Here’s a clear, non-classified explanation for the public of how a nuclear weapon is made and used — from digging uranium out of the ground to launching it in a missile. No secrets, just science, history, and facts:
1. Digging Uranium Out of the Ground
Uranium is a naturally occurring metal found in rock, soil, and water all over the world. It’s mined like other metals in places like Australia, Kazakhstan, Canada, and parts of the U.S.
- Uranium ore is usually only about 0.1–0.2% uranium by weight.
- The main usable type is U-235, but most natural uranium is U-238, which isn’t good for weapons — so it must be enriched.
2. Milling and Conversion
Once mined, uranium ore goes through milling, where it’s crushed and chemically treated to extract uranium oxide (U₃O₈), often called yellowcake.
Then it’s sent to a conversion facility, where it’s turned into a gas called uranium hexafluoride (UF₆) — which is necessary for enrichment.
3. Enrichment
Enrichment is the key step for weaponization.
- Natural uranium has about 0.7% U-235.
- Nuclear power plants need about 3–5% U-235.
- Nuclear bombs need 90%+ U-235 — called weapons-grade uranium.
Gas centrifuges are the most common way to enrich uranium:
- Thousands of spinning tubes separate the lighter U-235 from the heavier U-238.
- The more you run it through, the higher the enrichment.
4. Weapons Design and Assembly
There are two main types of nuclear bomb cores:
a. Uranium Bomb (Gun-Type)
- A chunk of U-235 is fired into another to reach critical mass.
- This is what the U.S. used on Hiroshima (“Little Boy”).
b. Plutonium Bomb (Implosion-Type)
- Uses Plutonium-239, which is made in nuclear reactors from U-238.
- High explosives compress a plutonium core to create a supercritical mass.
- More complex but more powerful. This was used on Nagasaki (“Fat Man”).
Inside a modern nuclear warhead:
- There’s a fissile core (U-235 or Pu-239).
- High explosives surround it in precise layers.
- Some designs use boosted fission or even thermonuclear fusion (hydrogen bombs), but that’s another step up in complexity.
5. Weaponization and Deployment
Once built, the warhead is:
- Sealed and fitted into a delivery vehicle like a missile, gravity bomb, or cruise missile.
- For ballistic missiles, the warhead sits inside a reentry vehicle (RV) on top of the missile.
These missiles can be launched from:
- Land-based silos (ICBMs)
- Submarines (SLBMs)
- Aircraft (bombers)
- Mobile launchers
6. Launch and Detonation
If the decision is made to launch:
- Command authority gives the order (usually with multi-person authentication and coded systems).
- Missile launches, exits the atmosphere (if an ICBM), then reenters near the target.
- The warhead detonates at a specific altitude (airburst or groundburst), depending on the intended effect.
7. What Happens When It Explodes
A nuclear explosion creates:
- A blinding flash of light (thermal radiation)
- An immense fireball, hotter than the surface of the sun
- A shockwave that flattens buildings for miles
- Ionizing radiation that causes severe health effects
- Fallout — radioactive particles that contaminate the environment and kill over time
A modern thermonuclear warhead can have a yield hundreds of times more powerful than the Hiroshima or Nagasaki bombs.
Why This Matters Today
Iran is enriching uranium and developing advanced centrifuges. The concern from countries like Israel and the U.S. is that once you cross into 90% enrichment, a country can, in theory, build a bomb in a matter of weeks — the so-called “breakout time.”
The fear isn’t just a bomb. It’s about regional destabilization, nuclear arms races, and the potential for catastrophic war.
Bottom Line
It’s not easy to make a nuclear bomb — but once a country has the materials (like highly enriched uranium or plutonium) and the know-how, building and delivering one becomes a real possibility. That’s why enrichment programs, missile tests, and uranium stockpiles are such big news in international affairs.
