Tactical Nuclear Strike force

[Anatol Pigwa]

I intend to build a model collection around the theme of tactical nukes, and am looking currently for information on which aircraft where equipped to carry what on which station. So far my research brought me the following insights, I would appreciate any comments.

 

Nuclear capable nations, current and former (incl. US-Dual Key arragement): Belgium, Canada, China, France, (West) Germany, Greece, India, Israel, Italy, Netherlands, Pakistan, Russia/UdSSR,  South Africa, Turkey, UK, USA

 

 

France:

Mirage IV: 1 Freefall nuclear bomb AN-11 or AN-22 (IV A) semi receesed under the center line or 1 ASMP Missile (IV P) on a centerline station.

Mirage 2000N: 1x Freefall Nuclear Bomb AN-52 or 1 ASMP Missile on a centerline station.

Super Etendard: 1x Freefall Nuclear Bomb AN-52 or 1 ASMP Missile on the starboard station.

Rafale-M; Rafale B: 1 ASMP Missile on a centerline station.

Sud Aviation Vautour IIB: 1 Freefall nuclear bomb AN-11 or AN-22 in the bomb bay

SEPECAT Jaguar: 1x Freefall Nuclear Bomb AN-52 on centerline station (?)

Mirage III E: 1x Freefall Nuclear Bomb AN-52 on centerline station (?)

 

UK:

Blackburn Buccaneer: 1x Red Beard, 2 WE.177 A/B/C in the bomb bay

English Electric Canberra:  1x MK-7, B28, B43, B57, Red Beard or WE.177 in the bomb bay

SEPECAT Jaguar: 1 WE.177 A/B/C on centerline station

Panavia Tornado: 1 WE.177 A/B/C on Station 7 (Left shoulder middle)

FGR 2 Phantom (unofficial): B28,  B43 or B57 on 3? stations (only centerline station utilized during QRA)

 

Avro Vulcan: 1 Blue Steel missile, 1 WE.177 and earlier bombs in the bomb bay 

 

WE.177 A only (Depth charge)

Sea Harrier FRS 1  1 WE.177A on Starboard inner pylon

Westland Sea King: 1 WE.177A port side

Westland Wessex: 1 WE.177A port side

Westland Wasp: 1 WE.177A under Fuselage

Westland Lynx: 1 WE.177A

 

Specified or cleared for WE 177 but not deployed:

English Electric Canberra:  1x MK-7, B28, B43, B57, Read Beard or WE.177 in the bomb bay

Vickers Valiant: 1x Blue Danube or 1x B28 in the bomb bay

Handley Page Viktor: 1 Yellow Sun in the bomb bay

Sea Vixen: 1 Read Beard, possible 1 WE 177A on Inner wing Port station  

TSR-2: 1 WE 177 internally

Harrier: 1 WE 177A on Starboard inner pylon?

Nimrod: B-57

 

T

Supermarine Scimitar:  1 Read Beard on Inner wing Port station. 1 WE 177A trailed but not deployed.

 

 

 

 

Edited July 2, 2020 by Marcin Kaminski
Update

[TheyJammedKenny!]

Funny how so little information is available on USSR/Russian nuke carriers.  Lotnictwo z Szachownica has an article (which I can look up) on the IL-28, which discusses nuclear weapons loading and delivery procedures for that type.  The IL-28 carried its weapon (type unspecified) in the bomb bay.

[Anatol Pigwa]

USA:

 

A-1 Skyraider: 1 x MK8 under centerline

A-3 B28, B43, 1 x in Bomb Bay

A-4: B28, B43, B57, B61, 1 x on centerline station

(R)A-5: MK-28, MK-27 MK 43 Internal (proposed); 2-4x B28 or B43 on external stores 

A-6: B28, B43, B57, B61, 3 x on Inner wing and centerline station

A-7: B28, B43, B57, B61, up to 4 x on Inner & central wing stations

AV-8B: B57, B61, 1 x on Starboard inner wing station (?)

