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A newly surfaced video appears to show a rare Cold War era test in which a Soviet fighter jet deployed a nuclear weapon. The footage, highlighted by aviation analysts, is believed to capture a Sukhoi Su-7 carrying out a live or simulated nuclear strike, an event that was extremely uncommon even during peak nuclear testing decades.
The test is thought to date back to 1962 at the Semipalatinsk range, a major Soviet nuclear testing site located in present day Kazakhstan. Unlike most nuclear tests, which were conducted underground or from fixed positions, this operation involved a free fall tactical bomb delivered by a crewed aircraft, as reported by The War Zone.
Historical data shows that only a small fraction of more than 2000 nuclear tests globally involved bombs dropped from aircraft, and even fewer used fighter bombers instead of large strategic bombers. These types of tests were considered risky and offered limited scientific advantages, which is why they were rarely conducted.
In the reported Soviet test, the pilot performed a maneuver known as an over the shoulder toss. This involved climbing at a steep angle before releasing the bomb, allowing the aircraft to turn away and escape the blast zone. The technique was designed to improve survivability in a real combat scenario where a jet might deploy a nuclear weapon at close range.
The device used in the test is believed to have had a yield of around 11 kilotons, comparable to early nuclear weapons used during the mid twentieth century. However, some analysts suggest the footage could show a training or imitation bomb designed to replicate the characteristics of a nuclear device without using an actual warhead.
The Su-7 itself was one of the Soviet Union’s first supersonic attack aircraft and played a key role in its tactical nuclear strategy. Aircraft like the Su-7 were deployed in forward positions across Eastern Europe during the Cold War, where they were expected to deliver nuclear strikes in the event of a conflict.
While the authenticity of the footage remains subject to analysis, it highlights a lesser known aspect of nuclear testing history. Air dropped nuclear tests from fighter jets were technically complex and operationally dangerous, which limited their use compared to other testing methods.
The video offers a glimpse into how nuclear delivery systems were developed and tested during a period when both superpowers were exploring multiple ways to deploy atomic weapons.