The WE.177A, in anti-submarine mode, could also be carried by helicopters and by the Ikara missile system. However, this was cancelled in 1966. A later requirement for a much smaller tactical and anti-submarine weapon for Navy use was filled by using the new primary as a boosted fission weapon. The WE.177 was the last nuclear bomb in service with the Royal Air Force, and the last tactical nuclear weapon deployed by the UK. Cleo designs were tested underground at the Nevada Test Site in 1962. Although the design concept of Red Beard was similar to that of the Blue Danube warhead, an innovative means of implosion meant that its overall size could be significantly reduced. Two inert WE.177A operational rounds are on display: In addition, a number of WE.177 training rounds were donated to museums in the United Kingdom and one in the United States. Red Beard used twin ram-air turbines located in the nose, from which there could be no stray discharges before bomb release. The carriers were thought (from similar sources) to each have an air-conditioned storage capacity for five Red Beard weapons. The core was inserted before take-off in a process referred to as Last Minute Loading (LML). The design was tested twice during the Operation Buffalo series of nuclear trials at Maralinga in Australia - first on 27 September (a 15 kt explosion, after which the resulting mushroom cloud rose to a height of 11,430 metres) and again on 22 October 1956. Although the design concept of Red Beard was similar to that of the Blue Danube warhead,[2] an innovative means of implosion meant that its overall size could be significantly reduced. All versions could be delivered by fixed-wing aircraft and could be parachute retarded. Polaris A3T used its own warhead design, W58. $12.99 $ 12. The design was tested twice during the Operation Buffalo series of nuclear trials at Maralinga in Australia – first on 27 September 1956: a 15 kt explosion, after which the resulting mushroom cloud rose to a height of 11,430 metres (37,500 ft), and again on 22 October 1956. WE.177C weighed 457 kilograms (1,008 lb), with a fixed yield of 190 kt (800 TJ). Most of the examples of WE.177 training rounds in museums have been re-painted in green, presumably to look like the original live rounds — an example re-painted green is located on the ground underneath the port wing of the Tornado at the Midland Air Museum. When it was finally withdrawn in 1998, the WE.177 had been in service longer than any other British nuclear weapon. To compensate for this stubbiness, and quickly stabilise the bomb after release, Red Beard was equipped with flip-out fins that were activated pneumatically, triggered by a lanyard attached to the aircraft. The composite core used both weapons-grade plutonium and weapons-grade uranium-235, and was intended to minimise the risk of pre-detonation that was a feature of all-plutonium designs of that period with yields larger than 10 kilotons (kt). The training rounds even returned the correct indications to the carrying aircraft systems if they were 'armed' in flight. Although this variant matched the original Improved Kiloton Weapon concept with an added nuclear depth bomb function, and was identified as the A model, it was not the first to be deployed, due to the more pressing needs for the strategic B models. The remaining weapons that were assigned to the Royal Navy were retired in 1992. Its measurements were 3.66 metres (12.0 ft; 144 in) in length, 0.71 metres (2.3 ft; 28 in) in diameter, and a weight of approximately 1,750 pounds (794 kg). [9] The drill weapon used for loading and flight drills was Oxford blue. Further deliveries were delayed by the need to complete the warheads for the Polaris A3T. The 0.5 kt yield was used only in the nuclear depth bomb role for detonation above 130 feet (40 m) in shallow coastal waters, or in oceanic deep waters to limit damage to nearby shipping. Although it weighed in excess of 1000 lb, it was known in RAF Service as the 'Bomb, Aircraft, HE 950lb MC',[citation needed] to differentiate it from the conventional 'Bomb, Aircraft, 1000 lb GP HE', which gave rise to its popular name '950'. Reduction in the fission yield of a primary will reduce the thermonuclear nuclear yield by a similar proportion, or even lead to the thermonuclear fusion stage failing to ignite (known as a "fizzle"). [2] At least forty-three were deployed aboard Royal Navy surface vessels of frigate size and larger; for use by embarked helicopters and Ikara systems (where fitted) as an anti-submarine nuclear depth bomb,[4] starting in 1971. [2], Whilst Chief Engineer at the Atomic Weapons Research Establishment (AWRE), Aldermaston, John Dolphin, CBE worked on the Red Beard trigger mechanism. Katie would be used in a new bomb casing to produce WE.177A, replacing Red Beard with a weapon of roughly 1/3 the weight, and much smaller size. WE.177C was deployed only in RAF Germany; in the tactical strike role, and used initially by the Jaguar,[2] and later