Nuclear artillery
Encyclopedia
Nuclear artillery is a subset of limited-yield
Nuclear weapon yield
The explosive yield of a nuclear weapon is the amount of energy discharged when a nuclear weapon is detonated, expressed usually in the equivalent mass of trinitrotoluene , either in kilotons or megatons , but sometimes also in terajoules...

 tactical nuclear weapon
Tactical nuclear weapon
A tactical nuclear weapon refers to a nuclear weapon which is designed to be used on a battlefield in military situations. This is as opposed to strategic nuclear weapons which are designed to menace large populations, to damage the enemy's ability to wage war, or for general deterrence...

s, in particular those weapons that are launched from the ground at battlefield targets. Nuclear artillery is commonly associated with shells delivered by a cannon
Cannon
A cannon is any piece of artillery that uses gunpowder or other usually explosive-based propellents to launch a projectile. Cannon vary in caliber, range, mobility, rate of fire, angle of fire, and firepower; different forms of cannon combine and balance these attributes in varying degrees,...

, but in a technical sense short-range rocket
Rocket
A rocket is a missile, spacecraft, aircraft or other vehicle which obtains thrust from a rocket engine. In all rockets, the exhaust is formed entirely from propellants carried within the rocket before use. Rocket engines work by action and reaction...

s or missile
Missile
Though a missile may be any thrown or launched object, it colloquially almost always refers to a self-propelled guided weapon system.-Etymology:The word missile comes from the Latin verb mittere, meaning "to send"...

s are also included.

The development of nuclear artillery was part of a broad push by nuclear weapons countries to develop nuclear weapons which could be used tactically against enemy armies in the field (as opposed to strategic uses against cities, military bases, and heavy industry). Nuclear artillery was both developed and deployed by a small group of nations, including the USA, USSR, and France
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...

. The United Kingdom
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...

 planned and partially developed such weapon systems (the Blue water missile and the Yellow Anvil artillery shell) but did not put these systems into production.

A second group of nations has derivative association with nuclear artillery. These nations fielded artillery units trained and equipped to use nuclear weapons, but did not control the devices themselves. Instead, the devices were held by embedded custodial units of developing countries. These custodial units retained control of the nuclear weapons until they were released for use in a crisis. This second group has included such NATO countries as Belgium
Belgium
Belgium , officially the Kingdom of Belgium, is a federal state in Western Europe. It is a founding member of the European Union and hosts the EU's headquarters, and those of several other major international organisations such as NATO.Belgium is also a member of, or affiliated to, many...

, West Germany
West Germany
West Germany is the common English, but not official, name for the Federal Republic of Germany or FRG in the period between its creation in May 1949 to German reunification on 3 October 1990....

, Greece
Greece
Greece , officially the Hellenic Republic , and historically Hellas or the Republic of Greece in English, is a country in southeastern Europe....

, Italy
Italy
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...

, the Netherlands
Netherlands
The Netherlands is a constituent country of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, located mainly in North-West Europe and with several islands in the Caribbean. Mainland Netherlands borders the North Sea to the north and west, Belgium to the south, and Germany to the east, and shares maritime borders...

, Turkey
Turkey
Turkey , known officially as the Republic of Turkey , is a Eurasian country located in Western Asia and in East Thrace in Southeastern Europe...

, and the United Kingdom.

Nowadays, nuclear artillery has almost been replaced with mobile tactical ballistic missile
Tactical ballistic missile
A tactical ballistic missile is a ballistic missile designed for short-range battlefield use. Typically, range is less than . Tactical ballistic missiles are usually mobile to ensure survivability and quick deployment, as well as carrying a variety of warheads to target enemy facilities, assembly...

 launchers carrying missiles with nuclear warheads. However, some countries, such as China
China
Chinese civilization may refer to:* China for more general discussion of the country.* Chinese culture* Greater China, the transnational community of ethnic Chinese.* History of China* Sinosphere, the area historically affected by Chinese culture...

, India
India
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...

 and Pakistan
Pakistan
Pakistan , officially the Islamic Republic of Pakistan is a sovereign state in South Asia. It has a coastline along the Arabian Sea and the Gulf of Oman in the south and is bordered by Afghanistan and Iran in the west, India in the east and China in the far northeast. In the north, Tajikistan...

, are still using nuclear artillery as an alternative method derived from conventional ballistic missiles.

