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‘TEST PROGRAM FIRING SEQUENCE |
First Draft, Revision
one.
John H. Manley
5 November 1947
I.
General
Considerations
Any test plan mist achieve to the maximum degree possible
the objectives of the tesr.
(a)
These are two-foid:
to improve the short range military position of the
nation through testing models which may rapidly be~.
come stockpile items,
(ob)
and
to improve the longer range military position by obtaining such information from the behavior of partl-
cular models that better and more efficient weapons
may be designed.
Wherever possible, both objectives should be attained to the
fullest extent, but in a clear case of conflict it is assumed
that (a) takes precedence over (b).
|
It may be recalled (a) that the significant past develop.
ment of atomic weapons was the FM method of assembly,
and
(b)
that the phenomena involved in this weapon are so complex that
it was considered necessary to test this model, whereas the
gun weapon was used without test.
The success of Trinity and
subsequent detonations therefore clearly indicated that the
direction of weapon improvement would be along the line of the
FM model.
However,
the test of one model is obviously insuffi--
clent basis for a program cf weapon development,
especially
Since the phenomena occurring in that particular model are
not completely understood.
One can neither be confident of
improved designs of weapons employing the same material
(Pu)
as the Trinity bomb, nor of FM models employing other materia:
(U-235), without additional tests.
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