Editing Special Atomic Demolition Munition

{{short description|Man-portable nuclear weapons}}
[[File:SADM carry bag.jpg|thumb|SADM in its carry bag]]
[[File:SADM case.jpg|thumb|SADM hard carrying case]]
[[File:US Special Forces Jump an MK54 SADM.jpg|thumb|A [[United States Army Special Forces|U.S. Army Special Forces]] [[paratrooper]] conducts a [[High-altitude military parachuting|high-altitude low-opening military freefall jump]] with an MK–54 SADM]]

The '''Special Atomic Demolition Munition''' ('''SADM'''), also known as the  '''XM129''' and '''XM159 Atomic Demolition Charges''',<ref>{{cite report |title=Semiannual Historical Report, Activities for the Period 1 July 1969 – 31 December 1968, Vol I |publisher=Headquarters Field Command, Defense Atomic Support Agency |page=260 |docket=DASA-69-0492 |quote="Operational Review of the XM-129/XM-159 Atomic Demolition Charge (B54 SADM)" |url=https://www.osti.gov/opennet/servlets/purl/16004670.pdf |date= |access-date=4 June 2021 |archive-date=4 June 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210604075216/https://www.osti.gov/opennet/servlets/purl/16004670.pdf |url-status=live }}</ref> and the '''B54''' bomb<ref name="W54Report"/> was a [[nuclear weapons|nuclear]] man-portable [[atomic demolition munition]] (ADM) system fielded by the US military from the 1960s to 1980s but never used in combat. It had an estimated yield of up to 1 kiloton of [[TNT equivalent|TNT]].

==History and design==
{{See also|W54#Special Atomic Demolition Munition}}

At the time of the weapon's development, the existing Atomic Demolition Munition (ADM) was the [[T-4 Atomic Demolition Munition]]. Its transport required 4 men, each carrying a {{convert|40|lb|kg|adj=on}} section of the weapon.<ref name="W54Report">{{cite report |date=February 1968 |title=History of the Mk 54 Weapon |url=https://osf.io/n6yrb/ |publisher=Sandia National Labs |access-date=2021-06-04 |archive-date=2021-05-22 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210522065253/https://osf.io/n6yrb/ |url-status=live }}</ref>

Development began in June 1960 and an interim Mark 54 Mod 0 (now called the '''B54-0''') weapon was put into production in April 1963. Production of the '''B54 Mod 1''' SADM began in August 1964. The weapon was {{convert|12|inch|mm|0}} in diameter, {{convert|18|inch|mm|0}} long, and weighed {{convert|58.5|lb|kg}}. It included the warhead, a fuzing and firing system with a mechanical timer, a ferroelectric firing set, and a sealed housing. The body was constructed with aluminum forgings and molded fiberglass, and foam-rubber insulation was used between the warhead and case. Dials were illuminated with tritium-phosphor paint for easy night-reading. A housing for underwater emplacement was provided that included external controls.<ref name="W54Report"/>

The '''B54 Mod 2''' started production in June 1965. The weapon was the same size as previous mods but now weighed more – {{convert|70|lb|kg}}.<ref name="W54Report"/>

The yield was estimated to be {{convert|10|to|1000|tonTNT|GJ}}.<ref name="nukearc">{{cite web |url=http://nuclearweaponarchive.org/Usa/Weapons/Allbombs.html |title=Complete List of All U.S. Nuclear Weapons |last=Sublette |first=Carey |date=12 June 2020 |access-date=2021-03-24}}</ref>

==Use==
===Offensive use===
ADM employment manuals describe the use of ADMs tactically in both offensive and defensive operations.{{sfn|Employment of Atomic Demolition Munitions (ADM)|loc=Chapter 3}}

In offensive operations, ADMs are described as being useful for improving flank and rear security of a unit, impeding counterattacks and assisting in enemy entrapment.{{sfn|Employment of Atomic Demolition Munitions (ADM)|loc=Page 3-1}}

===Engineering and defensive use===
ADM employment manuals describe the use of ADMs defensively for combat engineering purposes. Possible targets described include bridges, dams, canals, tunnels, airfields, railroad marshaling yards, ports and industrial plants, and power facilities.<ref name=ADMmanual>{{cite report |date=August 1971 |title=Employment of Atomic Demolition Munitions (ADM) |publisher=Headquarters, Department of the Army |docket=FM 5-26}}</ref>

Extensive tables were provided to enable the selection of the correct yield for each particular target. These tables accounted for various employment particulars such as depth of burial, fallout considerations, and minimum safe separation distances between adjacent weapons and personnel.{{sfn|Employment of Atomic Demolition Munitions (ADM)|loc=Chapter 6}}

