Megaton range bombs have no good use in war. The same weight in 300 - 400 kt warheads covers more area and the destruction is just as good. Rest is wasted in th

Megaton range bombs have no good use in war. The same weight in 300 - 400 kt warheads covers more area and the destruction is just as good. Rest is wasted in the atmosphere. 50 mt weapon and 100 mt weapon were the same design, same size. The yield was just tuned down with lead. Not enough range for the bomber to be useful. If you read Sakharov's memoirs, the whole thing was a dog and pony show for international politics. No technical side was consulted before the decision was made and better proposals were turned down. There was no military use or scientific need to make it. When the US and Brits started testing in 1958, Khrushchev wanted Big Bomb to show off.