Bye bye, B53

Wednesday, 26 October 2011 The US National Nuclear Safety Administration (NNSA) has announced that after almost 50 years of life, 35 of which was spent serving as part of the country's nuclear deterrent, the last B53 nuclear bomb was dismantled on 25 October. Introduced to the stockpile in 1962 before being retired in 1997, the B53 was famous for being among the highest yield and longest lived weapons ever fielded. Its size – about that of a minivan and weighing approximately 4500 kilograms – provided many challenges during dismantlement, which staff at the NNSA nevertheless completed 12 months ahead of schedule. "The dismantlement of the B53 bomb – the oldest weapon in America's arsenal and one of the largest in US history – is a major accomplishment that has made the world safer and for which everyone involved should be proud," said Deputy Secretary of Energy Daniel Poneman. "Safely and securely dismantling surplus weapons is a critical step along the road to achieving President Obama's vision of a world without nuclear weapons."