United States nuclear artillery

United States developments resulted in nuclear weapons for various artillery systems, after the short-lived M65 Atomic Cannon standard howitzers were used. Delivery systems include, in approximate order of development:
  • MGR-1 Honest John
    MGR-1 Honest John
    The MGR-1 Honest John rocket was the first nuclear-capable surface-to-surface rocket in the US arsenal.The first nuclear-authorized guided missile was the MGM-5 Corporal. Designated Artillery Rocket XM31, the first such rocket was tested 29 June 1951 and the first production rounds were delivered...

     free flight rocket delivering W7
    Mark 7 nuclear bomb
    Mark 7 "Thor" was the first tactical nuclear bomb adopted by US armed forces. It was also the first weapon to be delivered using the toss method with the help of the low-altitude bombing system . The weapon was tested in Operation Buster-Jangle. To facilitate external carry by fighter bomber...

     nuclear weapon, 1953
  • M65 Atomic Cannon
    M65 Atomic Cannon
    The M65 Atomic Cannon, often called Atomic Annie, was a towed artillery piece built by the United States and capable of firing a nuclear device. It was developed in the early 1950s, at the beginning of the Cold War, and fielded by 1953 in Europe and Korea....

     delivering 280mm W9
    W9 (nuclear warhead)
    The W9 was an American nuclear artillery shell fired from a special 11 inch howitzer. It was produced starting in 1952 and all were retired by 1957.-Description:...

     and W19 nuclear shells, 1953
  • MGM-5 Corporal
    MGM-5 Corporal
    The MGM-5 Corporal missile was the first guided weapon authorized by the United States to carry a nuclear warhead.The first nuclear-authorized unguided rocket was the MGR-1 Honest John...

     missile delivering W7
    Mark 7 nuclear bomb
    Mark 7 "Thor" was the first tactical nuclear bomb adopted by US armed forces. It was also the first weapon to be delivered using the toss method with the help of the low-altitude bombing system . The weapon was tested in Operation Buster-Jangle. To facilitate external carry by fighter bomber...

     nuclear weapon, 1955
  • M110 howitzer
    M110 howitzer
    The 8 inch Self-Propelled Howitzer M110 was the largest available self-propelled howitzer in the United States Army's inventory. It was deployed in division artillery in general support battalions and in separate corps- and Army-level battalions. Missions include general support, counter-battery...

     delivering 203mm W33 nuclear shell, deployed in 1957
  • MGM-18 Lacrosse
    MGM-18 Lacrosse
    The MGM-18 Lacrosse was a short-ranged tactical ballistic weapon intended for close support of ground troops.Its first flight test was in 1954 and was deployed by the United States Army beginning in 1959, despite being still in the development stage...

     missile with nuclear warhead. It was deployed in West Germany
    West Germany
    West Germany is the common English, but not official, name for the Federal Republic of Germany or FRG in the period between its creation in May 1949 to German reunification on 3 October 1990....

     from 1959 to 1963.
  • M109 self-propelled
    M109 howitzer
    The M109 is an American-made self-propelled 155 mm howitzer, first introduced in the early 1960s. It was upgraded a number of times to today's M109A6 Paladin...

     and M114 towed howitzers
    M114 155 mm howitzer
    The M114 155 mm howitzer was a towed howitzer used by the United States Army. It was first produced in 1942 as a medium artillery piece under the designation of 155 mm Howitzer M1. It saw service with the US Army during World War II, the Korean War, and the Vietnam War, before being...

     delivering 155mm W48
    W48
    The W48 was an American nuclear artillery shell, fired from a standard 155 mm howitzer e.g. the M114 or M198. It was manufactured starting in 1963, and all units were retired in 1992....

     nuclear weapon starting in 1963
  • MGM-29 Sergeant
    MGM-29 Sergeant
    The MGM-29 Sergeant was an American short-range, solid fuel, surface-to-surface missile developed at the Jet Propulsion Laboratory. Activated by the US Army in 1962 to replace the MGM-5 Corporal it was deployed overseas by 1963, carrying the W52 nuclear warhead or alternatively one of high explosives...

     missile delivering W52
    W52
    The W52 was a thermonuclear warhead developed for the MGM-29 Sergeant short-range ballistic missile used by the United States Army from 1962 to 1977. The W52 is 24 inches in diameter and 57 inches long, and weighed 950 pounds. It had a yield of 200 kilotons...

