Operation Flintlock (nuclear test) explained

Operation Flintlock
Picture Description:	Flintlock Long Shot, 80kt.
Country:	United States
Test Site:	Amchitka Island, Alaska NTS Area 12, Rainier Mesa NTS Area 15 NTS Area 16, Shoshone Mountain NTS Area 19, 20, Pahute Mesa NTS Areas 5, 11, Frenchman Flat NTS, Areas 1–4, 6–10, Yucca Flat
Period:	1965–1966
Number Of Tests:	47
Test Type:	underground shaft, tunnel
Max Yield:	365ktTNT
Next Series:	Operation Latchkey

The United States's Flintlock nuclear test series was a group of 47 nuclear tests conducted in 1965–1966. These tests ^[1] followed the Operation Whetstone series and preceded the Operation Latchkey series.

Nuclear tests

Duryea

Following emplacement of the Duryea nuclear device and stemming of the shot hole, several instrument cables failed and a plan was devised to repair them. A shaft designated U20a1 was drilled southwest of the original emplacement hole designed U12a, to a depth of, and then a tunnel between U12a and U12a1 was constructed, allowing for repair of the cables.^[2]

List of nuclear tests

United States' Flintlock series tests and detonations
- !style="background:#ffdead;"	Name ^[3] !style="background:#efefef;"	Date time (UT) !style="background:#ffdead;"	Local time zone^[4] ^[5] !style="background:#efefef;"	Location^[6] !style="background:#ffdead;"	Elevation + height ^[7] !style="background:#efefef;"	Delivery ^[8] Purpose ^[9] !style="background:#efefef;"	Device^[10] !style="background:#ffdead;"	Yield^[11] !style="background:#efefef;" class="unsortable"	Fallout^[12] !style="background:#ffdead;" class="unsortable"	References !style="background:#efefef;" class="unsortable"	Notes	- ! Izzer	13:04:24.1	PST (–8 hrs)	NTS Area U9bp 37.115°N -116.033°W	1273m (4,177feet) – 163.68m (537.01feet)	underground shaft, weapons development			Venting detected			- ! Pongee	13:21:08.11	PST (–8 hrs)	NTS Area U2ah 37.1318°N -116.0677°W	1274m (4,180feet) – 135.03m (443.01feet)	underground shaft, weapons development			Venting detected on site, 6Ci			- ! Bronze	17:00:00.04	PST (–8 hrs)	NTS Area U7f 37.0979°N -116.0337°W	1257m (4,124feet) – 530.96m (1,741.99feet)	underground shaft, weapons development			Venting detected, 1.7kCi			- ! Mauve	17:23:30.04	PST (–8 hrs)	NTS Area U3dp 37.0177°N -116.0409°W	1185m (3,888feet) – 321m (1,053feet)	underground shaft, weapons development						- ! Ticking	13:43:08.15	PST (–8 hrs)	NTS Area U9bj 37.1126°N -116.0269°W	1288m (4,226feet) – 210.31m (689.99feet)	underground shaft, weapons development			Venting detected, 2.6kCi			- ! Centaur	13:51:13.11	PST (–8 hrs)	NTS Area U2ak 37.1373°N -116.071°W	1283m (4,209feet) – 171.91m (564.01feet)	underground shaft, weapons development			Venting detected on site, 57Ci			- ! Moa - 1 (with Screamer)	20:08:00.04	PST (–8 hrs)	NTS Area U3ed 37.0373°N -116.0147°W	1194m (3,917feet) + N/A	underground shaft, weapons development			Venting detected on site		simultaneous, separate.	- ! Screamer - 2 (with Moa)	20:08:00.04	PST (–8 hrs)	NTS Area U3dg 37.0229°N -116.0099°W	1184m (3,885feet) – 301.9m (990.5feet)	underground shaft, weapon effect			Venting detected on site, 63kCi		simultaneous, separate.	- ! Elkhart	15:08:23.1	PST (–8 hrs)	NTS Area U9bs 37.111°N -116.0355°W	1267m (4,157feet) – 219.46m (720.01feet)	underground shaft, weapons development			Venting detected, 560Ci			- ! Long Shot	21:00:00.08	NST (–11 hrs)	Amchitka Island, Alaska 51.4371°N 179.1803°W	42m (138feet) – 700m (2,300feet)	underground shaft, joint verification					Designed to test detection of underground nuclear tests; see Vela Uniform.	