Kimmo Huosionmaa
One of the most bizarre military tests was nuclear test code-named "John". The test was part of the nuclear test series of "Operation Blumbbob", and it was accomplished in the Nevada desert in 19. July 1957. The test was the first time when the United States Air Force tested the nuclear warhead in an air-combat missile. The AIR-2 "Genie" was the first but not an only air-to-air rocket, what has the 2 kilotons nuclear warhead. That rocket was installed under the F-102 Delta Dart and F-4 Phantom fighters, during the cold war.
Nuclear test "John" was very scary because the group of men was standing just under the explosion, and the idea was tested, would that kind of explosion cause blindness and cancer. The idea was also tested, how close of the target was safe to use nuclear weapons. This type of tests would not be made in modern times, but the attitudes in the 1950's were different than today. "John" was a very interesting thing, because the weapon itself carried by T-38 "Talon" aircraft and the reason why this test was made, was to test the installation of nuclear missiles also in other aircraft than the first line high-speed jet fighters.
There were a couple of things, what the Atomic energy commission didn't mention about the test. If "John" were successful would the nuclear weapons installed also in the high-speed jet fighters, and those warheads would be effective also against ground targets. So the plan was to create the multimission weapon, what can be used against every military target in the world. That weapon can destroy incoming bombers, tank or other military formations, warships and factories. But the high-altitude test was also made for testing the ABM-system.
AIR-2 was an effective plan for the fast-moving system, what can move with extremely high speed to some area. And then it can be launched to the route of incoming missiles. The warhead would be detonated in the near- or middle of the missile swarm. And the radiation would destroy the electronics of those warheads.
That weapon was retired from service in the 1990's but it was showing the route to the more effective ASAT and ABM-weapons like SRAM and ASAT. Actually, every satellite launching vehicle can be modified for a nuclear missile. Those air-launched carrying vehicles, what are under development in many countries are multipurpose productions, what can be equipped with the warhead. SRAM-missiles have officially removed from SAC inventory because they are classified as the offensive nuclear weapons, and they wanted to replace with some conventional solution, what is not so dangerous in the wrong hands.
The ASAT-missile can be installed under the F-15 and the project was shut down because of the problems of aiming the kinetic energy impact warhead but creating that kind of weapons continue. But we know that the SRAM-missiles can be used in the same missions with ASAT. The kinetic energy version of this missile is the multipurpose weapon, what is normally installed in B-52 bombers, and it can shoot against satellites. That aircraft has also used for carrying "Hound Dog" missiles, what are actually modified Pegasus-rockets, what are equipped with nuclear- or kinetic warheads.
Sources:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/AIR-2_Genie
https://www.ctbto.org/specials/testing-times/19-july-1957-five-at-ground-zero/
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/AGM-131_SRAM_II
Below: The film of the test
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1VZ7FQHTaR4
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