==Suicide attack allegations==
[[File:Special Atomic Demolition Munition (SADM).webm|thumb|thumbtime=220|A weapon training film for the bomb]]

On December 27, 2018, the ''[[Green Bay Press-Gazette]]'' interviewed veteran Mark Bentley, who had trained for the Special Atomic Demolition Munition program to manually place and detonate the SADM. The report stated that he and other soldiers training for the program knew this was a [[suicide mission]] because either it would be unrealistic to outrun the timer on the bomb, or soldiers would be obligated to secure the site before the timer went off.<ref name=Srubas>{{cite news|author=Paul Srubas, Green Bay (Wis.) Press-Gazette |via=[[Associated Press]]|title=His job was to place atomic bombs. Place them, not drop them. Set the timer. Run like hell. |url=https://www.greenbaypressgazette.com/story/news/2019/01/07/depere-atomic-bombs-hiroshima-nagasaki-fort-belvoir-davycrockett-mark-bentley-army-service-cold-war/2418122002/|newspaper=[[Green Bay Press-Gazette]]|date=January 7, 2019|access-date=January 18, 2019|archive-date=May 20, 2020|archive-url=https://archive.today/20200520091037/https://www.greenbaypressgazette.com/story/news/2019/01/07/depere-atomic-bombs-hiroshima-nagasaki-fort-belvoir-davycrockett-mark-bentley-army-service-cold-war/2418122002/|url-status=live}}</ref>

However, employment manuals specifically describe the firing party and their guard retreating from the emplacement site, at which point security of the device is provided through a combination of passive security measures, including concealment, camouflage, and the use of decoys, as well as  active security measures including booby traps, obstacles (such as [[concertina wire]] and landmines), and long-range artillery fire.{{sfn|Employment of Atomic Demolition Munitions (ADM)|loc=Pages 3-15 to 3-16}} Further, the SADM included a Field Wire Remote Control System (FWRCS), a device that enabled the sending of safe/arm and firing signals to the weapon via a wire for safe remote detonation of the weapon.<ref>{{cite report |author=Bartlett, J G |date=11 February 1964 |title=Electromagnetic Radiation Susceptibility of the B54-0 (SADM) and the Field Wire Remote Control System (U) |url=https://www.osti.gov/opennet/detail?osti-id=16341307 |publisher=Sandia National Lab |access-date=4 June 2021 |archive-date=25 May 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210525064046/https://www.osti.gov/opennet/detail?osti-id=16341307 |url-status=live }}</ref>

==See also==
{{Portal bar|Nuclear technology}}
* [[Green Light Teams]]
* [[List of nuclear weapons]]
* [[Medium Atomic Demolition Munition]]
* [[Suitcase nuclear device]]
* [[W54|W54 Warhead]]

==References==
{{reflist}}

===Bibliography===
* {{cite report |date=August 1971 |title=Employment of Atomic Demolition Munitions (ADM) |publisher=Headquarters, Department of the Army |docket=FM 5-26|ref=CITEREFEmployment_of_Atomic_Demolition_Munitions_(ADM) |url=https://ia601508.us.archive.org/16/items/fm-5-26-1971/FM5-26%281971%29.pdf }}
* {{cite report |date=February 1968 |title=History of the Mk 54 Weapon |url=https://osf.io/n6yrb/ |publisher=Sandia National Labs |access-date=2021-06-04 |archive-date=2021-05-22 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210522065253/https://osf.io/n6yrb/ |url-status=live }}

==External links==
{{commons|Tactical nuclear weapons}}
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20120204045027/http://www.nv.doe.gov/library/films/media/mpg/0800031.mpg SADM Delivery by Parachutist/Swimmer (Special Atomic Demolition Munition) Film Clip] ([https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Pf6uX0hODuE full film])
* [https://archive.today/20121205235617/http://3ad.com/history/cold.war/nuclear.pages/weapons.pages/adm.3.htm image of the SADM]
*[https://foreignpolicy.com/2014/01/30/the-littlest-boy/ Foreign Policy Article on mission types and personnel]
* [http://www.567thadm.org/ ADM Web Page]

{{United States nuclear devices}}

[[Category:Nuclear weapons of the United States]]
[[Category:Land mines of the United States]]
[[Category:Tactical nuclear weapons]]
[[Category:1960s in the United States]]
[[Category:Cold War weapons of the United States]]
[[Category:Atomic demolition munitions]]
[[Category:Military equipment introduced in the 1960s]]