Operation Dominic was a series of 31 nuclear test explosions ("shots") with a total yield conducted in 1962 by the United States in the Pacific. This test series was scheduled quickly, in order to respond in kind to the Soviet resumption of testing after the tacit 1958–1961 test moratorium. Most of these shots were conducted with free fall bombs dropped from B-52 bomber aircraft. Twenty of these shots were to test new weapons designs; six to test weapons effects; and several shots to confirm the reliability of existing weapons. The Thor missile was also used to lift warheads into near-space to conduct high-altitude tests; these shots were collectively called Operation Fishbowl.
Operation Dominic occurred during a period of high Cold War tension between the United States and the Soviet Union, since the Cuban Bay of Pigs Invasion had occurred not long before. Nikita Khrushchev announced the end of a three-year moratorium on nuclear testing on 30 August 1961, and Soviet tests recommenced on 1 September, initiating a series of tests that included the detonation of the Tsar Bomba. President John F. Kennedy responded by authorizing Operation Dominic. It was the last atmospheric test series conducted by the U.S., as the Limited Test Ban Treaty was signed in Moscow the following year.
The operation was undertaken by Joint Task Force 8.
The U.S. Atomic Energy Commission (AEC) performed Operation Dominic II, an atmospheric nuclear test series, at the Nevada Test Site (NTS) from July 7 to 17, 1962. The test series included four low-yield shots, three of which were near-surface detonations and one a tower shot. Exercise IVY FLATS included one of the near-surface shots, fired from a Davy Crockett rocket launcher. Operation DOMINIC II Fact Sheet Defense Threat Reduction Agency
Shots
Sunset
The shot report lists the yield as ±20% measured from a bhangmeter and ±10% from fireball analysis. Other sources give the yield as .
Full list of shots
+ United States' Dominic series tests and detonations Name The US, France and the UK have code-named their test events, while the USSR and China did not, and therefore have only test numbers (with some exceptions – Soviet peaceful explosions were named). Word translations into English in parentheses unless the name is a proper noun. A dash followed by a number indicates a member of a salvo event. The US also sometimes named the individual explosions in such a salvo test, which results in "name1 – 1(with name2)". If test is canceled or aborted, then the row data like date and location discloses the intended plans, where known. Date time (UT) Local time zoneTo convert the UT time into standard local, add the number of hours in parentheses to the UT time; for local daylight saving time, add one additional hour. If the result is earlier than 00:00, add 24 hours and subtract 1 from the day; if it is 24:00 or later, subtract 24 hours and add 1 to the day. Historical time zone data obtained from the IANA time zone database. LocationRough place name and a latitude/longitude reference; for rocket-carried tests, the launch location is specified before the detonation location, if known. Some locations are extremely accurate; others (like airdrops and space blasts) may be quite inaccurate. "~" indicates a likely pro-forma rough location, shared with other tests in that same area. Elevation + height Elevation is the ground level at the point directly below the explosion relative to sea level; height is the additional distance added or subtracted by tower, balloon, shaft, tunnel, air drop or other contrivance. For rocket bursts the ground level is "N/A". In some cases it is not clear if the height is absolute or relative to ground, for example, Plumbbob/John. No number or units indicates the value is unknown, while "0" means zero. Sorting on this column is by elevation and height added together. Delivery Atmospheric, airdrop, balloon, gun, cruise missile, rocket, surface, tower, and barge are all disallowed by the Partial Nuclear Test Ban Treaty. Sealed shaft and tunnel are underground, and remained useful under the PTBT. Intentional cratering tests are borderline; they occurred under the treaty, were sometimes protested, and generally overlooked if the test was declared to be a peaceful use.Purpose Include weapons development, weapon effects, safety test, transport safety test, war, science, joint verification and industrial/peaceful, which may be further broken down. DeviceDesignations for test items where known, "?" indicates some uncertainty about the preceding value, nicknames for particular devices in quotes. This category of information is often not officially disclosed. YieldEstimated energy yield in tons, kilotons, and megatons. A ton of TNT equivalent is defined as 4.184 gigajoules (1 gigacalorie). FalloutRadioactive emission to the atmosphere aside from prompt neutrons, where known. The measured species is only iodine-131 if mentioned, otherwise it is all species. No entry means unknown, probably none if underground and "all" if not; otherwise notation for whether measured on the site only or off the site, where known, and the measured amount of radioactivity released. References Notes Adobe 15:46:?? LINT (10.67 hrs)(−10 hrs, 40 min) Kiritimati (Christmas Island), Kiribati 0 + free air drop,weapons development XW-50X1-Y2
Verification test, similar to Aztec, Kingfish, Bluegill Triple Prime. Used in a Mk-39 Mod-1 Type 3 drop case. Aztec 16:02:?? LINT (−10.67 hrs)(−10 hrs, 40 min) Kiritimati (Christmas Island), Kiribati 0 + air drop,weapons development XW-50X1-Y3
similar to Adobe, Kingfish, Bluegill Triple Prime, yield slightly lower than expected; achieved 2.21 kt/kg. Arkansas 18:02:?? LINT (−10.67 hrs)(−10 hrs, 40 min) Kiritimati (Christmas Island), Kiribati 0 + parachuted,weapons development XW-56-X2 with Starling primary and Fife secondary.