     nuclear weapon, 1963
  • MGM-31 Pershing missile delivering W50
    W50 (atomic weapon)
    The W-50 or W50 thermonuclear warhead was a nuclear bomb used on the MGM-31 Pershing intermediate range nuclear missile.There were two major variants produced , in three yield options .All variants were in diameter and long, weighing .The W50 used the Tsetse primary design...

     nuclear weapon, 1969
  • MGM-52 Lance missile delivering W70
    W70
    W70 is the designation for a tactical nuclear warhead developed by the United States in the early 1970s. The Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory designed W70 was used on the MGM-52 Lance. About 1250 were built in total. The warhead had a variable yield of between 1 and 100 kilotons, selectable...

     nuclear weapon, 1972
  • Pershing II missile delivering W85
    W85
    The W85 was a thermonuclear warhead developed by the United States of America to arm the Pershing II missile. It had a variable yield— often referred to as "dial-a-yield" — which could be set between 5 and 80 kilotons.-Overview:...

     nuclear weapon, 1983


The first artillery test was on May 25, 1953 at the Nevada Test Site
Nevada Test Site
The Nevada National Security Site , previously the Nevada Test Site , is a United States Department of Energy reservation located in southeastern Nye County, Nevada, about northwest of the city of Las Vegas...

. Fired as part of Operation Upshot-Knothole
Operation Upshot-Knothole
Operation Upshot-Knothole was a series of eleven nuclear test shots conducted in 1953 at the Nevada Test Site.Over twenty-one thousand soldiers took part in the ground exercise Desert Rock V in conjunction with the Grable shot...

 and codenamed Shot GRABLE
Upshot-Knothole Grable
Upshot-Knothole Grable was a nuclear weapons test conducted by the United States as part of Operation Upshot-Knothole. Detonation of the associated nuclear weapon occurred shortly after its deployment at 8:30am PDT on May 25, 1953, in Area 5 of the Nevada Test Site...

, a 280 mm (11 inch) shell with a gun-type fission
Gun-type fission weapon
Gun-type fission weapons are fission-based nuclear weapons whose design assembles their fissile material into a supercritical mass by the use of the "gun" method: shooting one piece of sub-critical material into another...

 warhead was fired 10,000 m (6.2 miles) and detonated 160 m (525 ft) above the ground with an estimated yield of 15 kilotons. This was the only nuclear artillery shell ever actually fired in the U.S. nuclear weapons test program. The shell was 1384 mm (4.5 ft) long and weighed 365 kg (805 lb). It was fired from a special, very large, artillery piece, nicknamed the "Atomic Annie", built by the Artillery Test Unit of Fort Sill, Oklahoma. About 3,200 soldiers and civilians were present. The warhead was designated the W9 nuclear warhead
W9 (nuclear warhead)
The W9 was an American nuclear artillery shell fired from a special 11 inch howitzer. It was produced starting in 1952 and all were retired by 1957.-Description:...

 and 80 were produced in 1952 to 1953 for the T-124 shell. It was retired in 1957.

Development work continued and resulted in the W19. A 280 mm shell, it was a longer version of the W9. Only 80 warheads were produced and the system was retired in 1963 coinciding with the introduction of the W48
W48
The W48 was an American nuclear artillery shell, fired from a standard 155 mm howitzer e.g. the M114 or M198. It was manufactured starting in 1963, and all units were retired in 1992....

 warhead.

The W48 was 846 mm long and weighed 58 kg; it was in a 155 mm M-45 AFAP (artillery fired atomic projectile) for firing from standard 155 mm howitzer. The fission warhead was a linear implosion type, consisting of a long cylinder of subcritical fissile material which is compressed and shaped by explosive into a supercritical sphere. The W48 yielded an explosive force of just 100 tons of TNT.

The W48 went into production beginning in 1963, and 135 Mod 0 version projectiles were produced by 1968 when it was replaced by the Mod 1. The Mod 1 was manufactured from 1965 through 1969. 925 of these were produced.

Only one type of artillery round other than the W48 was produced in large numbers. It was the W33 nuclear warhead for use in an 8 inches (203.2 mm) artillery shell. About 2,000 of these warheads were produced from 1957 to 1965. Each XM422 projectile was 940 mm long, it and had a projectile weight of 243 pounds. XM422 were fitted with a triple-deck mechanical time-base fuze. They were to be fired from a standard eight-inch howitzer, if the use of this weapon had ever been called for.

