The W78 is an American thermonuclear warhead with an estimated yield of 335–350 kilotonnes of TNT (1,400–1,460 TJ), deployed on the LGM-30G Minuteman III intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) and housed in the Mark 12A reentry vehicle.

The W78 warhead was designed and manufactured by the Los Alamos National Laboratory, LANL. It is based on its W50 warhead design, with a diameter of 21.3 inches, height of 67.7 inches, and its weight is approximately 700 to 800 pounds. The W78 has a …

2001年9月1日 · Designed for use on MIRV (multiple independently targeted reentry vehicle) bus upper stage. The W-78 replaced part of the W-62 to provide an increased hard target kill capability by increasing both accuracy and yield. Two stage radiation implosion weapon. RV CEP (circle error probability) is 720 feet. RV carries penetration aids (decoys etc.).

2018年11月30日 · The National Nuclear Security Administration is preparing to restart a program to replace the W78 nuclear warhead, which is used in Air Force intercontinental ballistic missiles. The goal is to produce the first W78 replacement warhead in fiscal year 2030.

By replacing the legacy W78, the W87-1 will maintain continuity for the ground-based leg of the U.S. nuclear deterrent. The warhead is named the W87-1 to reflect that it has a similar primary design to the W87-0 and will fly in a similar reentry vehicle.

Program will replace the aging W78 warhead using a modified existing legacy W87-0 design and will deploy new technologies that improve safety and security, address material obsolescence, and improve warhead manufacturability.

The W78 thermonuclear warhead is the warhead used on most of the United States LGM-30G Minuteman III intercontinental ballistic missiles (ICBMs), along with the MK-12A reentry vehicle which carried the warhead.

2020年10月1日 · The W87-1 Mod will replace the W78 thermonuclear warhead with a modified design of the W87 warhead. The W78 is nearing the end of its functional lifespan after 37 years in service, perched atop the Air Force’s Minuteman III intercontinental ballistic missiles (ICBMs).

The W78 will be the fourth nuclear weapon system to undergo refurbishment. In 2004, Lawrence Livermore successfully completed NNSA’s first LEP, refurbishing the W87. That effort enhanced the structural integrity of the warhead and extended its life by 30 years. For the W87, Livermore and Sandia scientists and engineers developed and certified

The W78 is an American thermonuclear warhead with an estimated yield of 335–350 kilotonnes of TNT (1,400–1,460 TJ), deployed on the LGM-30G Minuteman III intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) and housed in the Mark 12A reentry vehicle.