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32: 97: 195:: Metal bars welded on their ends form a compact cylinder of interconnected rods, which is violently expanded into a contiguous zig-zag-shaped ring by an explosive detonation. The rapidly expanding ring produces a planar cutting effect that is devastating against military aircraft, which may be designed to be resistant to shrapnel. 211:: Instead of turning a thin metal liner into a focused jet, the detonation wave is directed against a concave metal plate at the front of the warhead, propelling it at high velocity while simultaneously deforming it into a projectile. 321:, the warhead is detonated when the target is within a specified distance. It is often coupled with directional explosion control system that ensures that the explosion sends the 299:
When the warhead makes physical contact with the target, the explosive is detonated. Sometimes combined with a delay, to detonate a specific amount of time after contact.
201:: The effect of the explosive charge is focused onto a specially shaped metal liner to project a hypervelocity jet of metal, to perforate heavy 61: 461: 438: 414: 430: 104:
in various stages of assembly; the nuclear warhead is the bullet-shaped silver canister in the middle-left of the photograph.
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store significant energy within their molecular bonds. This energy can be released quickly by a trigger, such as an
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Remotely detonated via signal from operator. (Not normally used for warheads except for self-destruction)
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Chuck Hansen, U.S. Nuclear Weapons: The Secret History, (New York: Orion Books, 1988), pp. 162–164.
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enhance the blast effect by utilizing the surrounding atmosphere in their explosive reactions.
65: 151:: An explosive charge is used to disintegrate the target, and damage surrounding areas with a 388: 234: 267:
Often, a biological or chemical warhead will use an explosive charge for rapid dispersal.
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Atomic Audit - The Costs and Consequences of U.S. Nuclear Weapons Since 1940
226: 189:: Metal fragments are projected at high velocity to cause damage or injury. 341:
Warhead is detonated once it falls to a specified altitude, usually in an
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Section of a device that contains the explosive agent or toxic material
342: 276: 250: 183:: A strong shock wave is provided by the detonation of the explosive. 162: 113: 120:(biological, chemical, or nuclear) material that is delivered by a 96: 393: 253:, is dispersed, which is designed to injure or kill human beings. 129: 121: 202: 318: 314: 310: 117: 263:, is dispersed, which is designed to sicken or kill humans. 133: 333:
Warhead is detonated after a specific amount of time.
478:"NNSA Achieves Significant Milestone for B61 Bomb" 497: 325:primarily towards the target that triggered it. 53:but its sources remain unclear because it lacks 112:is the section of a device that contains the 237:) reaction causes immense energy release. 84:Learn how and when to remove this message 95: 498: 457:". Brookings Institution Press, 1998. 25: 13: 433:from the original on Mar 16, 2023. 417:from the original on Nov 30, 2023. 14: 527: 139: 30: 484:. June 30, 2006. Archived from 259:: An infectious agent, such as 361:Any combination of the above. 1: 399: 282:Types of detonators include: 270: 209:Explosively formed penetrator 245:: A toxic chemical, such as 7: 367: 275:Explosive warheads contain 144:Types of warheads include: 10: 534: 439:"B61 Nuclear Gravity Bomb" 411:The Nuclear Weapon Archive 317:, a magnetic sensor, or a 279:to trigger the explosion. 