Highly successful; parachute retarded, only from aimpoint. 4.00 kt/kg. Questa 19:05:?? LINT (−10.67 hrs)(−10 hrs, 40 min) Kiritimati (Christmas Island), Kiribati 0 + air drop,weapons development XW-59 with Tsetse primary
Similar to Alma, Rinconada, Sunset, yield considerably lower than expected. Frigate Bird 23:30:?? jamt (−11 hrs)Believed in use during Dominic, Fishbowl, HT I. Launched from , elv: ;Detonated over open ocean at , north-east of Kiritimati Island N/A + high alt rocket (30–80 km),weapons development W47Y1 with Robin primary, Mk-1 RV
Only US operational ballistic missile launch w/live warhead, Polaris A2 SLBM launched from , successfully detonated from target. Yukon 18:01:?? LINT (−10.67 hrs)(−10 hrs, 40 min) Kiritimati (Christmas Island), Kiribati 0 + parachuted,weapons development Calliope II with Kinglet primary
1st test of high fusion/low fission family; similar to Muskegon, Chetco, Nougat Arikaree, Hudson, Codsaw, Hoosic; yield slightly higher than expected. Mesilla 17:01:?? LINT (−10.67 hrs)(−10 hrs, 40 min) Kiritimati (Christmas Island), Kiribati 0 + free air drop,weapons development Zippo I secondary
Advanced primary and secondary concepts test, yield considerably lower than expected. Muskegon 15:37:?? LINT (−10.67 hrs)(−10 hrs, 40 min) Kiritimati (Christmas Island), Kiribati 0 + parachuted,weapons development Kinglet primary and possibly with Harp secondary
Advanced lightweight low fission concept, similar to Chetco and Yukon, slightly lower than expected yield. Swordfish 20:02:05.9 PST (−8 hrs) Pacific Ocean off California 0 - underwater,weapon effect W44
Full scale RUR-5 ASROC ASW rocket proof test, similar to Nougat Chena, fired from at target away. Encino 17:03:?? LINT (−10.67 hrs)(−10 hrs, 40 min) Kiritimati (Christmas Island), Kiribati 0 + free air drop,weapons development XW-43Y5
Verification of reduced yield variant of HT-I Elder shot. Swanee 15:22:?? LINT (−10.67 hrs)(−10 hrs, 40 min) Kiritimati (Christmas Island), Kiribati 0 + parachuted,weapons development Clean W56 device, possibly a XW-65 progenitor
"Clean" ABM warhead test, similar to Bluestone, possible W-65 progenitor, highly experimental, yield lower than expected. Chetco 15:37:?? LINT (−10.67 hrs)(−10 hrs, 40 min) Kiritimati (Christmas Island), Kiribati 0 + parachuted,weapons development Kiglet primary with Calliope I secondary
Advanced light weight concept, similar to Muskegon and Yukon, yield close to predicted, only from target. Tanana 16:09:?? LINT (−10.67 hrs)(−10 hrs, 40 min) Kiritimati (Christmas Island), Kiribati 0 + parachuted,weapons development Kinglet primary with Calliope III secondary
Fizzle with secondary fail, "radical" design. Nambe 17:03:?? LINT (−10.67 hrs)(−10 hrs, 40 min) Kiritimati (Christmas Island), Kiribati 0 + free air drop,weapons development Scarab primary with Zippo II secondary
