The AN-52 was a French pre-strategic nuclear weapon carried by fighter bomber aircraft. The weapon was first tested on 28 August 1972, and entered service in October of that year. Between 80 and 100 bombs were manufactured for use by French tactical aircraft.

Description

The AN-52 was 4.2 m (13 ft 9 in) long and weighed 455 kg (1,003 lb). It shared the

MR 50 CTC ''Mister'', usually written in its contracted form ''Mr.'' or ''Mr'', is a commonly used English honorific for men without a higher honorific, or professional title, or any of various designations of office. The title 'Mr' derived from earlier ...

(''charge tactique commune'' - common tactical warhead) warhead of the Pluton missile, with two yield options: a low-yield version with an explosive yield of 6 to 8 kilotons and a higher-yield version with a 25 kt yield.

Operational use

It was carried by Dassault Mirage IIIE, SEPECAT Jaguar A, and Dassault Super Étendard aircraft. It was also temporarily carried by the first 30

Dassault Mirage 2000N The Dassault Mirage 2000N is a variant of the Mirage 2000 designed for nuclear strike. It formed the core of the French air-based strategic nuclear deterrent. The Mirage 2000D is its conventional attack counterpart. Development The Mirage ...

-K1 nuclear-strike fighters, pending introduction of the standard Mirage 2000N-K2 version, which was armed with the ASMP nuclear cruise missile. It was retired in 1992 in favour of the ASMP missile.

Preserved examples

A practice example of the AN 52 is preserved on its trolley in the main hangar at the Musée de l'aéronautique navale, Rochefort, France. Note the AN 52 is not identified as such and has neither labeling or signage.

References

*Norris, Robert, Burrows, Andrew, Fieldhouse, Richard ''Nuclear Weapons Databook, Volume V, British, French and Chinese Nuclear Weapons'', San Francisco, Westview Press, 1994, Nuclear bombs of France Nuclear warheads Military equipment introduced in the 1970s {{Nuclear-weapon-stub