What is the lifespan of nuclear weapons?

Answer 1

Varies with the design and components used in the bomb.

• The MK-I & MK-III used in WW2 used a neutron source that had a lifespan of less than 6 months.
• The MK-III battery was uncharged when the bomb was assembled in the field. Once assembled and the battery charged it had to be recharged every 3 day if the bomb was not used. If the bomb was not used within 9 days it had to be completely disassembled to replace the dead battery to prevent corrosion.
• It was not until the late 1950s and the development of thermal batteries that fully assembled bombs with batteries ready to go could be stored for long periods.
• Bombs using Tritium boost gas had to have their Tritium tank replaced about every 12 years due to radioactive decay of Tritium.
• Many components in early bombs degraded prematurely due to exposure to radiation. This was especially true of plastic seals & wire insulation. The degradation rate was highly unpredictable.
• The high explosives in many early bombs degraded, often becoming highly unstable with time. This varied dramatically from one type of explosive to another.
• etc.