- ! Sepia	18:00:00.05	PST (–8 hrs)	NTS Area U3en 37.05°N -116.0228°W	1202m (3,944feet) – 241.19m (791.31feet)	underground shaft, weapons development			I-131 venting detected, 0.0011Ci			- ! Kermet	18:17:32.1	PST (–8 hrs)	NTS Area U2c 37.1619°N -116.0718°W	1304m (4,278feet) – 198.12m (650feet)	underground shaft, weapons development			Venting detected on site, 18Ci			- ! Corduroy	15:13:02.1	PST (–8 hrs)	NTS Area U10k 37.1646°N -116.0532°W	1275m (4,183feet) – 681.53m (2,235.99feet)	underground shaft, weapons development			Venting detected, 1.2kCi			- ! Emerson	15:39:18.15	PST (–8 hrs)	NTS Area U2al 37.1408°N -116.0641°W	1280m (4,200feet) – 259.87m (852.59feet)	underground shaft, weapons development			Venting detected on site, 0.6Ci			- ! Buff	19:15:00.04	PST (–8 hrs)	NTS Area U3dh 37.0725°N -116.03°W	1223m (4,012feet) – 500.41m (1,641.77feet)	underground shaft, weapons development						- ! Maxwell	15:37:43.1	PST (–8 hrs)	NTS Area U9br 37.1162°N -116.0284°W	1283m (4,209feet) – 183.09m (600.69feet)	underground shaft, weapons development			Venting detected, 3Ci			- ! Lampblack	18:35:00.04	PST (–8 hrs)	NTS Area U7i 37.0917°N -116.0196°W	1267m (4,157feet) – 561.48m (1,842.13feet)	underground shaft, weapons development						- ! Sienna	18:35:00.04	PST (–8 hrs)	NTS Area U3cj 37.0373°N -116.0192°W	1193m (3,914feet) – 275.01m (902.26feet)	underground shaft, weapons development			Venting detected			- ! Dovekie	18:28:00.04	PST (–8 hrs)	NTS Area U3cd 37.0318°N -116.0165°W	1189m (3,901feet) – 333.05m (1,092.68feet)	underground shaft, weapons development						- ! Reo	15:17:19.1	PST (–8 hrs)	NTS Area U10m 37.1572°N -116.0396°W	1283m (4,209feet) – 213.36m (700feet)	underground shaft, weapons development			Venting detected on site, 10Ci			- ! Plaid 2	18:17:37.1	PST (–8 hrs)	NTS Area U2r 37.1263°N -116.0703°W	1272m (4,173feet) – 270.05m (885.99feet)	underground shaft, weapons development			Venting detected on site, 7Ci			- ! Rex	15:55:07.04	PST (–8 hrs)	NTS Area U20h(e) 37.2718°N -116.4347°W	1971m (6,467feet) – 671.69m (2,203.71feet)	underground shaft, weapons development			Venting detected, 310Ci			- ! Red Hot	18:15:00.1	PST (–8 hrs)	NTS Area U12g.06 37.1745°N -116.2092°W	2299m (7,543feet) – 405.38m (1,329.99feet)	tunnel, weapon effect			Venting detected off site, 1MCi			- ! Cinnamon - 2 (with Finfoot)	18:41:00.04	PST (–8 hrs)	NTS Area U3dm 37.0346°N -116.0317°W	1192m (3,911feet) + N/A	underground shaft, safety experiment			Venting detected on site		simultaneous, separate.	- ! Finfoot - 1 (with Cinnamon)	18:41:00.07	PST (–8 hrs)	NTS Area U3du 37.0374°N -116.0301°W	1193m (3,914feet) – 195.54m (641.54feet)	underground shaft, weapons development			I-131 venting detected, 0		simultaneous, separate.	- ! Clymer	18:04:13.11	PST (–8 hrs)	NTS Area U9ce 37.1436°N -116.0534°W	1266m (4,154feet) – 397.09m (1,302.79feet)	underground shaft, weapons development			Venting detected, 450Ci			- ! Purple	19:00:00.04	PST (–8 hrs)	NTS Area U3ds 37.0092°N -116.01°W	1180m (3,870feet) – 332.79m (1,091.83feet)	underground shaft, weapons development						- ! Templar	14:55:28.14	PST (–8 hrs)	NTS Area U9bt 37.1133°N -116.0322°W	1275m (4,183feet) – 151m (495feet)	underground shaft, peaceful research			I-131 venting detected, 0		Plowshare – excavation device development.	