On October 30, 1961, the Soviet Union conducted an atmospheric test of the largest thermonuclear weapon ever created: The Tsar Bomba. Named for its unmatched destructive potential, the “emperor of bombs” yielded a blast of 50 megatons, nearly 2,000 times more powerful than the bomb the United States dropped on Nagasaki. The bomb was so […]
Fact Sheet: Nuclear Testing 101
Updated December 2024 What is a nuclear test? Nuclear tests are generally controlled explosions of nuclear devices, such as bombs or warheads. The tests are used to determine a device’s effectiveness, yield (amount of energy released during detonation) and explosive capability. There are four types of nuclear tests: Atmospheric tests occur in or above the […]
The Goldsboro B-52 Crash
In January 1961, a B-52 Stratofortress carrying two thermonuclear Mark-39 nuclear weapons experienced a fuel leak, and began to break apart mid-air over Goldsboro, North Carolina. As the pilots lost control of the aircraft, it becomes unclear exactly what happened to both bombs as multiple accounts have come to surface. It was originally thought that one […]
Summary: Fiscal Year 2023 National Defense Authorization Act (S.4543)
as passed by the Senate Armed Services Committee Table numbers in parentheses are increases or decreases from the FY23 Request FY23 requested levels come from the Center for Arms Control and Non-Proliferation’s Fiscal Year 2023 Defense Budget Request Briefing Book Numbers may not add due to rounding Total National Defense Discretionary Spending Authorization (050) *Does […]
Summary: Fiscal Year 2023 National Defense Authorization Act (H.R. 7900)
Summary as passed by the House of Representatives. Table numbers in parentheses are increases or decreases from the FY23 Request FY23 requested levels come from the Center for Arms Control and Non-Proliferation’s Fiscal Year 2023 Defense Budget Request Briefing Book Numbers may not add due to rounding Total National Defense Discretionary Spending Authorization (050) *Does […]