The W33's four explosive yields were all greater than that of the W48. M422 projectiles were hand-assembled in the field to provide the required yield, three yielding 5 to 10 kilotons and one with 40 kilotons. There was also a ballistically matched spotting round (HES M424) and a special white bag charge system, M80, composed of charges one through three. The M423 ordnance training rounds and their associated "bird cages" can be seen at the National Atomic Museum in Albuquerque, New Mexico
Albuquerque, New Mexico
Albuquerque is the largest city in the state of New Mexico, United States. It is the county seat of Bernalillo County and is situated in the central part of the state, straddling the Rio Grande. The city population was 545,852 as of the 2010 Census and ranks as the 32nd-largest city in the U.S. As...

.

Efforts were made to update the warheads: the 155 mm W74
W74
The W74 was an experimental American nuclear artillery shell.Responding to a 1969 United States Army request for a replacement for the W48 155 mm artillery shell, the Los Alamos National Laboratory started development of the W74. However, by mid 1973 the program was discontinued without...

 and 203 mm W75 were developed from about 1970, and it were intended to have a yield of 100 tons or more. These versions were canceled in 1973. A further development program began in the 1980s: the W82
W82
The W82 was a low yield tactical nuclear warhead developed by the United States and designed to be used in a 155mm artillery shell . It was conceived as a more flexible replacement for the W48, the previous generation of 155mm nuclear artillery shell...

, for the XM-785 (a 155 mm shell), was intended to yield up to two kilotons with an enhanced radiation
Neutron bomb
A neutron bomb or enhanced radiation weapon or weapon of reinforced radiation is a type of thermonuclear weapon designed specifically to release a large portion of its energy as energetic neutron radiation rather than explosive energy...

 capability. Its development was halted in 1983. A W82-1 fission-only type was designed but was canceled in 1990.

Other developments also continued. In 1958 a fusion
Nuclear fusion
Nuclear fusion is the process by which two or more atomic nuclei join together, or "fuse", to form a single heavier nucleus. This is usually accompanied by the release or absorption of large quantities of energy...

 warhead was developed and tested, the UCRL Swift. It was 622 mm long, 127 mm diameter, and weighed 43.5 kg. At its test it yielded only 190 tons; it failed to achieve fusion and only the initial fission explosion worked correctly. There are unconfirmed reports that work on similar concepts continued into the 1970s and resulted in a one-kiloton warhead design for 5-inch (127 mm) naval gun rounds; these, however, were never deployed as operational weapons.

In 1991 the US unilaterally withdrew its nuclear artillery shells from service, and Russia responded in kind in 1992. The US removed around 1,300 nuclear shells from Europe and reportedly dismantled its last shells by 2004. Focus has since moved to development of nuclear bunker buster
Nuclear bunker buster
Bunker-busting nuclear weapons, also known as earth-penetrating weapons , are a type of nuclear weapon designed to penetrate into soil, rock, or concrete to deliver a nuclear warhead to a target. These weapons would be used to destroy hardened, underground military bunkers buried deep in the ground...

 munitions.

Soviet nuclear artillery

Soviet nuclear artillery was operated by the Rocket Troops and Artillery Branch of the Soviet Ground Forces. Delivery units were organic to Tank and Motor Rifle Divisions and higher echelons. The control and custody of nuclear weapons was the responsibility of the 12th Main Directorate of the Ministry of Defense and its special units.

The USSR developed and eventually deployed both rocket and projectile type nuclear artillery systems. The first system developed was the was the SM-54 (2А3)
2A3 Kondensator 2P
The 2A3 Kondensator 2P was a Soviet 406 mm Self-propelled Howitzer. 2A3 is its GRAU designation.2A3 originated during the Cold War when the United States created its new tactical doctrine called Pentomic Division which emphasized heavy use of nuclear weapons including nuclear artillery. M-65...

 406 mm gun, nicknamed "Kondensator" (Russian: Конденсатор, "Capacitor"); this was released in 1956. A 420 mm breech-loading smoothbore self-propelled mortar, 2B1 Oka
2B1 Oka
2B1 Oka is a Soviet 420 mm self-propelled gun. 2B1 is its GRAU designation.An experimental model was ready in 1957. Its chassis , was designed and built by the Kirov Plant. Its 20 meter barrel allowed it to fire 750 kg rounds up to 45 km. Due to its complexity of loading it had a...

 or "Transformator" (Russian: Трансформатор; "Transformer") was produced in 1957. Testing revealed critical operational defects in both systems and they were not put into full production. These purpose-built weapons suffered from the same deficiencies of the American M-65 Nuclear Cannon to which they are analogous; large, unwieldy, and quickly obsolete.

