Thermonuclear · France · 2009
TNA (ASMP-A)
Airborne nuclear warhead (TNA) for the ASMP-A missile
A “robust” thermonuclear warhead developed without any new live test, thanks to simulation (CEA Simulation program).
See TNA (ASMP-A) in the 3D simulator- Yield
- 300 ktPublic estimate
- Energy
- 1.26 PJ
- Mass
- 860 kgPublic estimate
- Dimensions
- 5.38 m · Ø 0.38 mPublic estimate
- Type
- Nuclear warhead of the French deterrent’s air-to-surface missile
- Period
- Today
- Status
- Current
TNA (ASMP-A) releases about 20 times the energy of Little Boy (Hiroshima, 1945).
Key points
- About 20 times the estimated yield of the Hiroshima bomb (public estimate).
History
Since testing ended in 1996, France has certified its weapons through numerical and experimental simulation (Laser Mégajoule, Epure facility).
- 1996 End of French nuclear testing.
- 2009 The ASMP-A and the TNA enter service.
- 2020s Mid-life upgrade of the missile (ASMPA-R).
How does it work?
A thermonuclear weapon (“H-bomb”) first uses a fission explosion, which creates the extreme conditions needed to fuse light nuclei (hydrogen isotopes).
Fusion releases a lot of energy per unit of mass and is not limited by a critical mass: this is what makes the megaton range and beyond possible.
One megaton (Mt) is the energy of one million tons of TNT, about 4.2 × 10¹⁵ joules.
Deliberately general explanations: the application provides no design or manufacturing information.
Frequently asked questions
How powerful is TNA (ASMP-A)?
TNA (ASMP-A) has an estimated yield of 300 kt of TNT equivalent, about 1.26 PJ of energy.
What is the history of TNA (ASMP-A)?
Airborne component of the French nuclear deterrent (Rafale), in service since 2009. Since testing ended in 1996, France has certified its weapons through numerical and experimental simulation (Laser Mégajoule, Epure facility).
What does the TNA (ASMP-A) explosion look like?
The Bomb Simulator shows the fireball, shock wave and cloud of TNA (ASMP-A) at real scale, over Paris, London or New York, with the sources and reliability of each value.
Sources
- ASMP / ASMP-A — Wikipedia (overview, to be cross-checked)
- Status of World Nuclear Forces — Federation of American Scientists
Other weapons
- Trinity — 25 kt
- Little Boy — 15 kt
- Fat Man — 21 kt
- RDS-1 — 22 kt
- Hurricane — 25 kt
- RDS-6s — 400 kt
- Gerboise Bleue — 70 kt
- 596 — 22 kt
- Davy Crockett — 20 t
- Ivy Mike — 10.4 Mt
- Castle Bravo — 15 Mt
- RDS-37 — 1.6 Mt
This application is an educational tool. The animations and effect zones are simplified representations meant to illustrate orders of magnitude. They are neither a prediction of the effects of a real weapon nor a military planning tool.