AJ 1/2:

FJ-4B One MK-7 on port side middle wing station

F2H Banshee: -B model 1x MK7 or MK8 Bomb on  port side with refeuling probe on starboard side, -3/4 model 1x MK7 or MK8 Bomb on  starboard side with refeuling probe on port side

F3D Skyknight: 1X mk-7 or MK-12 on Starboard side wing station.

 

F-3: MK-7; MK-91 or MK12 special store (cenret station?)

F-4: B28, B43, B57, B61,B83 3 x on Inner wing and centerline station, (only one weapon in centerline used during QRA)

FJ-4B 1 MK-7 on Inboard portside station

F-7U

F-9 Cougar (1x MK-12 on port station)

F-15: B28, B43, B57, B61 

F-16: B43, B61 on stations 3, 5 and 7 (other reports of up to five nuclear capable stations)

F/A-18A: 2 B57 or B61 on outboard wing stations  

F-35:

 

F-84F Thunderstreak (MK7)

F-86H left inner wing station (Mk-7 and B28?)

F-89J  Scorpion: 2 x AIR-2 Genie Missiles on inner wing stations 

F-100 Super Sabre: mk-7,B28, B43 1x on  left middle wing station

F-101 Voodoo: 2 x AIR-2 Genie Missiles in missile bay, Mk-7, B28 on centerline station (only F101 a/c?)

F-102 Delta Dagger 2 x Aim-26 A nuclear falcon in Bomb bay.

F-104 Starfighter B28, B43, B57, B61, 1 x on centerline station

F-105 Thunderchief: 1x internal and 2x exzernal weapons

F-106 Delta Dart 1 x AIR-2 Genie or 1x AIM-26A Falcon missile in missile bay

F-111 B43, B57, B61,B83 2x on Inner wing and 1x in internal bay,

FB-111 2 internal and 4 external freefall bombs (see f-111) or AGM-69 SRAM

F-117 2x B61

 

B1-B: Up to 12 B-28 in 3 internal bomb bays or 24 B-61, B83 or AGM 69, or 8 AGM-86B ALCM in 3 Internal bombbays,  up to 14 AGM-86B ALCM or B-61 on external hardpoints

B2: B-61, B-83 AGM-129

B-36:

B-47: 2x MK-15 or, 4x B28, or 1x B41, or 1xB53

B-52: B-52H (Cold war) :Up to 20 AGM-69 SRAM, or 12-20 AGM 86B ALCM, MK-15, B28, B36, B39, B61 and B83 Bombs

B-57 (See UK CAnberra)

B-58: up to 5 B-43 or B-61 Bombs in centerline pod.

 

 

P-2 Neptune

S-2 Tracker: mk 101

P-3 Orion- 2x B57

S-3 Viking 1x B57

SH-3 Sea King 1x B57

SH-60F Seahawk  1x B57

 

Canada:

CF-101B (see USA F-101)

CF-104 (see USA F-104)

 

 

Germany: (B43 and B61)

F-84F (see USA)

F-104 (see USA)

Tornado IDS:

 

Belgium: (B43 and B61)

F-16 (see USA)

F-84F (see USA); MK-7

F-104 (see USA)

 

Netherlands: (B43 and B61)

F-16 (see USA)

F-84F (see USA); MK-7

F-104 (see USA)

 

Italy (?)

F-104 (see USA)

Tornado IDS

 

Greece

A-7 (see USA)

 

Turkey(?)

F-16 (see USA)

 

 

20 hours ago, TheyJammedKenny! said:

Funny how so little information is available on USSR/Russian nuke carriers.  Lotnictwo z Szachownica has an article (which I can look up) on the IL-28, which discusses nuclear weapons loading and delivery procedures for that type.  The IL-28 carried its weapon (type unspecified) in the bomb bay.

