678:
94:
Peter, an anglicised version of the US Python device used in the W28. The Peter device contained 2.25 kilograms (5.0 lb) of plutonium and 1.4 kilograms (3.1 lb) of uranium. The kiloton Red Snow contained 1.6 kilograms (3.5 lb) of plutonium, 11 kilograms (24 lb) of uranium, 0.6
43:
missile. The US W28 had yields of 70, 350, 1,100 and 1,450 kilotonnes of TNT (0.29, 1.46, 4.60 and 6.07 PJ) and while Red Snow yields are still classified, declassified
British documents indicate the existence of "kiloton Red Snow" and "megaton Red Snow" variants of the
274:
PETER – A boosted fission device, an anglicised copy of the W-34 Python primary used in the Red Snow strategic warhead and it was already in production in the UK, so could be available quickly. Yield of 11 kt was not capable of enlargement to the sizes specified by OR.1176 /
95:
kilograms (1.3 lb) of lithium deuteride and 2.49 to 2.54 grams (0.088 to 0.090 oz) of tritium, while in megaton Red Snow all the values stayed the same except the lithium deuteride amount which increased to 16 kilograms (35 lb).
98:
The device was fitted inside weapon cases from the older Yellow Sun weapons. This may have been to simplify crew retraining, simplify integration of the new weapon to existing platforms, or to hide the radical reduction in weapon size.
712:
705:
731:
177:
Red Snow is the
British version of the U.S. Mk.28, which has been tested by the American Authorities. It follows that all current British nuclear weapons are based on tested designs.
698:
681:
1110:
312:
138:
332:
1100:
78:
replacement. Known as Una, this was later reduced in diameter and renamed
Ulysses as the physics package intended for the UK warhead on the
1105:
164:
372:
44:
weapon, suggesting similar yield options, while other sources have suggested a yield of approximately 1 megatonne of TNT (4.2 PJ).
190:
74:
The Red Snow physics package was later reduced in size, weight and yield, and fitted with a smaller more modern primary, intended as a
227:
1081:
261:
52:
The Red Snow warhead was developed after a
September 1958 decision to adopt the US warhead for British use, following the
53:
604:
365:
998:
927:
855:
142:
71:
weapon, even though the Red Snow warhead was considerably smaller than that of the original Yellow Sun bomb.
835:
804:
609:
502:
108:
91:
1024:
814:
690:
639:
68:
328:
944:
809:
624:
522:
358:
75:
60:
bomb. Production numbers are classified, but it is believed that fewer than 150 weapons were produced.
20:
1015:
350:
599:
415:
474:
464:
451:
156:
1115:
879:
578:
573:
535:
394:
198:
1064:
782:
540:
497:
459:
32:
223:
8:
766:
288:
1044:
402:
64:
56:. It entered service in 1961, remaining in use until 1972, when it was replaced by the
530:
507:
430:
492:
40:
36:
756:
253:
963:
787:
722:
649:
588:
560:
385:
1094:
897:
845:
619:
512:
224:
Weapons
Department Atomic Warheads Production Committee, Papers & Minutes
113:
1069:
850:
614:
720:
840:
761:
629:
568:
226:(Report). UK Atomic Energy Authority. 1964. p. 63. TNA AB 16/4675.
482:
19:
This article is about the nuclear weapon Red Snow. For other uses, see
984:
550:
410:
63:
Red Snow was used as both a free-fall bomb and as the warhead of the
380:
39:(then called Mark 28) design used in the B28 thermonuclear bomb and
739:
487:
441:
425:
420:
381:
163:. National Archive. 17 July 1962. p. 1. TNA AVIA 65/1771 E24.
