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The United States is speeding a new nuclear bomb into production seven months ahead of schedule
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The B-61-13 is a variable-yield gravity bomb that can deliver up to 360 kilotons of explosive power
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roughly 18 times the strength of the bomb dropped on Hiroshima. Unlike missile-launched warheads, this is a gravity bomb, meaning it's dropped from an aircraft
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Designed by Sandia National Laboratories, the bomb would be carried by stealth aircraft like the B-2 Spirit and eventually the B-21 Raider
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Sandia credited what it called an aggressive development plan that cut production time by
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more than 25 percent. The lab said the project relied on close coordination with the U.S. Air
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Force, Los Alamos National Laboratory, and the National Nuclear Security Administration. The Pentagon first announced the B in October of 2023 saying it would replace some older B61 bombs and offer greater flexibility against hardened or wide military targets The weapon incorporates modern safety security and accuracy features developed for the B
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The Department of Defense said the new bomb would not increase the total number of weapons
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in the U.S. nuclear stockpile. Production comes just weeks after the NNSA completed the final unit
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of the B61-12 program, which extended the service life of earlier models by at least 20 years
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That program officially wrapped up in December. The NNSA says the early momentum from that project
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helped accelerate the timeline for the B61-13, which was originally set to begin full production
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in 2026. The 2022 Nuclear Posture Review outlined the need to modernize American nuclear capabilities
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calling for flexible deterrence amid rising global competition. For more unbiased updates, download the Straight Arrow News app or go to san.com
