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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