- ! Lime	18:40:00.04	PST (–8 hrs)	NTS Area U7j 37.1027°N -116.0208°W	1291m (4,236feet) – 561.44m (1,841.99feet)	underground shaft, weapons development						- ! Stutz	13:57:17.1	PST (–8 hrs)	NTS Area U2ca 37.1394°N -116.142°W	1458m (4,783feet) – 225.34m (739.3feet)	underground shaft, weapons development			Venting detected, 1Ci			- ! Tomato	22:27:30.04	PST (–8 hrs)	NTS Area U3ek 37.0174°N -115.9931°W	1195m (3,921feet) – 226.31m (742.49feet)	underground shaft, weapons development						- ! Duryea	14:13:43.1	PST (–8 hrs)	NTS Area U20a 37.2425°N -116.4319°W	1960m (6,430feet) – 544.25m (1,785.6feet)	underground shaft, weapons development			Venting detected, 2Ci			- ! Fenton	14:55:26.14	PST (–8 hrs)	NTS Area U2m1 37.1605°N -116.0838°W	1321m (4,334feet) – 167.64m (550feet)	underground shaft, weapons development			Venting detected off site, 1.7kCi			- ! Pin Stripe	18:38:00.14	PST (–8 hrs)	NTS Area U11b 36.8874°N -115.9416°W	1066m (3,497feet) – 295.66m (970.01feet)	underground shaft, weapon effect			Venting detected off site, 210kCi			- ! Ochre	13:33:00.04	PST (–8 hrs)	NTS Area U3ec 37.0436°N -116.0232°W	1196m (3,924feet) – 126.14m (413.85feet)	underground shaft, safety experiment						- ! Traveler	13:32:17.09	PST (–8 hrs)	NTS Area U2cd 37.1371°N -116.1381°W	1430m (4,690feet) – 196.76m (645.54feet)	underground shaft, weapons development			Venting detected, 170Ci			- ! Cyclamen	14:00:00.04	PST (–8 hrs)	NTS Area U3cx 37.0506°N -116.0387°W	1203m (3,947feet) – 304.97m (1,000.56feet)	underground shaft, weapons development					included heavy element experiment.	- ! Chartreuse	15:00:00.08	PST (–8 hrs)	NTS Area U19d 37.348°N -116.3228°W	2064m (6,772feet) – 666.75m (2,187.5feet)	underground shaft, weapons development						- ! Tapestry	19:37:26.2	PST (–8 hrs)	NTS Area U2an 37.1342°N -116.072°W	1281m (4,203feet) – 247.19m (810.99feet)	underground shaft, weapons effects			Venting detected on site, 8.6kCi		Objects exposed to the device's effects included Mk2 reentry bodies for the Polaris program and Mk12 reentry bodies for the Minuteman program.^[13]	- ! Piranha	13:30:00.04	PST (–8 hrs)	NTS Area U7e 37.0868°N -116.0343°W	1237m (4,058feet) – 548.72m (1,800.26feet)	underground shaft, weapons development						- ! Dumont	13:56:28.14	PST (–8 hrs)	NTS Area U2t 37.1111°N -116.0588°W	1252m (4,108feet) – 670.77m (2,200.69feet)	underground shaft, weapons development			Venting detected, 35Ci			- ! Discus Thrower	20:00:00.04	PST (–8 hrs)	NTS Area U8a 37.1783°N -116.0986°W	1380m (4,530feet) – 337.06m (1,105.84feet)	underground shaft, weapon effect						- ! Pile Driver	15:30:00.09	PST (–8 hrs)	NTS Area U15a.01 37.227°N -116.0564°W	1525m (5,003feet) – 462.69m (1,518.01feet)	underground shaft, weapon effect			Venting detected on site, 37kCi		Investigate the simulated effects of a nuclear surface detonation on a deeply buried, superhard command and control center in a granite rock formation.	- ! Tan	14:00:00.04	PST (–8 hrs)	NTS Area U7k 37.0684°N -116.0361°W	1213m (3,980feet) – 560.68m (1,839.5feet)	underground shaft, weapons development						- ! Puce	14:30:00.04	PST (–8 hrs)	NTS Area U3bs 37.0594°N -116.0397°W	1208m (3,963feet) – 485.55m (1,593.01feet)	underground shaft, weapons development						- ! Double Play	17:00:00.04	PST (–8 hrs)	NTS Area U16a.03 37.0096°N -116.2038°W	1954m (6,411feet) – 327.7m (1,075.1feet)	underground shaft, weapon effect			Venting detected off site, 840kCi			- ! Kankakee	18:02:47.13	PST (–8 hrs)	NTS Area U10p 37.1715°N -116.0497°W	1281m (4,203feet) – 455.25m (1,493.6feet)	underground shaft, weapons development			Venting detected, 160Ci			- ! Vulcan	17:13:00.07	PST (–8 hrs)	NTS Area U2bd 37.1554°N -116.0731°W	1300m (4,300feet) – 322.11m (1,056.79feet)	underground shaft, peaceful research			Venting detected, 250Ci		Project Plowshare - Device development, heavy element production.	- ! Halfbeak	22:15:00.07	PST (–8 hrs)	NTS Area U19b 37.3158°N -116.2999°W	2043m (6,703feet) – 819.3m (2,688feet)	underground shaft, weapons development

