Red Beard (nuclear weapon)

[1] It was carried by Royal Air Force (RAF) English Electric Canberra medium bombers[2] and the V bomber force[3] and by Supermarine Scimitars, de Havilland Sea Vixens, and Blackburn Buccaneers of the Royal Navy's (RN) Fleet Air Arm (FAA).

Although the design concept of Red Beard was similar to that of the Blue Danube warhead,[3] an innovative means of implosion meant that its overall size could be significantly reduced.

Red Beard's Royal Air Force and Royal Navy service designations were: Weighing in at approximately 794 kilograms (1,750 lb), Red Beard was considerably lighter than the 2,000 lb (910 kg) official service designation,[3] which was based on the original technical requirement.

Another significant improvement over Blue Danube was the electrical system for the bomb firing mechanism and the radar altimeter fuse.

To compensate for this stubbiness, and quickly stabilise the bomb after release, Red Beard was equipped with flip-out tail fins that were activated pneumatically, triggered by a lanyard attached to the aircraft.

Early models were subject to severe environmental limitations, especially when loaded into Royal Navy Scimitars on exposed aircraft carrier decks in Northern waters.

Of these, forty-eight were deployed in Cyprus[5] to meet the UK's commitments to Central Treaty Organization (CENTO), forty-eight were deployed in Singapore at RAF Tengah[2][5] to meet commitments to Southeast Asia Treaty Organization (SEATO), and the remainder were located in the United Kingdom.

Royal Navy stocks are believed, from archived declassified documents, to total thirty-five weapons, to be shared between five aircraft carriers, and shore-based supply and overhaul infrastructure.

[3] Whilst Chief Engineer at the Atomic Weapons Research Establishment (AWRE), Aldermaston, John Dolphin worked on the Red Beard trigger mechanism.