TheNaval Weapons Evaluation Facility (NWEF) operated through theCold War investigating aircraft-weapon interfaces to provideUnited States Navy aircraft withnuclear weapons delivery capability.
TheUnited States Army Air Corps began using Kirtland Field south ofAlbuquerque, New Mexico, in the early years ofWorld War II. The adjacentSandia Base was created as a training facility. Several units from theLos Alamos Scientific Laboratory were relocated to the Sandia Base in 1945 to use the Kirtland Field flight test facilities. Kirtland Field was designatedKirtland Air Force Base in 1947, and theArmed Forces Special Weapons Project (AFSWP) operated on Sandia Base. When theUnited States Air Force established theAir Force Special Weapons Command at Kirtland Air Force Base in 1949, the United States Navy formed a detachment to investigate nuclear capabilities for naval aircraft and assist the AFSWP with naval equipment for demonstrations and training. This detachment was headed byCDR Thomas Walker who had been working at theLos Alamos Scientific Laboratory as the prospective commander of the 4th atomic bomb mission which was cancelled following thesurrender of Japan. In 1952 this detachment was designated the Naval Air Special Weapons Facility (NASWF) to conduct special weapons tests on theWhite Sands Missile Range andTonopah Test Range in coordination with theUnited States Atomic Energy Commission.[1] As other nuclear weapons delivery systems were developed through the late 1950s, the mission expanded to include ballistic missiles, guided missiles, and torpedoes.[2] In March 1961 NASWF was redesignated the Naval Weapons Evaluation Facility with mission expanded to include safety studies on nuclear weapons. Aircraft used for NWEF testing were decorated with a uniquethunderbird image. NWEF personnel became known as theRio Grande Navy among the Albuquerque community. Popularity of theAlbuquerque International Balloon Fiesta encouraged NWEF personnel to form the Navy Balloon Team as a recruiting effort in 1976. Operations at Sandia Base ceased in 1993 afterBase Realignment and Closure transferred the functions of NWEF to the weapons division of theNaval Air Warfare Center.[1]
Early work involved adapting theDouglas A-1 Skyraider,A-3 Skywarrior, andA-4 Skyhawk forMark 4,5,6,7,8,12,15,18,27, and39 bombs. As missiles replaced those earlier weapons theB28,B43,B57, andB61 nuclear bombs were tested with theGrumman A-6 Intruder,LTV A-7 Corsair II,McDonnell Douglas F-4 Phantom II, and the A-4 Skyhawk.[1]
Mk 90 Betty andMk 101 Lulunuclear depth bombs were tested withLockheed P-2 Neptune,Lockheed P-3 Orion, andMartin P5M Marlinmaritime patrol aircraft, theSikorsky SH-3 Sea Kinghelicopter, and theGrumman S-2 Tracker. The Mk 101 Lulu was also tested forNATO allies with theCanadair CP-107 Argus,Avro Shackleton, andHawker Siddeley Nimrod. These aircraft and theBréguet 1150 Atlantic were later tested with the B57 nuclear bomb, while the A-1, A-3, and A-4 were tested with theMk 105 Hotpointanti-submarine weapon.[1]