 1949 20 kt	Hurricane 3 Oct 1952 25 kt	Gerboise Bleue 13 Feb 1960 ~65 kt	596 16 Oct 1964 22 kt
first boosted fission test date yield	Item 24 May 1951 45.5 kt	RDS-6s Sloika 12 Aug 1953 400 kt	Short Granite 15 May 1957 300 kt	Rigel 24 Sep 1966 150 kt	9 May 1966 ~250 kt
first multi-stage thermonuclear test date yield	Mike 31 Oct 1952 10.4 mt	RDS-37 22 Nov 1955 1.6 mt	Grapple X 8 Nov 1957 1.8 mt	Canopus 24 Aug 1968 2.6 mt	17 Jun 1967 3.3 mt
largest atmospheric test date yield	Bravo 28 Feb 1954 15 mt	Tsar Bomba 30 Oct 1961 58 mt	Grapple Y 28 Apr 1958 ~3.0 mt	Canopus 24 Aug 1968 2.6 mt	17 Nov 1976 ~4 mt
last atmospheric test date yield	Tightrope 4 Nov 1962 ~6 kt	(221) 25 Dec 1962 8.5 kt	Burgee 2 23 Sep 1958 ~35 kt	Verseau 15 Sep 1974 332 kt	16 Oct 1980 ~450 kt?
last nuclear test date yield	Divider 23 Sep 1992 under 20 kt	(715) 8 detonations 24 Oct 1990 ~70 kt total*	Bristol 26 Nov 1991 ~11 kt?	Xouthos 27 Jan 1996 ~24 kt	29 Jul 1996 ~3 kt

Israel India South Africa Pakistan North Korea

number of known nuclear tests
total yield
0 6
0.071 mt
1
0.003 mt
6
0.046 mt
0

first fission test
date
yield
N/A "Smiling Buddha"
18 May 1974
~15 kt

22 Sep 1979
~3 kt
1998 N/A

first boosted fission test
date
yield
N/A Shakti I
11 May 1998
43 kt
?
28 May 1998
32 kt
N/A

only known atmospheric test
yield
N/A N/A 22 Sep 1979
~3 kt
N/A N/A

largest underground test
date
yield
N/A Shakti I
11 May 1998
43 kt
N/A 28 May 1998
32 kt
N/A

last nuclear test
date
yield
N/A Shakti V
13 May 1998
0.3 kt

22 Sep 1979
~3 kt

30 May 1998
12 kt
N/A

	Israel	India	South Africa	Pakistan	North Korea
number of known nuclear tests total yield	0	6 0.071 mt	1 0.003 mt	6 0.046 mt	0
first fission test date yield	N/A	"Smiling Buddha" 18 May 1974 ~15 kt	22 Sep 1979 ~3 kt	1998	N/A
first boosted fission test date yield	N/A	Shakti I 11 May 1998 43 kt	?	28 May 1998 32 kt	N/A
only known atmospheric test yield	N/A	N/A	22 Sep 1979 ~3 kt	N/A	N/A
largest underground test date yield	N/A	Shakti I 11 May 1998 43 kt	N/A	28 May 1998 32 kt	N/A
last nuclear test date yield	N/A	Shakti V 13 May 1998 0.3 kt	22 Sep 1979 ~3 kt	30 May 1998 12 kt	N/A

World totals:

number of known nuclear tests: 2,065
number of known nuclear detonations: 2,400 with a total yield of 565 mt
number of known above-ground nuclear tests: 527 with a total yield of 479 mt
number of known nuclear explosions related to peaceful applications: 191

nuclear tests directly resulting in fatalities:

28 Feb 1954, USA, Castle Bravo, 15 mt thermonuclear test: 1 killed by fallout
22 Nov 1955, USSR, 1.6 mt thermonuclear test: 2 killed by blast
15 Feb 1984, USA, Midas Myth/Milagro, ~20 kt underground test: 1 killed by collapse of cavity

most active test site: Nevada Test Site, USA: 1,042 nuclear test detonations from 27 Jan 1951 to 23 Sep 1992, total yield 35.3 mt; includes 102 above ground shots by the USA (total yield 1.0 mt), 916 underground shots by the USA (total yield 33.0 mt), and 24 underground shots by the UK (total yield 1.3 mt)

Nuclear test or application detonations locations by modern-day country

number of tests

United States 947

Kazakhstan 496

Russia 221

French Polynesia (France) 187

Marshall Islands 67

China, People's Republic 41

Christmas Island 30

Algeria 17

Australia 12

Johnston Atoll (United States) 12

India 4

Kiribati 4

Japan 2

Pakistan 2

Saint Helena (United Kingdom) 2

Ukraine 2

Uzbekistan 2

South Africa 1

Turkmenistan 1

	number of tests
United States	947
Kazakhstan	496
Russia	221
French Polynesia (France)	187
Marshall Islands	67
China, People's Republic	41
Christmas Island	30
Algeria	17
Australia	12
Johnston Atoll (United States)	12
India	4
Kiribati	4
Japan	2
Pakistan	2
Saint Helena (United Kingdom)	2
Ukraine	2
Uzbekistan	2
South Africa	1
Turkmenistan	1

Ocean tests are listed with the nearest land (Saint Helena and South Africa in particular); listed numbers refer to tests which sometimes include multiple detonations. © 2000-2003, 2005 by Wm. Robert Johnston.
Last modified 3 June 2005.
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