USAF B53 Nuclear Bombs Being Disassembled After Being In Service Since The Cold War In 1962

http://AviationExplorer.com - The last of the nation's most powerful B53 nuclear bombs are being disassembled nearly half a century after it was put into service during the Cold War.
The bomb was put into service in 1962. The B53 was 10,000 pounds and was the size of a minivan.
It was 600 times more powerful than the atomic bomb dropped on Japan, killing as many as 140,000 people and helping end World War II.
The B53 was designed to destroy facilities deep underground and it was carried by the boeing B-52 bomber.
The B53's disassembly ends the era of big megaton bombs. The bombs' size helped compensate for their lack of accuracy.
Today's bombs are smaller but more precise, reducing the amount of collateral damage.
Since the B53 was made using older technology by engineers who have since retired or died, developing a disassembly process took time. Engineers had to develop complex tools and new procedures to ensure safe disassembly.
Many of the B53s were disassembled in the 1980s, but a significant number remained in the arsenal until they were retired from the stockpile in 1997.

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