Great Britain became the third state after the USA and the USSR to possess nuclear weapons. Naturally, no one was going to carry out test nuclear explosions, fraught with unpredictable consequences, near the British Isles. The territory of Australia, which was the dominion of Great Britain, was chosen as the place for testing nuclear charges.
The first nuclear test was carried out on October 3, 1952. A nuclear explosive device was detonated aboard a frigate anchored in the Monte Bello Islands (western tip of Australia). The explosion power was about 25 Kt.
This method of testing was not chosen by chance. First, the first British nuclear explosive device, due to its bulkiness, was not yet a full-fledged ammunition, that is, it could not be used as an aerial bomb. Secondly, the British sought to assess the possible consequences of a nuclear explosion off the coast - in particular, its impact on ships and coastal facilities. This was due to the fact that in those years, when considering a potential nuclear strike from the USSR, the possibility of covert delivery of a Soviet nuclear charge to one of the British ports on a merchant ship or a torpedo attack with a nuclear warhead was taken into account.
The explosion literally vaporized the ship. Splashes of molten metal, lifted into the air, falling on the shore, caused dry vegetation to catch fire in several places. At the site of the explosion, an oval crater with a diameter of up to 300 m and a depth of 6 m was formed on the seabed.
In total, three atmospheric nuclear tests were carried out in the Monte Bello area. Over the years, there are practically no traces of them on the islands. But the background radiation near the points of the explosions is still different from the natural values. Despite this, the islands are open to the public, fishing is carried out in the coastal waters.
Almost simultaneously with the surface tests near the Monte Bello Islands in the Australian desert at the Emu Field test site in South Australia in October 1953, two nuclear explosions were made.
Satellite image of Google Earth: the site of the nuclear explosion in Emu
Nuclear charges were installed on metal towers, the purpose of the tests was to assess the damaging factors of the explosion on equipment and weapons. various samples of which were installed within a radius of 450 to 1500 meters from the epicenter.
At present, the nuclear test area in Emu is open to free access; commemorative steles have been installed at the site of the explosions.
The Emu Field test site did not suit the British military for a number of reasons. An area remote from large settlements was required, but with the possibility of delivering large volumes of cargo and equipment there.
Satellite image of Google Earth: British nuclear test site in Maralinga
These conditions were met by a desert area in South Australia in the Maralinga region, 450 km northwest of Adelaide. A railway passed nearby and there were runways.
A total of seven atmospheric nuclear tests with a yield of 1 to 27 Kt were carried out in the area between 1955 and 1963. Here, research was carried out to develop safety measures and the resistance of nuclear charges when exposed to fire or non-nuclear explosions.
Satellite image of Google Earth: the site of the nuclear test at the Maralinga test site
As a result of these tests, the landfill was heavily contaminated with radioactive materials. The landfill was cleaned up until 2000. More than $ 110 million was spent for these purposes.
But even after that, the debate continued over the safety of the area and the long-term health consequences of the Aboriginal people living in the area and former military personnel at the site. In 1994, the Australian government paid $ 13.5 million in financial compensation to the Australian Trarutja tribe.
The British in conducting their tests were not limited to Australia. They conducted tests on the islands of the Pacific Ocean. In 1957, Britain conducted three aerial nuclear tests on Malden Island in Polynesia. Until 1979 Malden was in the possession of Great Britain, since 1979 it became part of the Republic of Kiribati. Malden Island is currently uninhabited.
In 1957-1958, Great Britain conducted 6 atmospheric nuclear tests on the Kiribati Atoll (Christmas Island). In May 1957, the first British hydrogen bomb was tested in the atmosphere near the island.
Satellite image of Google Earth: Kiribati Atoll
Kiribati is the world's largest atoll with an area of 321 km². The number of species of tropical birds living on the island is the largest in the world. As a result of nuclear tests, the flora and fauna of the island suffered great damage.
Later, under pressure from the world community, Great Britain conducted only underground joint US-British nuclear tests at the Nevada test site. The last nuclear charge was tested by the British in Nevada on November 26, 1991. In 1996, the UK signed the Comprehensive Test Ban Treaty. A total of 44 British nuclear charges were tested.
To test the cruise and ballistic missiles created in Great Britain, in 1946, in South Australia, near the city of Woomera, the construction of a missile range began. There are 6 launch sites at the test site.
Satellite image of Google Earth: Woomera rocket range
In addition to testing military missiles, satellites were launched into orbit from here. The first successful launch of the satellite from the cosmodrome was carried out on November 29, 1967, when the first Australian WRESAT satellite was launched into low-earth orbit using the American Redstone launch vehicle. The second successful launch of the satellite and at the moment the last was carried out on October 28, 1971, when the British Prospero satellite was launched into low-earth orbit using the British Black Arrow launch vehicle. This launch was the last, and later the cosmodrome was not actually operated for its intended purpose.
