CATALOG OF WORLDWIDE NUCLEAR TESTING

 

V.N. Mikhailov

Editor-in-Chief

 

LA. Andryushin, N.P. Voloshin, R.I. Ilkaev, A.M. Matushchenko, L.D. Ryabev, V.G. Strukov, A.K. Chernyshev, and Yu.A. Yudin

Authors

 

begell-atom, llc

 

5. DISTRIBUTION OF U.S. NUCLEAR TESTS BY OPERATIONS

The U.S. nuclear tests were conducted in series called operations. Each operation was given a name and it consisted of either a single test or a series of tests. During each series common objectives were pursued. The maximum number of U.S. nuclear tests held within single operation is 53.

The list of operations is presented in Table 21. The first column includes the name of an operation and its number. The second column contains dates for the first and the last nuclear tests, which were conducted during this operation. The third column contains information about the number of nuclear tests in an operation and their types. For the atmospheric testing period the information about personnel participating in operations and military exercises is given in the last column. For the underground testing period this column also summarizes the number of UK nuclear tests conducted at the NTS during different operations.

In all 1030 U.S. and 24 UK nuclear tests were carried out within 55 operations.

Table 21. Operations in the U.S. nuclear testing program
Name of Operation
Date
Type and Number of Nuclear Tests
Comment
1. Trinity 07/16/45 Atmospheric -1  
2. Crossroads 07/01/46 - 07/25/46 Atmospheric -1 Underwater -1 Military exercise with 42,000 personnel
3. Sandstone 04/14/48-05/14/48 Atmospheric - 3 10,200 personnel participated
4. Ranger 01/27/51 - 02/06/51 Atmospheric - 5  
5. Greenhouse 04/07/51 - 05/24/51 Atmospheric - 4 9350 personnel participated
6. Buster-Jangle 10/22/51 -11/29/51 Atmospheric - 6 Underground -1 Desert Rock I, II, and III troop exercises were held during this operation. About 5500 personnel participated
7. Tumbler-Snapper 04/01/52 - 06/05/52 Atmospheric - 8 Desert Rock IV troop exercises were held during this operation. 10,600 personnel participated
8. Ivy 10/31/52-11/15/52 Atmospheric - 2 11,650 personnel participated
9. Upshot-Knothole 03/17/53-06/04/53 Atmospheric -11 Desert Rock V troop exercises were held during this operation. About 21,000 personnel participated
10. Castle 02/28/54-05/13/54 Atmospheric - 6 About 12,700 personnel participated
11. Teapot 02/18/55-05/15/55 Atmospheric -13 Underground -1 Desert Rock VI troop exercises were held during this operation. About 8000 personnel participated in the exercises and 4000 in the operation
12. Wigwam 05/14/55 Underwater -1 6800 personnel participated
13. Project 56 11/01/55-01/18/56 Atmospheric - 4  
14. Redwing 05/04/56 -07/21/56 Atmospheric -17 14,600 personnel participated
15. Project 57 04/24/57 Atmospheric -1  
16. Plumbbob 05/28/57-10/07/57 Atmospheric - 25 Underground - 4 Desert Rock VII and VIII troop exercises were held during this operation. About 16,000 personnel participated
17. Project 58 12/06/57-12/09/57 Atmospheric -1 Underground -1  
18. Project 58A 02/22/58 - 03/14/58 Underground - 2  
19. Hardtack I 04/28/58-08/18/58 Atmospheric - 33 Underwater - 2 About 18,000 personnel participated
20. Argus 08/27/58 - 09/06/58 Atmospheric - 3 About 4500 personnel participated
21. Hardtack II 09/12/58-10/30/58 Atmospheric - 24 Underground-13 7650 personnel participated
22. Nougat 09/15/61 -06/30/62 Underground - 45  
23. Dominic-Fishbowl 04/25/62-11/04/62 Atmospheric - 35 Underwater -1 About 25,300 personnel participated
24. Sunbeam 07/07/62-07/17/62 Atmospheric - 3 Underground -1 About 3000 personnel participated
25. Storax 07/06/62 - 06/25/63 Underground - 48 Two UK nuclear tests
26. Roller Coaster 05/15/63-06/09/63 Atmospheric - 4  
27. Niblick 08/12/63-06/30/64 Underground - 41  
28. Whetstone 07/16/64-06/17/65 Underground - 48 Two UK nuclear tests
29. Flintlock 07/16/65-06/30/66 Underground - 48 One UK nuclear test
30. Latchkey 07/28/66 - 06/29/67 Underground - 38  
31. Crosstie 07/14/67-06/28/68 Underground - 48  
32. Bowline 07/17/68-06/26/69 Underground - 48  
33. Mandrel 07/16/69-06/26/70 Underground - 53  
34. Emery 10/13/70-06/29/71 Underground -16  
35. Grommet 07/01/71 - 06/28/72 Underground - 34  
36. Toggle 07/20/72 - 06/28/73 Underground - 28  
37. Arbor 10/02/73-06/19/74 Underground-19 One UK nuclear test
38. Bedrock 07/10/74-06/26/75 Underground - 27  
39. Anvil 09/06/75 - 08/26/76 Underground - 21 One UK nuclear test
40. Fulcrum 10/06/76-09/27/77 Underground - 21  
41. Cresset 10/26/77-09/27/78 Underground - 23 One UK nuclear test
42. Quicksilver 11/02/78-09/26/79 Underground -18 Two UK nuclear tests
43. Tinderbox 11/29/79-09/25/80 Underground -15 One UK nuclear test
44. Guardian 10/24/80-09/24/81 Underground -16 Two UK nuclear tests
45. Praetorian 10/01/81 -09/29/82 Underground - 22 Two UK nuclear tests
46. Phalanx 11/12/82-09/29/83 Underground -19 One UK nuclear test
47. Fusileer 12/09/83-09/13/84 Underground -17 One UK nuclear test
48. Grenadier 10/02/84-09/27/85 Underground -17 One UK nuclear test
49. Charioteer 10/09/85-09/30/86 Underground -18 Two UK nuclear tests
50.Musketeer 10/16/86-09/24/87 Underground -15 One UK nuclear test
51. Touchstone 10/23/87-08/30/88 Underground -14  
52. Cornerstone 10/13/88-09/14/89 Underground -12  
53. Aqueduct 10/31/89-09/27/90 Underground -11 One UK nuclear test
54. Sculpin 10/12/90-09/19/91 Underground - 8 One UK nuclear test
55. Julin 10/18/91 -09/23/92 Underground - 8 One UK nuclear test