652:
545:
79:
67:. In the gravity bomb role, it was fitted into the casing of the
979:
865:
819:
660:
634:
57:
141:. Atomic Weapons Establishment. September 2007. Archived from
436:
591:
258:
Nuclear
Weapons: a Guide to British Nuclear Weapon Projects
315:, Atomic Weapons Establishment timeline, September 2007
157:"Defence Committee on Nuclear Requirements 1959–1963"
395:
list of code names used for projects (Rainbow Codes)
896:Intermediate Range Ballistic Missile Test Centre,
682:Cold War military equipment of the United Kingdom
1092:
133:
131:
129:
247:
245:
706:
366:
306:
126:
242:
323:
321:
191:"Complete List of All U.S. Nuclear Weapons"
1111:Military equipment introduced in the 1960s
713:
699:
373:
359:
313:Blue Steel Nuclear Missile Enters Service
721:Strategic nuclear weapon systems of the
318:
289:"History of the British Nuclear Arsenal"
286:
188:
251:
218:
216:
1101:Cold War weapons of the United Kingdom
1093:
335:from the original on 27 September 2018
264:from the original on 27 September 2018
182:
1082:Nuclear weapons of the United Kingdom
694:
354:
161:Atomic Weapons Research Establishment
213:
1106:Nuclear bombs of the United Kingdom
54:1958 US-UK Mutual Defence Agreement
13:
14:
1127:
287:Sublette, Carey (30 April 2002).
677:
676:
252:Burnell, Brian (15 April 2018).
230:from the original on 23 May 2021
189:Sublette, Carey (12 June 2020).
167:from the original on 28 May 2012
139:"Yellow Sun MK.2 Enters Service"
605:British hydrogen bomb programme
280:
149:
47:
1:
1070:Blue Peacock nuclear landmine
119:
109:Atomic Weapons Establishment
7:
523:surface-to-surface missiles
102:
10:
1132:
551:Orange William (Swingfire)
18:
1078:
1057:
1037:
1008:
997:
972:
956:
937:
926:
906:
889:
878:
828:
797:
775:
749:
738:
729:
674:
648:
587:
561:satellite launch vehicles
559:
521:
473:
450:
401:
392:
384:military projects of the
85:
21:Red Snow (disambiguation)
1058:Other cancelled projects
546:Blue Rapier / Red Rapier
600:High Explosive Research
503:Red Shoes (Thunderbird)
498:Red Duster (Bloodhound)
475:surface-to-air missiles
452:air-to-surface missiles
329:"Nuclear-weapons.info"
293:Nuclear Weapon Archive
195:Nuclear weapon archive
16:British nuclear weapon
416:Blue Jay (Firestreak)
964:Polaris A3T and A3TK
493:Green Light (SeaCat)
411:Blue Sky (Fireflash)
33:thermonuclear weapon
767:Handley Page Victor
403:air-to-air missiles
201:on 27 February 2009
1065:Blue Water missile
90:Red Snow used the
65:Blue Steel missile
35:, based on the US
1088:
1087:
1053:
1052:
993:
992:
985:Chevaline upgrade
922:
921:
883:(1960, cancelled)
874:
873:
688:
687:
488:CF.299 (Sea Dart)
1123:
1028:-class submarine
1019:-class submarine
1009:launch platforms
1006:
1005:
948:-class submarine
935:
934:
887:
886:
747:
746:
715:
708:
701:
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691:
680:
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375:
368:
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278:
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197:. Archived from
186:
180:
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147:
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135:
41:AGM-28 Hound Dog
1131:
1130:
1126:
1125:
1124:
1122:
1121:
1120:
1091:
1090:
1089:
1084:
1074:
1049:
1033:
1001:
989:
968:
952:
938:Launch platform
930:
918:
902:
882:
870:
824:
793:
771:
757:Vickers Valiant
742:
734:
725:
719:
689:
684:
670:
644:
583:
555:
517:
469:
446:
397:
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155:
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145:on 7 June 2007.