Satellite image of Google Earth: the launch pad of the Woomera cosmodrome
In July 1976, the cosmodrome was closed, and the equipment was mothballed. In total, 24 launches of three types of launch vehicles Europa-1 (10 launches), Redstone (10 launches) and Black Arrow (4 launches) were made from the cosmodrome.
The largest British aerospace manufacturer is BAE Systems. In addition to other types of weapons, the company manufactures Typhoon fighters.
Satellite image of Google Earth: Typhoon fighters in Keningsbay
Testing and practicing the combat use of British Typhoon fighters are taking place at Keningsbay airbase.
Not far from the border with Scotland, north of the village of Gilsland, there is a large air range. In addition to mock-ups, this test site has mobile Soviet radars: P-12 and P-18, as well as Soviet-made air defense systems: Osa, Cub, S-75 and S-125 with operational guidance stations.
Satellite image of Google Earth: SAM Cube
Satellite image of Google Earth: C-75 and C-125 air defense systems
Obviously, all this technique was received by the British from new allies in Eastern Europe.
In the central part of Great Britain, on the territory of the former air base adjacent to the settlement of North Laffenheim, British military pilots practice bombing strikes on the runway.
Satellite image of Google Earth: craters on the runway of the former air base
Judging by the diameter of the craters, rather large aerial bombs were used here.
On February 13, 1960, France conducted the first successful test of a nuclear device at a test site in the Sahara Desert, becoming the fourth member of the "nuclear club".
In Algeria, in the region of the Regan oasis, a nuclear test site was built with a scientific center and a camp for research personnel.
The first French nuclear test was called "Blue Jerboa" ("Gerboise Bleue"), the power of the device was 70 Kt. In April and December 1961 and April 1962, three more atmospheric atomic explosions are taking place in the Sahara.
The location of the tests was not chosen very well; in April 1961, the fourth nuclear device was blown up with an incomplete fission cycle. This was done to prevent its capture by the rebels.
Satellite image of Google Earth: the site of the first French nuclear explosion at the Reggan test site
In the southern part of Algeria, on the Hoggar granite plateau, a second In-Ecker test site and test complex was built for conducting underground nuclear tests, which was used until 1966 (13 explosions were carried out). Information about these tests is still classified.
The site of the nuclear tests was the area of Mount Taurirt-Tan-Afella, located on the western border of the Hogtar mountain range. During some tests, significant leakage of radioactive material was observed.
The test codenamed "Beryl" was especially "famous"
held on May 1, 1962. The real power of the bomb is still kept secret, according to calculations, it was between 10 and 30 kilotons.
Satellite image of Google Earth: the site of underground nuclear explosions in the area of Mount Taurirt-Tan-Afella
But it seems that due to an error in the calculations, the power of the bomb was much higher. Measures to ensure tightness at the time of the explosion turned out to be ineffective: the radioactive cloud dispersed in the air, and the molten rocks contaminated with radioactive isotopes were thrown out of the adit. The explosion created a whole stream of radioactive lava. The length of the stream was 210 meters, the volume was 740 cubic meters.
About 2,000 people were hastily evacuated from the test area, more than 100 people received dangerous doses of radiation.
In 2007, journalists and IAEA representatives visited the area.
After more than 45 years, the radiation background of the rocks thrown out by the explosion ranged from 7, 7 to 10 millirems per hour.
After Algeria gained independence, the French had to move the nuclear test site to the Mururoa and Fangataufa atolls in French Polynesia.
During the period from 1966 to 1996, 192 nuclear explosions were carried out on the two atolls. At Fangatauf, 5 explosions were made on the surface and 10 underground. The most serious incident occurred in September 1966, when the nuclear charge was not lowered into the well to the required depth. After the explosion, it was necessary to take measures to decontaminate part of the Fangatauf Atoll.
In Muroroa Atoll, underground explosions have caused volcanic activity. Underground explosions led to the formation of cracks. The zone of cracks around each cavity is a sphere with a diameter of 200-500 m.
Satellite image of Google Earth: Mururoa Atoll
Due to the small area of the island, explosions were carried out in wells located close to each other and turned out to be interconnected. Radioactive elements accumulated in these cavities. After another test, the explosion occurred at a very shallow depth, which caused the formation of a crack 40 cm wide and several kilometers long. There is a real danger of rock splitting and separation and radioactive substances getting into the ocean. France is still carefully hiding the real harm caused to the environment. Unfortunately, the part of the atolls where the nuclear tests were carried out is "pixelated" and cannot be seen on satellite images.
