Anyone thought of a2a nukes?

I just got this wild idea what about an A2A nuke. A smaller warhead of course. Figure stick a small nuclear warhead in an upgraded version of the Phoenix missle. This could take out entire formations of aircraft or eliminate oncoming WMD or a salvo of cruise missles. Any thoughts on this.

Originally posted by cyberdude78
I just got this wild idea what about an A2A nuke. A smaller warhead of course. Figure stick a small nuclear warhead in an upgraded version of the Phoenix missle. This could take out entire formations of aircraft or eliminate oncoming WMD or a salvo of cruise missles. Any thoughts on this.

Air to Air has not been done - but some of the Nike air defense missiles carried nuclear warheads..

Originally posted by Starwars50
Air to Air has not been done - but some of the Nike air defense missiles carried nuclear warheads..

The Douglas MB-1/AIR-2 Genie was the first air to air missile with a nuclear warhead, and became operational in 1957. The DOD fail to think of this? I think not.

Genie 1

Genie 2

the F-106 Interceptor was designed to fired a nuclear air to air warhead at soviet bomber formations

it's been done

www.warships1.com...

Before you think of anything else that the DoD has somehow "missed", they have nuclear depth charges for taking out missile subs too.

actually yhe DOD has though of pretty much everything we can think of and they did it 50-40 years ago just imagine what they have now kind of a scary thought.

Back in the 50's and 60's they tried to nuclear into just about everything

Who can forget the nuclear powered bomber aircraft, the plan was that it could more or less stay up permanently orbiting the edge of Russia, they actually built and threw a prototype, problem was they could not get enough shielding in the aircraft to protect the crew and still be able to get off the ground.

Aircrat Nucleat Proplusion Programme


Also the Honest John Artilley Rocket
The U.S.'s first tactical nuclear weapon fielded with the 3rd Armored Div. arsenal approximately 1957-1973.

Honest John Artillery Rocket



Also who can forget the Nuke cannon, Atomic Annie was delployed in Europe for a short time, but it took most of a day to deploy and because of the limited range (18 miles) had to be deploy close to the frontline. Apparently the Soviets always knew where they were so in the event of war it is unliklely they would have had time to deploy and respond effectively to any invasion and if they did the Soviet would have probably taken them out with a pre-emptive air strike.
Atomic Cannon



Even more scary was the man portable 'Davy Crockett' nuclear recoiless rifle (otherwise called the Nuclear Bazooka) that had a max range of 2.9 miles took less time to set-up but you have to dig a good fox hole as you were in the blast radius!!
Davy Crockett

Infanty squads actually carried out live fire excerises (firing a distance of 1.7 miles) with these in the 60's!!



One detail to avoid at all costs.



Finally there was the mysterious Platoon of the 23rd Engineer Battalion
Photo from 1963 3AD Yearbook



There is a rumor that the platoon had access to low-kiloton nuclear explosive devices that could be used for land mine and combat engineering purposes.
Atomic Platoon

The atomic demolition engineer's I believe were part of the Plughshare program whos goal was to concince the world that atomic power was all warm and fuzzy

Don't forget project Pluto, the nuclear powered ramject cruise missile

See my post in the aviation section

Originally posted by FredT
Don't forget project Pluto, the nuclear powered ramject cruise missile

See my post in the aviation section

Just read your thread very frightening weapon thank god it was not further developed

Project Pluto

It is amazing how Nuclear power was seen as a panacea for things military back in the 50's and 60's - that rads were 'marketed' as sunshine units!

Not too sure how I feel about the current mini revial in nuke tech (bunker buster - space proplusion - etc) - it is quite exciting, but you do worry that they may have missed something, and it only takes one mistake.

Originally posted by Popeye

Originally posted by FredT
Don't forget project Pluto, the nuclear powered ramject cruise missile

See my post in the aviation section

Just read your thread very frightening weapon thank god it was not further developed

Project Pluto

It is amazing how Nuclear power was seen as a panacea for things military back in the 50's and 60's - that rads were 'marketed' as sunshine units!

Not too sure how I feel about the current mini revial in nuke tech (bunker buster - space proplusion - etc) - it is quite exciting, but you do worry that they may have missed something, and it only takes one mistake.

Remember "Duck and Cover"
Space exploration hold real promise for nuclear power, but I agree the trend in reviving non strategic nuclear weapons gives me pause too.

Oh well guess I great minds think a like(more like coicidence). So did any of these A2A nukes ever get placed into service because I'd hate loading one of those on to a fighter(Ka-Boom).

Originally posted by cyberdude78
Oh well guess I great minds think a like(more like coicidence). So did any of these A2A nukes ever get placed into service because I'd hate loading one of those on to a fighter(Ka-Boom).

For the Genie it was tested and only had a range og 6+miles (Yikes) and according to the article observers were standding directly under ground zero with no ill effects
www.fas.org...

Other Systems included the:
BOmarc
www.fas.org...
and the Nike
www.fas.org...

Originally posted by Mirthful Me

Originally posted by Starwars50
Air to Air has not been done - but some of the Nike air defense missiles carried nuclear warheads..

The Douglas MB-1/AIR-2 Genie was the first air to air missile with a nuclear warhead, and became operational in 1957. The DOD fail to think of this? I think not.

I stand corrected ...