"Unique" design, advanced concepts test, yield lower than expected. Alma 17:03:?? LINT (−10.67 hrs)(−10 hrs, 40 min) Kiritimati (Christmas Island), Kiribati 0 + free air drop,weapons development XW-59
Similar to Questa, Rinconada, Sunset. 3.12 kt/kg. Truckee 15:37:?? LINT (−10.67 hrs)(−10 hrs, 40 min) Kiritimati (Christmas Island), Kiribati 0 + parachuted,weapons development XW-58 (Kinglet primary with Tuba secondary)
Development and verification test for the Polaris A-3 weapon (3 MRV), satisfactory. Yeso 17:01:?? LINT (−10.67 hrs)(−10 hrs, 40 min) Kiritimati (Christmas Island), Kiribati 0 + free air drop,weapons development 16-M device using Tsetse primary
Advanced concepts test, similar to HT-I Koa, performed as expected. Harlem 15:37:?? LINT (−10.67 hrs)(−10 hrs, 40 min) Kiritimati (Christmas Island), Kiribati 0 + parachuted,weapons development W-47Y2 Robin primary with Fife secondary
Successful, doubled W-47Y1 yield, 3.42 kt/kg. Rinconada 16:01:?? LINT (−10.67 hrs)(−10 hrs, 40 min) Kiritimati (Christmas Island), Kiribati 0 + free air drop,weapons development XW-59 "Wall" device
Increased yield warhead test, successful, similar to Questa, Alma, Sunset. 3.48 kt/kg. Dulce 16:01:?? LINT (−10.67 hrs)(−10 hrs, 40 min) Kiritimati (Christmas Island), Kiribati 0 + free air drop,weapons development Zippo secondary
Experimental lightweight, high efficiency design, similar to Mesilla, basic design adequacy confirmed. Petit 15:01:?? LINT (−10.67 hrs)(−10 hrs, 40 min) Kiritimati (Christmas Island), Kiribati 0 + parachuted,weapons development Kinglet primary with Oboe secondary
Advanced concepts test, second LRL fizzle, no secondary. Otowi 16:01:?? LINT (−10.67 hrs)(−10 hrs, 40 min) Kiritimati (Christmas Island), Kiribati 0 + air drop,weapons development Zuppy primary with Zippo III secondary
Advanced concepts test of "novel system". Bighorn 15:19:?? LINT (−10.67 hrs)(−10 hrs, 40 min) Kiritimati (Christmas Island), Kiribati 0 + air drop,weapons development Swan primary with Cello I-C secondary
Advanced concepts test, successful. 4.14 kt/kg. Bluestone 15:21:?? LINT (−10.67 hrs)(−10 hrs, 40 min) Kiritimati (Christmas Island), Kiribati 0 + parachuted,weapons development XW-56-X2 prime device
Similar to Swanee; 4.96 kt/kg. Sunset 16:33:?? LINT (−10.67 hrs)(−10 hrs, 40 min) Kiritimati (Christmas Island), Kiribati 0 + air drop,weapons development XW-59
High yield advanced concepts test, similar to Questa, Alma, Rinconada, 4.06 kt/kg. Pamlico 15:37:?? LINT (−10.67 hrs)(−10 hrs, 40 min) Kiritimati (Christmas Island), Kiribati 0 + parachuted,weapons development Kinglet primary with Ripple I secondary
Advanced principles test for high-efficiency fusion burn, successful, last Christmas Island airdrop; 0.934 kt/kg (experimental drops are low usually). Androscoggin 16:18:?? jamt (−11 hrs)Believed in use during Dominic, Fishbowl, HT I. Johnston Island, Johnston Atoll 0 + air drop,weapons development Kinglet primary with Ripple II secondary