Operation Dominic

Operation Dominic was a series of 31 <a href="/facts/Nuclear_test/s2srGDFP">nuclear test</a> explosions ("shots") with a 38.1 <a href="/facts/TNT_equivalent/nEQ5z8mp">Mt</a> (159 <a href="/facts/Joule/9ndq9jD2">PJ</a>) total yield conducted in 1962 by the United States in the <a href="/facts/Pacific_Proving_Grounds/v0agP8Md">Pacific</a>. This test series was scheduled quickly, in order to respond in kind to the Soviet resumption of testing after the tacit <a href="/facts/Partial_Nuclear_Test_Ban_Treaty/vhF6shhg">1958–1961 test moratorium</a>. Most of these shots were conducted with <a href="/facts/Free_fall_bomb/Pxd1KvCE">free fall bombs</a> dropped from <a href="/facts/B-52_Stratofortress/uIXzSmPy">B-52</a> bomber aircraft. Twenty of these shots were to test <a href="/facts/Nuclear_weapon_design/gw0LEc74">new weapons designs</a>; six to test weapons effects; and several shots to confirm the reliability of existing weapons. The <a href="/facts/Thor_(rocket)/mbFIsEct">Thor missile</a> was also used to lift warheads into near-space to conduct <a href="/facts/High-altitude_nuclear_explosion/UdNALFgT">high-altitude nuclear explosion</a> tests; these shots were collectively called <a href="/facts/Operation_Fishbowl/j0hpLJPy">Operation Fishbowl</a>.
Operation Dominic occurred during a period of high <a href="/facts/Cold_War/spJdJQ3q">Cold War</a> tension between the United States and the <a href="/facts/Soviet_Union/m7wWsPto">Soviet Union</a>, since the Cuban <a href="/facts/Bay_of_Pigs_Invasion/MR31HmRe">Bay of Pigs Invasion</a> had occurred not long before. <a href="/facts/Nikita_Khrushchev/SBySdWPf">Nikita Khrushchev</a> announced the end of a three-year <a href="/facts/Moratorium_(law)/h3CfXdng">moratorium</a> 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 <a href="/facts/Tsar_Bomba/qbjpPwN2">Tsar Bomba</a>. President <a href="/facts/John_F._Kennedy/1cdDaswg">John F. Kennedy</a> responded by authorizing Operation Dominic. It was the largest nuclear weapons testing program (by total yield) ever conducted by the United States and the last atmospheric test series conducted by the U.S., as the <a href="/facts/Limited_Test_Ban_Treaty/vhF6shhg">Limited Test Ban Treaty</a> was signed in <a href="/facts/Moscow/XUU6VkdY">Moscow</a> the following year.
The operation was undertaken by <a href="/facts/Joint_Task_Force/sly5sUSd">Joint Task Force</a> 8.
The <a href="/facts/United_States_Atomic_Energy_Commission/7VXrvVJ9">U.S. Atomic Energy Commission</a> (AEC) performed <a href="/facts/Operation_Sunbeam/odB1E5RG">Operation DOMINIC II</a>, an atmospheric nuclear test series, at the <a href="/facts/Nevada_Test_Site/eWg04MIr">Nevada Test Site</a> (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 <a href="/facts/Davy_Crockett_(nuclear_device)/kDyeU6Hg">DAVY CROCKETT</a> rocket launcher.

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Operation Dominic