DoD Doctrine on Nuclear Operations Published, Taken Offline
BUT, there’s an accessible copy available at the link above on the Federation of American Scientists’ website.
“Height of Burst (HOB). A weapon may be set to detonate at or near the Earth’s surface. Some weapons may be employed at higher altitudes. Selection of HOB enables planners to take advantage of the incident blast wave, with resulting dynamic air pressures to vary the effect on the target. A higher HOB may be selected to alter the weapons effects footprint or to avoid the production of fallout. Some high-altitude bursts, in excess of 100,000 feet, will produce widespread electromagnetic pulse (EMP) events, which may affect non-EMP-hardened systems. Adverse effects on adjacent allies and partners, as well as the enemy, must be considered.”
