Originally posted by sdcigarpig
I could have sworn that Isreal already had Nuclear Weapons. They aquired the technology from the British and the parts from different countries. I
do know that in the 60's when the US learned that Isreal did have a nuclear weapons they were pissed and did the investigation, finding out that they
got the know how from the British.
Just to set the record straight to avoid confusion...
Israel developed nukes in the following way...
France helped develop a 24 MW nuclear reactor at Dimora obstensibly for power generation. In reality the Israeli aim was the production of
weapons-grade fissile material with the aid of an associated reprocessing plant. France tried in May 1960 to get the Israelis to "go public" and
open the facilities for international scientific inspection. A US U-2 spy planes eventually uncovered the Israeli intentions and Kennedy eventually
got US scientists to visit the facilities seven times in the 1960s, but this did not stop the Israelis.
Israel produced their first weapon in 1968 and manufactured air-dropped bombs and 175mm / 203mm artillary shells, as well as their version of the
"neutron bomb".
By 1995 Israel had manufactured circa 100 air-dropped low-yield bombs and 8-100 other devices ranging from 0.1kT weapons to weapons for the Jericho
missile. The Jericho missile was derived from the MD-620 design. It is estimated that Israel has up to 400 nukes at this time.
Israel has not signed the non-proliferation treaty and in the mid 1970s gave assistance to the South African efforts.
The UK and the US had no part in the Israeli nuclear programme.
Regards