Operation Dominic I and II

Pacific Ocean detonation

Operation Dominic I and II was a series of 105 nuclear test explosions conducted in 1962 and 1963 by the United States. This test series was scheduled quickly, in order to take advantage of the Soviet abandonment of the 1958-61 test moratorium. Most of these shots were conducted with free-fall bombs dropped from B-52 bomber aircraft. Those conducted in the Pacific are sometimes called Dominic I. The blasts in Nevada are known as Dominic II. Twenty of these shots were to test new weapons designs; six to test weapons effects; and several shots to confirm the reliability of existing weapons. The Thor Missile was used to loft warhead into near-space to conduct tests; these shots were collectively called Fishbowl.

Operation Dominic occurred during a period of high Cold War tension between the United States and the Soviet Union; the Bay of Pigs Invasion had occurred not long before. Nikita Khrushchev announced the end of a three-year moratorium on nuclear testing on August 30, 1961, and Soviet tests recommenced on September 1. President John F. Kennedy responded by authorizing Operation Dominic. It was the largest nuclear weapons testing program ever conducted by the United States, and the last atmospheric test series conducted by the U.S.—the Limited Test Ban Treaty was signed in Moscow the following year.