Atmospheric Nuclear Detonation - No. 24/RDS-37
image - rsuper.jpg

Name:No. 24/RDS-37;
Date:November 22, 1955;
Site:Semipalatinsk, Kazakhstan;
Detonation:Air drop; Yield:1.6Mgt;
Type:Fission/Fusion, U²³⁵/Li⁶/Tritium;

   24th nuclear detonation of USSR. This was the first air delivered thermonuclear weapon test. The device codenamed RDS-37 was built upon Sakharov's Third idea, basically this is same as Teller-Ulam design. As I understand Soviets came to the idea independently, and Teller confirms this in his interview.
    After successfull testign all Soviet weapons were built using this design, and the Sloika was dropped. The yield has been reduced approximately by 50%, because part of Li⁶ Deuteride fusion fuel has been replaced with ordinary Lithium hydride.
    As usual, the pilot commanding the air crew, F. P. Golovashko has been made a hero of USSR.