Meanwhile, rocket and missile based delivery systems were concurrently developed. The original systems (the T7 "Scud", the FROG-1 and successors) were first introduced in the late 1950s. Development continued on missile based systems:
  • T5 Luna
    FROG-7
    The 9K52 Luna-M is a Soviet short-range ballistic missile complex. The 9M21 missiles are unguided and spin-stabilized. "9K52" is its GRAU designation. Its NATO reporting name is FROG-7....

     (NATO FROG family) free flight rocket
  • T7 (NATO SS-1 Scud) missile
  • TR-1 Temp
    TR-1 Temp
    The TR-1 Temp is a mobile theatre ballistic missile developed and deployed by the Soviet Union during the Cold War. It was assigned the NATO reporting name SS-12 Scaleboard and carried the industrial designation 9M76...

     (NATO SS-12 Scaleboard) missile
  • OTR-21 Tochka (NATO SS-21 Scarab) missile
  • R-400 Oka
    R-400 Oka
    The OTR-23 Oka was a mobile theatre ballistic missile deployed by the Soviet Union near the end of the Cold War to replace the obsolete SS-1C 'Scud B'. It carried the GRAU index 9K714 and was assigned the NATO reporting name SS-23 Spider...

     (NATO SS-23 Spider) missile


After the abortive effort with purpose-built artillery pieces, the Soviet approach to nuclear artillery was that nuclear munitions should be fired by standard guns and howitzers (without modification), in normal artillery units. The first nuclear weapon for use from standard 152 mm artillery, called ZBV3, was finally accepted in 1965. Subsequent weapon designs followed using existing and new technology:
  • 152 mm projectile ZBV3 for self-propelled guns 2S19 Msta-S, 2S3 Acacia
    2S3 Akatsiya
    SO-152 is a Soviet 152.4 mm self-propelled artillery developed in 1968. It was a response to the American 155 mm M109. The development started in 1967 according to the Resolution of the Council of Ministers of USSR from July 4, 1967. In 1968 the SO-152 was completed and in 1971 entered...

    , 2S5 Giatsint-S, towed gun D-20
    152 mm towed gun-howitzer M1955 (D-20)
    The 152 mm gun-howitzer M1955, also known as the D-20, is a manually loaded, towed 152 mm artillery piece, manufactured in the Soviet Union during the 1950s. It was first observed by the west in 1955, where it was designated the M1955. Its GRAU index is 52-P-546...

    , 2A36 Giatsint-B, and 2A65 Msta-B
    152 mm howitzer 2A65
    The 2A65 "Msta-B" is a Soviet towed 152 mm howitzer. The "B" in the designation is an abbreviation for Buksiruemyi, or towed. This weapon has been fielded in Russian forces since at least 1987 and is currently in service with Russian front and army level artillery units...

    . The yield was 1 kiloton, maximum range 17.4 km. The nuclear weapon was designated RFYAC-VNIITF and designed by Academician E. I. Zababahina in Snezhinsk.
  • 180 mm projectile ZBV1 for S-23
    180 mm gun S-23
    The 180 mm gun S-23 was a Soviet heavy gun of Cold War era. It was developed in the early 1950s, with the design based on naval guns. Its first public appearance was the 1955 May Day parade in Moscow. For some time, it was believed in the West that the S-23 was actually a 203mm weapon, and as a...

    , MK-3-180 (originally a coast artillery piece), maximum range 45 km.
  • 203 mm projectile ZBV2 for self-propelled gun 2S7 Pion
    2S7 Pion
    The 2S7 Pion or Malka is a Soviet self-propelled gun. "2S7" is its GRAU designation.It was identified for the first time in 1975 in the Soviet army and so was called M-1975 by NATO , whereas its official designation is SO-203...

    , and towed howitzer B-4M, range from 18 km to 30 km.
  • 240 mm projectile ZBV4 for mortar M-240 and self-propelled 2S4 Tulip
    2S4 Tyulpan
    The 2S4 Tyulpan is a Soviet self-propelled mortar. "2S4" is its GRAU designation.It was identified for the first time in 1975 in the Soviet army and so was called M-1975 by NATO , whereas its official designation is SM-240...

    . Normal maximum range 9.5 km, and 18 km with rocket assistance.


