Neutron bomb 中子弹
![The Soviet/Warsaw pact invasion plan,](/Images/godic/202501/29/Probable_Axes_of_Attack5511.jpg")
![U.S. Army M110 howitzers in a 1984 REFORGER staging area before transport. Variants of this](/Images/godic/202501/29/M110_Column5511.JPEG")
![Wood frame house in 1953 nuclear test, 5 pounds per square inch (psi) overpressure, full collapse. Although neutron bombs, such as that fitted on the MGM-52 Lance missile would cause similar levels of destruction as depicted here within the zone were ~1970s tank crews would also be incapacitated by neutron radiation. When compared to the range of destruction that would be caused by the comparatively higher yield conventional nuclear weapons that it supplanted (e.g., MGR-1 Honest John), which had been needed to deliver the same range and intensity of neutron dose to neutralize tank crews, the range of civilian destruction and amount of fission product fallout generated by a neutron bomb is far more constrained.[47]
Sparing the destruction of West Germany more than would otherwise be the case.](/Images/godic/202501/29/House_1953_Nevada_Nuclear_Test_5_psi5511.jpg")
![The neutron cross section and absorption probability in barns of the two natural boron isotopes found in nature (top curve is for 10B and bottom curve for 11B. As neutron energy increases to 14 MeV, the absorption effectiveness, in general, decreases. Thus, for boron-containing armor to be effective, fast neutrons must first be slowed by another element by neutron scattering.](/Images/godic/202501/29/Neutroncrosssectionboron5511.png")
A neutron bomb, officially termed one type of Enhanced Radiation Weapon (ERW), is a low yield thermonuclear weapon in which a burst of neutrons generated by a nuclear fusion reaction is intentionally allowed to escape the weapon, rather than being absorbed by its other components. The neutron bomb was to be used as a tactical nuclear weapon intended for use against armored forces. Originally conceived by the U.S. military, their design goals were to stop massed Soviet armored divisions from overrunning allied nations with less civilian and structural collateral damage to these allied nations.