A total of 210 nuclear tests were carried out by France in the period from 1960 to 1996 in the Sahara and on the islands of French Polynesia in Oceania.
Currently, France has about 300 strategic warheads deployed on four nuclear submarines, as well as 60 tactical aircraft-based cruise missiles. This puts it in 3rd place in the world in terms of the number of nuclear weapons.
In 1947, construction began on the French rocket test center in Algeria, and later on the Hammagir cosmodrome. It was located near the city of Colombes-Bechar (now Bechar) in the west of Algeria.
The rocket center was used for testing and launching tactical and research missiles, including the Diamant-A launch vehicle, which on November 26, 1965, launched the first French satellite, Asterix, into orbit.
After gaining independence by Algeria and the elimination of the Hammagir rocket center, in 1965, at the initiative of the French Space Agency, the creation of the Kuru rocket test center in French Guiana began. It is located on the Atlantic coast, between the towns of Kourou and Cinnamari, 50 km from the capital of French Guiana, Cayenne.
The first launch from the Kuru cosmodrome was carried out on April 9, 1968. In 1975, when the European Space Agency (ESA) was formed, the French government proposed using the Kourou spaceport for European space programs. ESA, considering the Kuru spaceport as its component, financed the modernization of the Kuru launch sites for the Ariane spacecraft program.
Satellite image of Google Earth: Kuru cosmodrome
At the cosmodrome there are four launch complexes for LV: heavy class - "Ariane-5", medium - "Soyuz", light - "Vega", and probe rockets.
On the shores of the Bay of Biscay in the Landes department in southwestern France, naval missile systems are being tested at the Biscarossus missile test center. In particular, a special well with a depth of 100 meters is arranged here, into which a stand is immersed, which is a missile silo with a rocket inside and a set of appropriate equipment.
Satellite image of Google Earth: missile range "Biscaross"
All this equipment is used to practice submerged missile launches. In addition, a ground launch pad for launches of SLBMs and stands for testing sustainer engines were built.
The French Aviation Test Center is located in the vicinity of the city of Istres, in the south of France, 60 km north-west of Marseille. It is here that the entire test cycle takes place most of the French military aircraft and air-to-air missiles.
Satellite image of Google Earth: Rafale fighter at Istres airfield
The development of means of destruction of ground targets is carried out at the Captier range near Bordeaux.
Satellite image of Google Earth: Captier aviation range
The French Naval Aviation Test Center is located north of the town of Landivisio, 30 km from the Brest naval base.
Satellite image of Google Earth: carrier-based fighters Rafale and attack aircraft Super Etandar at Landivisio airfield
Britain and France are permanent members of the UN Security Council and members of the "nuclear club". But one cannot fail to note in the past a significant difference in the foreign policy and military doctrine of these two countries that are members of the "defensive" NATO bloc.
Unlike the French Republic, Great Britain has always followed the political and military course in the wake of the United States. Having formally its own "nuclear deterrent" Great Britain, after abandoning long-range bombers, became completely dependent on Washington in this matter. After the elimination of the nuclear test site in Australia, all test explosions were carried out jointly with the Americans at the test site in Nevada.
The British land-based ballistic missile program failed for a number of reasons, and it was decided to use the resources to create SSBNs.
All submarine strategic missile carriers of the British fleet were armed with American-made SLBMs. Initially, the British SSBNs were armed with Polaris-A3 SLBMs with a firing range of up to 4600 km, equipped with a dispersal warhead with three warheads with a yield of up to 200 Kt each.
Satellite image of Google Earth: British SSBNs in the naval base Rosyth
In the early 90s, the Vanguard-class SSBNs replaced the earlier Resolution-class missile carriers. There are currently four such boats in the British fleet. Ammunition SSBN "Resolution" consists of sixteen American SLBM "Trident-2 D5", each of which can be equipped with fourteen warheads of 100 CT.
France, after leaving NATO in 1966, unlike Britain, was practically deprived of American assistance in this area. Moreover, at a certain historical stage, France was viewed by the United States as a geopolitical rival.
The development of French nuclear delivery vehicles was mainly self-reliant. The French, deprived of American missile technology, were forced to develop land-based and sea-based ballistic missiles themselves, having achieved some success in this.
The development of their own ballistic missiles to some extent spurred the development of French national aerospace technologies. And unlike Britain, France has its own rocket range and cosmodrome.
Unlike the British, the French are very scrupulous about the issue of national nuclear weapons. And much in this area is still classified, even for the allies.
