AN-11 bomb
Encyclopedia
The AN-11 was France
's first nuclear weapon, developed to arm the Force de frappe
.
The AN-11's development began in the late 1950s. An early version was used in France's first nuclear test, on 13 February 1960. The first AN-11 prototype was tested 1 May 1962, and it entered service in 1964.
The AN-11 was a pure fission
weapon, a plutonium
implosion type. It weighed approximately 1,500 kg (3,306 lb). It was a free-fall bomb intended to be dropped from high-altitude bomber aircraft. The explosive yield was about 60 kTs.
About 40 AN-11s were produced between 1963 and 1968. The carrier was the Dassault Mirage IV
, although some reports suggest the Sud Aviation Vautour
could also carry this bomb. Beginning in 1967 it was replaced by the more advanced AN-22 bomb
.
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
's first nuclear weapon, developed to arm the Force de frappe
Force de frappe
The Force de Frappe is the designation of what used to be a triad of air-, sea- and land-based nuclear weapons intended for dissuasion, and consequential deterrence...
.
The AN-11's development began in the late 1950s. An early version was used in France's first nuclear test, on 13 February 1960. The first AN-11 prototype was tested 1 May 1962, and it entered service in 1964.
The AN-11 was a pure fission
Nuclear fission
In nuclear physics and nuclear chemistry, nuclear fission is a nuclear reaction in which the nucleus of an atom splits into smaller parts , often producing free neutrons and photons , and releasing a tremendous amount of energy...
weapon, a plutonium
Plutonium
Plutonium is a transuranic radioactive chemical element with the chemical symbol Pu and atomic number 94. It is an actinide metal of silvery-gray appearance that tarnishes when exposed to air, forming a dull coating when oxidized. The element normally exhibits six allotropes and four oxidation...
implosion type. It weighed approximately 1,500 kg (3,306 lb). It was a free-fall bomb intended to be dropped from high-altitude bomber aircraft. The explosive yield was about 60 kTs.
About 40 AN-11s were produced between 1963 and 1968. The carrier was the Dassault Mirage IV
Dassault Mirage IV
The Dassault Mirage IV was a French jet-propelled supersonic strategic bomber and deep-reconnaissance aircraft. For many years it was a vital part of the nuclear triad of the Force de Frappe, France's nuclear deterrent striking force.-Development:...
, although some reports suggest the Sud Aviation Vautour
Sud Aviation Vautour
|-See also:-Bibliography:* Gunston, Bill. Fighters of the Fifties. Cambridge, England. Patrick Stephens Limited, 1981. ISBN 0-85059-463-4.-External links:*...
could also carry this bomb. Beginning in 1967 it was replaced by the more advanced AN-22 bomb
AN-22 bomb
The AN-22 was France's second air-dropped nuclear weapon, developed as a replacement for the earlier AN-11 bomb, entering service in 1967. It had a similar 60 to 70 kilotons yield fission warhead to the earlier AN-11, but with enhanced safety features and a parachute retarder to enable it to be...
.