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50:
24:
17:
12:
11:
5:
1129:
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1103:
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1054:
1051:
1050:
1048:
1047:
1041:
1039:
1035:
1034:
1032:
1031:
1022:
1021:(1994–present)
1012:
1010:
1003:
1002:(1994–present)
995:
994:
991:
990:
988:
987:
982:
976:
974:
970:
969:
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960:
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941:
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893:
891:
884:
876:
875:
872:
871:
869:
868:
863:
858:
853:
848:
843:
838:
836:Mk.1 atom bomb
832:
830:
826:
825:
823:
822:
817:
812:
807:
801:
799:
795:
794:
792:
791:
785:
779:
777:
773:
772:
770:
769:
764:
759:
753:
751:
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740:V bomber force
736:
735:
730:
727:
726:
723:United Kingdom
718:
717:
710:
703:
695:
686:
685:
675:
672:
671:
669:
668:
663:
657:
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646:
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637:
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393:
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386:United Kingdom
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363:
355:
347:
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317:
305:
279:
241:
212:
181:
148:
124:
123:
121:
118:
117:
116:
111:
104:
101:
87:
84:
49:
46:
31:was a British
15:
9:
6:
4:
3:
2:
1128:
1117:
1114:
1112:
1109:
1107:
1104:
1102:
1099:
1098:
1096:
1083:
1077:
1071:
1068:
1066:
1063:
1062:
1060:
1056:
1046:
1045:Trident II D5
1043:
1042:
1040:
1036:
1030:(replacement)
1029:
1027:
1023:
1020:
1018:
1014:
1013:
1011:
1007:
1004:
1000:
996:
986:
983:
981:
978:
977:
975:
971:
965:
962:
961:
959:
955:
949:
947:
943:
942:
940:
936:
933:
929:
925:
915:
912:
911:
909:
905:
899:
898:RAF Spadeadam
895:
894:
892:
888:
885:
881:
877:
867:
864:
862:
859:
857:
854:
852:
849:
847:
846:Orange Herald
844:
842:
839:
837:
834:
833:
831:
827:
821:
818:
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813:
811:
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802:
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796:
789:
786:
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781:
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763:
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758:
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752:
748:
745:
741:
737:
733:
728:
724:
716:
711:
709:
704:
702:
697:
696:
693:
683:
673:
667:
664:
662:
659:
658:
656:
654:
651:
647:
641:
638:
636:
633:
631:
628:
626:
623:
621:
620:Orange Herald
618:
616:
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611:
608:
606:
603:
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549:
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529:
528:
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513:Violet Friend
511:
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501:
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196:
192:
185:
178:
166:
162:
158:
152:
144:
140:
134:
132:
130:
125:
115:
114:Rainbow Codes
112:
110:
107:
106:
100:
96:
93:
92:primary stage
83:
81:
77:
72:
70:
66:
61:
59:
55:
45:
42:
38:
34:
30:
26:
22:
1116:Rainbow code
1080:part of the
1025:
1016:
945:
913:
860:
851:Green Bamboo
798:bomb casings
665:
615:Blue Peacock
579:Black Prince
574:Black Knight
465:Green Cheese
337:. Retrieved
308:
296:. Retrieved
292:
282:
273:
266:. Retrieved
257:
232:. Retrieved
203:. Retrieved
199:the original
194:
184:
176:
169:. Retrieved
160:
151:
143:the original
97:
89:
73:
62:
51:
28:
27:
25:
1026:Dreadnought
931:(1968–1996)
890:launch site
880:Blue Streak
856:Green Grass
841:Violet Club
805:Blue Danube
790:(cancelled)
762:Avro Vulcan
743:(1955–1993)
630:Violet Club
610:Blue Danube
569:Black Arrow
536:Blue Streak
48:Development
1095:Categories
946:Resolution
815:Yellow Sun
783:Blue Steel
640:Yellow Sun
541:Blue Water
483:Blue Envoy
460:Blue Steel
339:8 November
120:References
69:Yellow Sun
810:Red Beard
625:Red Beard
531:Blue Slug
171:2 January
82:project.
76:Red Beard
1017:Vanguard
973:warheads
957:missiles
907:warheads
861:Red Snow
829:warheads
776:missiles
750:Aircraft
732:Timeline
666:Red Snow
653:warheads
442:Skyflash
435:Taildog/
426:Red Hebe
421:Red Dean
382:Cold War
333:Archived
262:Archived
254:"WE.177"
234:27 April
228:Archived
205:18 March
165:Archived
103:See also
29:Red Snow
1038:missile
999:Trident
928:Polaris
914:Ulysses
788:Skybolt
650:nuclear
589:nuclear
508:Seaslug
431:Red Top
80:Skybolt
980:ET.317
866:WE.177
820:WE.177
661:ET.317
635:WE.177
86:Design
58:WE.177
592:bombs
437:SRAAM
298:3 May
275:1177.
268:3 May
341:2009
300:2022
270:2022
236:2022
207:2021
173:2012
37:W28
1097::
331:.
320:^
291:.
272:.
260:.
256:.
244:^
215:^
193:.
175:.
159:.
128:^
714:e
707:t
700:v
374:e
367:t
360:v
343:.
302:.
238:.
209:.
23:.
Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License. Additional terms may apply.
