British WE-177 Nuclear Device

By Crusader1307

The British produced WE-177 was a Cold War Era, Gravity Nuclear Device, designed for use with that Countries ''V'' Bomber Program. They were deployed between 1966 and 1998. Over 300 such weapons were produced. They were among the first such solely designed by Great Britain. Using a pre-set timing device, The WE-177 was dropped from various Strategic Bombers and Fighters, detonating at at a pre-determined altitude. Seen as a Tactical Device, they were deployed throughout England (by The Royal air Force). As with most early Cold War Era Nuclear Programs, Squadrons were to be sent into Enemy (Soviet) Territory and deploy as such. (3) such variations were designed, with (10) KT being the lowest Nuclear yield. The highest was rated to 450 KT.  The variants were between 600 and 1,000-lbs. In weight. 35,000-feet was seen as the optimal altitude for full yield detonation. A common ''rumor'' was that WE-177's were deployed in the 1980s during The Falkland Island War (against Argentina), with ''last ditch orders'' to deploy their usage (but no official documentation exists to conform or deny such actions). All nuclear material was removed for installation into more advanced Rocket and Missile delivery systems in the late 1990s.