18: 462:"B61 Thermonuclear Bomb" 379:List of aircraft weapons 39:This article includes a 21:Warhead (disambiguation) 68:more precise citations. 468:. 2008. Archived from 453:Stephen I. Schwartz. " 407:"The B61 (Mk-61) Bomb" 105: 443:Brookings Institution 99: 389:Nuclear weapon yield 235:Thermonuclear weapon 161:: Chemicals such as 19:For other uses, see 466:Hill Air Force Base 175:Thermobaric weapons 429:. April 16, 2017. 427:GlobalSecurity.org 413:. 9 January 2007. 106: 41:list of references 511:Explosive weapons 365: 364: 94: 93: 86: 523: 489: 488:on Jul 30, 2009. 473: 472:on May 25, 2011. 450: 449:on Mar 10, 2012. 445:. Archived from 434: 418: 384:List of missiles 285: 284: 102:B61 nuclear bomb 89: 82: 78: 75: 69: 64:this article by 55:inline citations 34: 33: 26: 533: 532: 526: 525: 524: 522: 521: 520: 496: 495: 476: 460: 437: 421: 405: 402: 374:Guidance system 370: 273: 223:nuclear fission 167:high explosives 142: 90: 79: 73: 70: 59: 45:related reading 35: 31: 24: 17: 12: 11: 5: 531: 530: 519: 518: 513: 508: 494: 493: 490: 474: 458: 451: 435: 419: 401: 398: 397: 396: 391: 386: 381: 376: 369: 366: 363: 362: 359: 355: 354: 351: 347: 346: 339: 335: 334: 331: 327: 326: 307: 301: 300: 297: 293: 292: 289: 272: 269: 265: 264: 261:anthrax spores 254: 240: 239: 238: 231:nuclear fusion 216: 215: 214: 213: 212: 196: 193:Continuous rod 190: 184: 171:electric spark 141: 140:Classification 138: 92: 91: 49:external links 38: 36: 29: 15: 9: 6: 4: 3: 2: 529: 528: 517: 514: 512: 509: 507: 504: 503: 501: 491: 487: 483: 479: 475: 471: 467: 463: 459: 456: 452: 448: 444: 440: 436: 432: 428: 424: 420: 416: 412: 408: 404: 403: 395: 392: 390: 387: 385: 382: 380: 377: 375: 372: 371: 360: 357: 356: 352: 349: 348: 344: 340: 337: 336: 332: 329: 328: 324: 323:fragmentation 320: 316: 312: 308: 306: 303: 302: 298: 295: 294: 290: 287: 286: 283: 280: 278: 268: 262: 258: 255: 252: 248: 244: 241: 236: 232: 228: 224: 220: 217: 210: 207: 206: 204: 200: 199:Shaped charge 197: 194: 191: 188: 187:Fragmentation 185: 182: 179: 178: 176: 172: 168: 164: 160: 157: 156: 154: 150: 147: 146: 145: 137: 135: 131: 127: 123: 119: 115: 111: 103: 98: 88: 85: 77: 74:February 2014 67: 63: 57: 56: 50: 46: 42: 37: 28: 27: 22: 486:the original 481: 470:the original 465: 447:the original 442: 426: 410: 281: 274: 266: 227:fission bomb 221:: A runaway 159:Conventional 143: 109: 107: 80: 71: 60:Please help 52: 291:Definition 66:introducing 506:Ammunition 500:Categories 400:References 277:detonators 271:Detonators 257:Biological 247:poison gas 153:blast wave 358:Combined 343:air burst 338:Altitude 305:Proximity 251:nerve gas 163:gunpowder 149:Explosive 116:agent or 114:explosive 516:Missiles 431:Archived 415:Archived 368:See also 296:Contact 243:Chemical 394:Missile 350:Remote 219:Nuclear 130:torpedo 122:missile 110:warhead 62:improve 330:Timed 309:Using 203:armour 126:rocket 423:"B61" 319:laser 315:sonar 311:radar 288:Type 229:) or 181:Blast 132:, or 118:toxic 47:, or 482:NNSA 165:and 134:bomb 249:or 128:, 502:: 480:. 464:. 441:. 425:. 409:. 345:. 313:, 205:. 173:. 155:. 136:. 124:, 108:A 100:A 51:, 43:, 233:( 225:( 87:) 81:( 76:) 72:( 58:. 23:.

Index

Warhead (disambiguation)
list of references
related reading
external links
inline citations
improve
introducing
Learn how and when to remove this message

B61 nuclear bomb
explosive
toxic
missile
rocket
torpedo
bomb
Explosive
blast wave
Conventional
gunpowder
high explosives
electric spark
Thermobaric weapons
Blast
Fragmentation
Continuous rod
Shaped charge
armour
Explosively formed penetrator
Nuclear

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