1961, followed by a series of underground tests.
The President approved
planning for atmospheric tests on 10 October 1961 but did not approve DOMINIC
until 2 March 1962 (23: 25).
Operation DOMINIC I was conducted with four primary objectives:
develop nuclear weapons (the 29 airdrops); to study the effects of nuclear
detonations (the five high-altitude bursts); to test the Polaris weapon system
(the FRIGATE BIRD event); and to test the Navy nuclear antisubmarine rocket
(Shot SWORDFISH) (23: 1).
Operation DOMINIC I Test Events, 1962
Event
Date
Type
Yield*
ADOBE
25 April
Airdrop
Intermediate
AZTEC
27 April
Airdrop
Intermediate
ARKANSAS
2 May
Airdrop
Low megaton range
QUESTA
4 May
Airdrop
Intermediate
FRIGATE BIRD
6 May
Rocket
NA**
YUKON
8 May
Airdrop
Intermediate
MESILLA
9 May
Airdrop
Intermediate
MUSKEGON
11 May
Airdrop
Intermediate
SWORDFISH
11 May
Underwater
Low
ENCINO
12 May
Airdrop
Intermediate
SWANEE
14 May
Airdrop
Intermediate
CHETCO
19 May
Airdrop
Intermediate
TANANA
25 May
Airdrop
Low
NAMBE
27 May
Airdrop
Intermediate
*xLow yield is less than 20 kilotons, and intermediate yield is
20-1,000 kilotons.
**kNot announced.
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