Military Power

When was the last time a B-52 was used to test a nuclear weapon?

critical tests, sub-critical tests, or either?

Goliath wrote:critical tests, sub-critical tests, or either?

Either, whatever you can find.

Well, the last critical test would have been no later than 1963, when the Partial Test Ban Treaty (PTBT) was passed banning Nuclear Weapon tests in the Atmosphere, in Outer Space and Under Water. Sub-critical tests may be a little harder to narrow down.

Goliath wrote:Well, the last critical test would have been no later than 1963, when the Partial Test Ban Treaty (PTBT) was passed banning Nuclear Weapon tests in the Atmosphere, in Outer Space and Under Water. Sub-critical tests may be a little harder to narrow down.

OK...so that answers the question.

Let's expand: when was the last underground nuclear testing, what type, how big of a "ka-boom." Also, are B-52's still able to drop a nuke if need be without changed equipment?

General Forestry wrote:Also, are B-52's still able to drop a nuke if need be without changed equipment?

Well, as the little incident when the nukes were flown across the U.S. on "accident" a year or so back shows, they can be attached to B-52s with no problem at all (and even appear as regular warheads apparently)

General Forestry wrote:Let's expand: when was the last underground nuclear testing, what type, how big of a "ka-boom."

We talking U.S. or anyone? The United States has not conducted any tests since 1992, though they have conducted a number of sub-critical tests (which do not involve a chain reaction).

Maximus the Destroyer wrote:We talking U.S. or anyone? The United States has not conducted any tests since 1992, though they have conducted a number of sub-critical tests (which do not involve a chain reaction).

I guess I might have been leaning more towards the last U.S. testings, but the rest of the world can be included too. I know Pakistan detonated their first nuke not too long ago (they blew up a mountain).

Well, as we are getting off the topic at hand (B-52s) I would suggest us discussing this in a separate thread.