New Nuclear Bombs For The US Airforce
American’s air-force's nuclear bombs aren’t only technologically behind. They are old. So old that if they ever needed to be used they might not be worked. So, Pentagon has ordered some new ones.
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The American federal agency NNSA (National Nuclear Security Administration) that takes care of the reserves of nuclear munition officially started the production of the newest variant of an air-force nuclear bomb. On the 23rd of November 2021, the B61-12 Life Extension Program First Production Unit made the first of the 400 – 500 nuclear bombs of a new type.
The thermonuclear bombs of the B61 type are a product of the Cold War. Since 1968 they are the bulk of the American air-force’s nuclear bombs. Compared to the larger “strategic” B83 nuclear bombs that each eight 1.1 tons and can be carried only by heavy bombers such as the B-52, B-1B or B2 the B61 nuclear bomb can be carried even by various fighters employed by the US or NATO states.
Currently, four variants of the B61 exist 3, 4, 7, and 11. Three of them are tactical nuclear weapons and one is strategic. Their design allows them to use warheads with various yields from 0.3 to 340 kilotons of TNT. These variants sadly are not only out of date but experts say they also have a real chance of just failing when used. So, after decades of thinking and 9 years of development, the Pentagon has decided to upgrade them with a new variant. B61-12.
This new variant should replace 3 out of 4 of the current variant and the last remaining will stay in service for an additional 20 years. The Pentagon also confirmed they want to replace even the strategic B83 nuclear bombs capable of up to 1.2 megatons of TNT with the B61-12. Analysts say it is hard to justify the use of so powerful bombs in Europe or Asia under any circumstance.
The B61-12 can be equipped with the Boeing Tailkit Assembly that will allow them to hit a target with a precision of 30 meters. In such a case even an explosion with a power of 0.3 to 50 kilotons of TNT should be more than enough and this will bring much less secondary destruction than a crazy megaton explosion.
The first new bombs should enter “service” in May of 2022 and the last in 2026. Each bomb weighs 320 kilograms and costs 28 million dollars.
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