Actually I will write up a little bit of what I found next

Edited July 2, 2020 by Marcin Kaminski
Update

[Anatol Pigwa]

Russia:

 

IL-28: RDS-4,

 

MiG-21: RN-25

MiG:23: RN-40, RN-28

MiG 27:

MiG-29:RN-40

Mig:31K: Kh47m2

 

SU-7: Natascha,RN-28

SU:17 Natascha,RN-28,RN-40

SU:22

SU-24: TN-1000, TN.1200,RN-28

SU:25: RN-28

SU-27: RN-28

SU-30: 

SU-34:

SU-57:

 

YAK-26 Natasha

YAK-38: RN-40, RN-28, RN-41

 

TU-22M3: KS-22, Kh-32; Kh47m2

 

[Gmat]

Add A-1 Skyraiders, F2H banshees, and the F7U Cutlass in Attack squadrons practiced with special weapon shapes. P-2 Neptunes as well as used to fly off carriers and the AJ-1/2 Savages. 

[SAT69]

The F-105 was designed to carry a nuclear weapon inside it's weapons bay. That bay could also accommodate a 390 US gallon fuel tank. Standard wing tank configuration was 2 x 450 US gallon fuel tanks. I presume, given a relatively short range mission, the F-105 would have dispensed with the internal tank and carried the nuke internally. For a longer mission, the tank would be retained and the nuke would be carried on the fuselage centerline.

[SAT69]

US F-86H carried a nuclear weapon on the left inboard station and the remaining three stations carried external fuel tanks. Don't know what type store that was.

[Finn]

The F-100 also could carry the Mk7 on the middle wing station:

 

 

The F-101A/C carried Mk7 or Mk28 on the c/l pylon and the F-105 could carry shapes on the inner wing pylons as well.

 

Jari

[f111guru]

FB-111A was designed to carry 2 to 6 weapons on the 4 weapons pylons and 2 internal weapons bay. Munitions consist of the B-43, B-57, B-61 and the B-83. Also the AGM-69 SRAM. When sent to alert status the aircraft were configured with at least 2 external fuel tanks on stations 2 and 7. The external loaded AGM-69 missiles had tail fairings attached to keep the aircraft aerodynamically sound. The b-83 was introduced in service in 1983 and was for the FB-111A. I'm not aware of any state side or overseas F-111 units receiving the B-83.

 

Ron VanDerwarker

[Blimpyboy]

Viking with a B-57: 

 

 

Tracker with a Mk.101:

 

CF-101 firing an AIR-2

 

Some Canadian BOMARCs:

https://valourcanada.ca/military-history-library/the-bomarc-missile-controversy/)

and

http://silverhawkauthor.com/canadian-warplanes-81-boeing-cim-10b-bomarc-surfacetoair-missile_903.html

and

 

A Wessex with a WE.177

 

A Wasp, with same:

 

 

Edited July 2, 2020 by Blimpyboy

[Blimpyboy]

Much like NATO, some Warsaw Pact forces were also allowed to use nukes.

 

Here's some info regarding Bulgarian forces:

http://www.easternorbat.com/html/bulgaria_s_cold_war_nuclear_st.html

and

http://www.easternorbat.com/html/bulg_mig-23_nuke_eng.html

[exdraken]

6 hours ago, TheyJammedKenny! said:

Funny how so little information is available on USSR/Russian nuke carriers.  Lotnictwo z Szachownica has an article (which I can look up) on the IL-28, which discusses nuclear weapons loading and delivery procedures for that type.  The IL-28 carried its weapon (type unspecified) in the bomb bay.

Very true!

But it is known that nearly all combat aircraft types also had a nuclear role...

Even some recce planes like the MiG-25 RB...

The MiG-21 SMT originally had that role as main role..

Regarding the "dual key" nations mentioned within Nato, weren't the Warsow Pact nations as well?

 

Wonder if all or only some...

[Marlin]

A very interesting (and scary) subject. 

I've had similar thoughts and ideas, so I'll be following this. 

