▁last ▁active ▁duty ▁pat rol ▁squad ron ▁to ▁operate ▁the ▁SP - 2 H , ▁ret iring ▁its ▁last ▁Ne pt une ▁on ▁ 2 0 ▁February ▁ 1 9 7 0 , ▁while ▁the ▁last ▁Naval ▁Reserve ▁pat rol ▁squad ron ▁to ▁operate ▁the ▁Ne pt une , ▁V P - 9 4 , ▁retired ▁its ▁last ▁SP - 2 H ▁in ▁ 1 9 7 8 . ▁ ▁N uc lear ▁bom ber ▁ ▁At ▁the ▁end ▁of ▁World ▁War ▁II , ▁the ▁US ▁Navy ▁felt ▁the ▁need ▁to ▁ac quire ▁a ▁nuclear ▁strike ▁cap ability ▁to ▁maintain ▁its ▁political ▁influence . ▁In ▁the ▁short ▁term , ▁car rier - based ▁aircraft ▁were ▁the ▁best ▁solution . ▁The ▁large ▁F at ▁Man ▁nuclear ▁m un itions ▁at ▁that ▁time ▁were ▁bul ky ▁and ▁required ▁a ▁very ▁large ▁aircraft ▁to ▁carry ▁them . ▁The ▁US ▁Navy ▁Bureau ▁of ▁Or dn ance ▁built ▁ 2 5 ▁out dated ▁but ▁more ▁compact ▁Little ▁Boy ▁nuclear ▁bomb ▁designs ▁ ▁to ▁ ▁be ▁used ▁ ▁in ▁the ▁smaller ▁bomb ▁bay ▁of ▁the ▁ ▁P 2 V ▁Ne pt une , ▁there ▁was ▁enough ▁f ission able ▁material ▁available ▁by ▁ 1 9 4 8 ▁to ▁build ▁ten ▁complete ▁u ran ium ▁project iles ▁and ▁targets , ▁although ▁there ▁were ▁only ▁enough ▁initi ators ▁to ▁complete ▁six .. ▁The ▁U . S . ▁Navy ▁impro vised ▁a ▁car rier - based ▁nuclear ▁strike ▁aircraft ▁by ▁modifying ▁the ▁P 2 V ▁Ne pt une ▁for ▁car rier ▁take