by the Tornado. For carrier-borne aircraft, landing with the armed weapon was forbidden, and the aircraft would instead be diverted to a shore airbase. An industrial plant codenamed Candle located adjacent to the Chapelcross nuclear power station, near the town of Annan, Dumfries and Galloway, Scotland, was built to recover tritium from time-expired service weapons returned for routine maintenance, or servicing. A Red Beard casing at RAF Cosford museum in 2007, shown without the 'drop' harness, and on the regular dolly. Blue Danube had used 6 volt dc lead-acid accumulators that were unreliable and had to be installed at the last minute before take-off. The Mk.2 variants were better engineered to withstand extreme conditions, and other than the yield difference, this was the main area of difference. It was known to the British Armed Forces as 'Bomb, Aircraft, HE 600lb MC'. Numbers built are still uncertain, but reliable sources put the figure at fifty-three (53), and all were retired by August 1998. Type A, B and C weapons were carried by strike aircraft, including the Avro Vulcan,[2] de Havilland Sea Vixen, Blackburn Buccaneer,[2] SEPECAT Jaguar,[2] and Panavia Tornado. The barometric gate ensured that the radar fuzes only transmitted in the last few seconds of free-fall, to a computed burst height, and this technique minimised the possibility of radar countermeasures disabling the radar fuzes. Although the Royal Navy required its Sea Vixen aircraft to be type-approved for Red Beard carriage as 'insurance' against delays in the development of the Blackburn Buccaneer, the Sea Vixen never deployed in the nuclear strike role. When the Navy's large aircraft carriers were decommissioned, around twenty warheads were transferred to the Royal Air Force. Its measurements were 3.66 m (12 ft) in length, 0.71 m (28 in) in diameter and with a weight of approximately 1,750 lb (794 kg). The Navy did not begin to receive its ~10 kt (42 TJ) WE.177A's until 1969. Part of the safety and arming system on the WE.177 series was a simple key-operated Strike Enable Facility; using a cylindrical barrel key similar to those used on vending or gaming machines. They exhausted through 'blow-out' patches in the nose sides. Red Beard used twin ram-air turbines located in the nose, from which there could be no stray discharges before bomb release. The underlying design was based on the US W59, which the UK had gained as part of their involvement in the GAM-87 Skybolt program. The suffix 'HC' (High Capacity) referred to a weapon in the megaton range, although there were some anomalies. A further quantity of WE.177As were procured for the Fleet Air Arm's (FAA) fixed-wing strike aircraft. [10], Apart from the laydown delivery requirement, the weapon was also required to be used in a 'dive toss' mode; from both the TSR-2 (WE.177A/B), and the RAF version of the Hawker Siddeley P.1154 (WE.177A). The air inlet can be seen in the extreme nose. It was carried by the English Electric Canberra[1] and the V bombers[2] of the Royal Air Force (RAF), and by the Blackburn Buccaneers, Sea Vixens, and Supermarine Scimitars of the Royal Navy's (RN) Fleet Air Arm (FAA). 99. Three paint schemes are known to have been used on WE.177; overall white with red and yellow bands (early paint scheme from the 1960s),[8] and overall green with red details[2][7] (later paint scheme from the mid-1970s onwards). They proposed adapting the Super Octopus design for use in RE.179, calling the new version 'Cleo'. The full 10 kt yield was used below 130 feet (40 m) in deep oceanic waters where no shipping was at risk. [4] The Ministry of Defence (MoD) has said that, en route, the bombs were offloaded from escort vessels Broadsword, Brilliant, Coventry, and Sheffield; and were stored in the better-protected deep magazines aboard Hermes and Invincible; and the fleet replenishment ships Fort Austin, Regent, Resource, and Fort Grange who were accompanying the Task Force. [5], Learn how and when to remove this template message, "Vulcans in Camera: Vulcans in the far east", "Britain kept secret nuclear arsenal on Cyprus", "AB 16/3207 - Claim made by J.R.V. The 190 kt (800 TJ) C models for the RAF followed. To maintain optimum yield, all versions of WE.177 required routine maintenance about every three years. [2], Red Beard was an unboosted fission weapon that used a composite core (mixed core in British terminology of the time). Like Blue Danube, the body diameter at 0.71 metres (2.3 ft; 28 in) was greater than was desirable relative to the overall length of 3.66 metres (12.0 ft; 144 in). The carriers were thought (from similar sources) to each have an air-conditioned storage capacity for five Red Beard weapons. [13] All Royal Navy WE.177A weapons were retired in 1992. This proposal did not gain approved project status, although its raison d'être was similar to that for Tigerfish, and intended to counter extended delays in Tigerfish development.
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