 

/Bosse    

 

 

[e8n2]

While the F-4 could conceivably carry three, I only ever saw them on the centerline, and only on alert aircraft.  Otherwise it would be shapes during exercises and again, only on the centerline.

Later,

Dave

 

[EwenS]

There is a wealth of information on British nukes and the aircraft fitted to carry them on this site which might help:

 

http://www.nuclear-weapons.info/vw.htm#WE.177

 

There are photos of test installations / drops from Scimitar and Sea Vixen. Way down the page is a list of British types WE.177 was deployed on. Missing from your list is the Westland Lynx.

[Anatol Pigwa]

Thanks for all the input, I shall update the lists as I find new information so keep following if the subject is of interest to you.

2 hours ago, Marlin said:

A very interesting (and scary) subject. 

True, at one point I though it would be easier to compile a list of aircraft which were NOT nuclear capable.

 

2 hours ago, exdraken said:

 

Regarding the "dual key" nations mentioned within Nato, weren't the Warsow Pact nations as well?

AFAIK, not in the meaning of NATO dual key (they would just execute soviet orders) but apparently Warsaw Pact pilots did train tactics of delivering nuclear weapons.

 

2 hours ago, exdraken said:

Even some recce planes like the MiG-25 RB..

Now this is interesting, although not unexpected. Do you have any more info on that?

[Giorgio N]

Since you're also considering interceptors armed with nuclear weapons, you may add the F-102 that in US service could carry the AIM-26A, armed with a W54 warhead.

 

[exdraken]

1 hour ago, Marcin Kaminski said:

Thanks for all the input, I shall update the lists as I find new information so keep following if the subject is of interest to you.

True, at one point I though it would be easier to compile a list of aircraft which were NOT nuclear capable.

 

AFAIK, not in the meaning of NATO dual key (they would just execute soviet orders) but apparently Warsaw Pact pilots did train tactics of delivering nuclear weapons.

 

Now this is interesting, although not unexpected. Do you have any more info on that?

some info on this great site

http://www.16va.be/3.8_armes_speciales_eng_part3.html

 

navigate a bit, really great info there!

 

Soviets used the RN-24 and RN-28 as tactical nuclear special weapons

 

what are the Russians currently using? only missiles? can't think so.....

 

 

[Starfighter]

3 hours ago, e8n2 said:

While the F-4 could conceivably carry three, I only ever saw them on the center line, and only on alert aircraft.  Otherwise it would be shapes during exercises and again, only on the centre line.

Later,

Dave

 

This also applied to British Phantom FGR 2's I was based at Bruggen in Germany in the early 70's and our QRA aiegraft had the special weapon mounted on the centreline, with two live Sparrow AAM's mounted in the forward missile bays.

[exdraken]

35 minutes ago, Starfighter said:

This also applied to British Phantom FGR 2's I was based at Bruggen in Germany in the early 70's and our QRA aiegraft had the special weapon mounted on the centreline, with two live Sparrow AAM's mounted in the forward missile bays.

US, or Britsh bombs?

2 live Sparrows... interesting! So no Sidewinders to fight your way out 

[Julien]

10 hours ago, SAT69 said:

US F-86H carried a nuclear weapon on the left inboard station and the remaining three stations carried external fuel tanks. Don't know what type store that was.

Any chance of you using a font whic is easier for people to read?

[SAT69]

I got a message earlier from another member regarding the font. How's this?

[Blimpyboy]

8 minutes ago, SAT69 said:

How's this?

A lot less stylish. 😔

Edited July 2, 2020 by Blimpyboy

[SAT69]

4 minutes ago, Blimpyboy said:

A lot less stylish. 😔

Yes, but I got another message from a member who said the Comic Sans 16 was very hard for him to read on a small screen (presume cell phone). It follows, given that message and the one from Julien, that others may be having problems reading my posts in that script so a change is necessary.

[canberra kid]

Unless I missed it add the Martin B.57 to the USAF list.

 

John