OVERVIEW: The AN.22 was a French free-fall thermonuclear bomb developed for strategic deterrence missions.

DETAIL: Developed in the mid-1960s, the AN.22 was France’s first operational thermonuclear bomb, forming a key element of the Force de Frappe (French nuclear deterrent). It was designed for delivery by high-speed, high-altitude strategic bombers. The warhead was a two-stage design using boosted fission and fusion technologies, and was developed indigenously by the CEA (Commissariat à l'énergie atomique).

The bomb was compatible with the Mirage IV strategic bomber and intended for deep penetration strikes against high-value targets during the Cold War. It could be delivered in either free-fall or parachute-retarded configurations, enabling flexible employment depending on mission profile. It was eventually replaced in the late 1980s by more compact and advanced thermonuclear systems such as the ASMP missile and the TN series warheads.

AN.22 bombs were phased out in 1988 with the retirement of the Mirage IV-P from the nuclear bombing role, marking the end of gravity bomb deployment in France’s airborne deterrent.

NOTE:
IOC: 1968
Operators: France (Armée de l’Air)
Platform: Dassault Mirage IV
Conflicts: Strategic deterrent role during the Cold War

SOURCE:
Commissariat à l'énergie atomique (CEA) ; Ministère des Armées, France ; Jane’s Weapons: Air-Launched ; Federation of American Scientists (FAS) https://www.defense.gouv.fr ; https://www.fas.org ; https://www.cea.fr ; https://www.janes.com