At the end of the Cold War, Russia followed the United States lead and deactivated its nuclear artillery units in 1993. By 2000, Russia reported that nearly all nuclear artillery shells and missile warheads had been destroyed.

French nuclear artillery

French nuclear artillery was provided by Artillery Regiments equipped with the Pluton
Pluton (missile)
The Pluton missile was a French nuclear-armed short-range ballistic missile system launched from a transporter erector launcher platform mounted on an AMX 30 tank chassis. It was designed to provide the tactical part of French nuclear deterrence during the Cold War.The Pluton came in replacement...

 missile system from 1975 to 1993 and by its successor the longer-ranged Hadès missile
Hadès (missile)
The Hadès system was a short-range ballistic pre-strategic nuclear weapon system designed by France, as a last warning before use of strategic nuclear weapons, in the perspective of a Soviet invasion of Western Europe...

 from 1991 to 1996.

NATO nuclear artillery units

Belgium, Canada, Germany, Greece, Italy, Netherlands, Turkey, and the United Kingdom provided artillery units trained in the correct handling and operation of nuclear weapons and in some cases specialist logistic and security units. Their allocated nuclear weapons were in the custody of US Army Artillery Groups (USAAG) with subordinate US Army Field Artillery Detachments (USAFAD) assigned to the national artillery units. The Groups were part of the 59th Ordnance Brigade
59th Ordnance Brigade
The 59th Ordnance Brigade was a military unit of the United States Army. The brigade had more than 6,500 soldiers. It was responsible for delivering, maintaining and supervising the weapons of mass destruction for forces of the allied NATO-countries.- History :The 71st Ordnance Battalion was...

.

At various times these artillery units operated:
  • MGR-1 Honest John
    MGR-1 Honest John
    The MGR-1 Honest John rocket was the first nuclear-capable surface-to-surface rocket in the US arsenal.The first nuclear-authorized guided missile was the MGM-5 Corporal. Designated Artillery Rocket XM31, the first such rocket was tested 29 June 1951 and the first production rounds were delivered...

     free flight rocket
  • MGM-5 Corporal
    MGM-5 Corporal
    The MGM-5 Corporal missile was the first guided weapon authorized by the United States to carry a nuclear warhead.The first nuclear-authorized unguided rocket was the MGR-1 Honest John...

     missile
  • MGM-29 Sergeant
    MGM-29 Sergeant
    The MGM-29 Sergeant was an American short-range, solid fuel, surface-to-surface missile developed at the Jet Propulsion Laboratory. Activated by the US Army in 1962 to replace the MGM-5 Corporal it was deployed overseas by 1963, carrying the W52 nuclear warhead or alternatively one of high explosives...

     missile
  • MGM-52 Lance missile
  • 8-inch (203 mm) howitzer M1, M15, M110, M110A1, M110A2 firing the W33 nuclear artillery shell
  • 155 mm howitzer M109, M109A1, M109A2 and M109G firing the W48 nuclear artillery shell
    W48
    The W48 was an American nuclear artillery shell, fired from a standard 155 mm howitzer e.g. the M114 or M198. It was manufactured starting in 1963, and all units were retired in 1992....

  • MGM-31 Pershing 1A missile was operated by the German Air Force
    Luftwaffe
    Luftwaffe is a generic German term for an air force. It is also the official name for two of the four historic German air forces, the Wehrmacht air arm founded in 1935 and disbanded in 1946; and the current Bundeswehr air arm founded in 1956....


Italy

Nuclear artillery was provided by Artillery Groups equipped with the MGR-1 Honest John
MGR-1 Honest John
The MGR-1 Honest John rocket was the first nuclear-capable surface-to-surface rocket in the US arsenal.The first nuclear-authorized guided missile was the MGM-5 Corporal. Designated Artillery Rocket XM31, the first such rocket was tested 29 June 1951 and the first production rounds were delivered...

 free flight rockets, MGM-52 Lance missiles and 8-inch (203 mm) howitzers.

The Italian units were:
  • 3ª Brigata Missili "Aquileia":
    • 3° Gr.Msl. Gruppo Missili "Volturno"
    • 1° Gr.A.Pe. Gruppo Artiglieria Pesante "Adige"
    • 9° Gr.A.Pe. Gruppo Artiglieria Pesante "Rovigo"
    • 27° Gr.A.Pe.Smv. Gruppo Artiglieria Pesante Semovente "Marche"

External links

The source of this article is wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.  The text of this article is licensed under the GFDL.
 
x
OK