Notes and References

A bomb test may be a salvo test, defined as two or more explosions "where a period of time between successive individual explosions does not exceed 5 seconds and where the burial points of all explosive devices can be connected by segments of straight lines, each of them connecting two burial points and does not exceed 40 kilometers in length". Web site: V. N.. Mikhailov. Catalog of World Wide Nuclear Testing. Begell-Atom. dead. https://web.archive.org/web/20140426102201/http://www.iss-atom.ru/ksenia/catal_nt/1.htm. April 26, 2014.
Lawrence Livermore National Lab. (LLNL), Livermore, CA (United States). Pawloski. G. A.. Evaluation of Cavity Collapse and Surface Crater Formation for Selected Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory Underground Nuclear Tests - 2011, Part 2. 2022-11-06. 2012-01-30. 1035609. }
The US, France and Great Britain have code-named their test events, while the USSR and China did not, and therefore have only test numbers (with some exceptions - Soviet peaceful explosions were named). Word translations into English in parentheses unless the name is a proper noun. A dash followed by a number indicates a member of a salvo event. The US also sometimes named the individual explosions in such a salvo test, which results in "name1 - 1(with name2)". If test is canceled or aborted, then the row data like date and location discloses the intended plans, where known.
To convert the UT time into standard local, add the number of hours in parentheses to the UT time; for local daylight saving time, add one additional hour. If the result is earlier than 00:00, add 24 hours and subtract 1 from the day; if it is 24:00 or later, subtract 24 hours and add 1 to the day. Historical time zone data obtained from the IANA time zone database.
Web site: Time Zone Historical Database. iana.com. March 8, 2014.
Rough place name and a latitude/longitude reference; for rocket-carried tests, the launch location is specified before the detonation location, if known. Some locations are extremely accurate; others (like airdrops and space blasts) may be quite inaccurate. "~" indicates a likely pro-forma rough location, shared with other tests in that same area.
Elevation is the ground level at the point directly below the explosion relative to sea level; height is the additional distance added or subtracted by tower, balloon, shaft, tunnel, air drop or other contrivance. For rocket bursts the ground level is "N/A". In some cases it is not clear if the height is absolute or relative to ground, for example, Plumbbob/John. No number or units indicates the value is unknown, while "0" means zero. Sorting on this column is by elevation and height added together.
Atmospheric, airdrop, balloon, gun, cruise missile, rocket, surface, tower, and barge are all disallowed by the Partial Nuclear Test Ban Treaty. Sealed shaft and tunnel are underground, and remained useful under the PTBT. Intentional cratering tests are borderline; they occurred under the treaty, were sometimes protested, and generally overlooked if the test was declared to be a peaceful use.
Include weapons development, weapon effects, safety test, transport safety test, war, science, joint verification and industrial/peaceful, which may be further broken down.
Designations for test items where known, "?" indicates some uncertainty about the preceding value, nicknames for particular devices in quotes. This category of information is often not officially disclosed.
Estimated energy yield in tons, kilotons, and megatons. A ton of TNT equivalent is defined as 4.184 gigajoules (1 gigacalorie).
Radioactive emission to the atmosphere aside from prompt neutrons, where known. The measured species is only iodine-131 if mentioned, otherwise it is all species. No entry means unknown, probably none if underground and "all" if not; otherwise notation for whether measured on the site only or off the site, where known, and the measured amount of radioactivity released.
Lawrence Livermore National Lab. (LLNL), Livermore, CA (United States). Germain. L.. Minutes of the 7th Meeting of the Livermore Vulnerability Committee. 2024-06-01. 1965-05-26.