Mark 17 nuclear bomb
| Mark 17 nuclear bomb | |
|---|---|
| Type | Thermonuclear gravity bomb |
| Place of origin | United States |
| Service history | |
| In service | 1954-1957 |
| Wars | Cold War |
| Production history | |
| Designer | Los Alamos National Laboratory |
| Designed | 1954 |
| Produced | EC-17: Mar-Oct 1954 Mk-17: Jul 1954-Nov 1955 |
| No. built | EC-17: 5 Mk-17: 200 |
| Specifications | |
| Mass | EC-17: 39,600 lb (18,000 kg) Mk-17: 41,400–42,000 lb (18,800–19,100 kg) |
| Length | 24 feet 8 inches (7.52 m) |
| Diameter | 61.4 inches (1.56 m) |
Detonation mechanism | Air burst |
| Blast yield | EC-17: 11 megatonnes of TNT (46 PJ), Castle Romeo test Mk-17: 15 megatonnes of TNT (63 PJ) |
The Mark 17 and Mark 24 were the first mass-produced hydrogen bombs deployed by the United States. The two differed in the lithium enrichment of their secondary stages. They entered service in 1954, and were phased out by 1957.