W76
| W76 | |
|---|---|
The W76 warhead and Mk-4 re-entry vehicle (cutaway diagram) – Los Alamos National Labs image | |
| Type | Nuclear weapon |
| Service history | |
| In service | 1978–present |
| Used by | United States and possibly the United Kingdom (see Trident Nuclear Program) |
| Production history | |
| Designer | Los Alamos National Laboratory |
| Designed | W76-0 1973–1978, W76-2 2018 |
| Manufacturer | Pantex Plant |
| Produced | W76-0 1978–1987 (full production), W76-1 2008-2018 (LEP), W76-2 2018-FY2024 |
| No. built | ~3,400 |
| Variants | 3 |
| Specifications | |
| Mass | 95 kg |
| Length | 1300 mm |
| Diameter | 400 mm |
Detonation mechanism | Contact, airburst |
| Blast yield | 100 kt (W76-0) 90 kt (W76-1) 5–7 kt (W76-2) |
The W76 is an American thermonuclear warhead, designed for use on the UGM-96 Trident I submarine-launched ballistic missiles (SLBMs) and subsequently moved to the UGM-133 Trident II as Trident I was phased out of service. The first variant, the W76 mod 0 (W76-0) was manufactured from 1978 to 1987. It was gradually replaced by the W76 mod 1 (W76-1) between 2008 and 2018, completely replacing the Mod 0 in the active stockpile. In 2018, it was announced that some Mod 1 warheads would be converted to a new low-yield W76 mod 2 (W76-2) version. The first Mod 2 warheads were deployed in late 2019.