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Will America's New Nuke Deter War, Or Bring It On? The B61-12 may be the most dangerous nuclear weapon in America's arsenal with its combination of accuracy and low-yield
Advancing Time ^ | 12/14/2021 | Bruce Wilds

Posted on 12/14/2021 8:46:56 PM PST by SeekAndFind

In a bit of irony, a Twitter comment by Jill Hruby Administrator of the National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA) pointed to a new nuclear bomb as proof America is committed to nuclear deterrence. This is where it is important to remember that deterrence means, the action of discouraging an action or event through instilling doubt or fear of the consequences. See her Twitter post below;

Last week, #NNSA successfully completed the B61-12 First Production Unit @PantexPlant. This is a huge milestone for stockpile modernization and demonstrates our Nation’s commitment to #nuclear deterrence. pic.twitter.com/90ojHPw6cH — NNSA Administrator (@NNSAHruby) December 2, 2021

It could be argued that reworking a nuclear bomb to make it easier to justify using it and widening out the opportunities for its use is nothing to brag about. This all falls under the category of, "once it's out of the bottle it will be hard to put back in."

The B61-12 Is Light And Accurate

An article in The National Interest on October 9th, 2018 by Zachary Keck indicates this bomb may be the most dangerous nuclear weapon in America's arsenal. The combination of accuracy and low-yield make the B61-12 the most usable nuclear bomb in America’s arsenal. It also makes using nuclear weapons thinkable for the first time since the 1940s.

To be clear, the reason it is such a monster is not because of its power. The bomb has a maximum yield of just 50-kilotons, the equivalent of 50,000 tons of TNT. By contrast, the B83 nuclear bomb has a maximum yield of 1.2 megatons which is 24 times greater. The B61-12 may only be able to carry low-yield nukes but is guided by an advanced Boeing tail kit.

Can Anyone Win A Nuclear War?

To put the issue of power into perspective; On August 6, 1945, the United States dropped an atomic bomb on the city of Hiroshima. The bomb was known as "Little Boy", a uranium gun-type bomb that exploded with about thirteen kilotons of force. At the time of the bombing, Hiroshima was home to 280,000-290,000 civilians as well as 43,000 soldiers. It is estimated that around 140,000 people were killed in the bombing.

In our extensive nuclear arsenal, the United States maintains 7,200 nuclear bombs. America also maintains a plethora of expensive delivery options for its nuclear bombs. Our so-called nuclear triad includes 94 nuclear-capable bombers (B-2s and B-52s), over 400 Minuteman III ICBMs, and 12 Ohio-class ballistic missile nuclear submarines. The submarines are equipped with modern Trident II submarine-launched ballistic missiles.

The key to the effectiveness of any weapon is its accuracy. It has been reported that in 1985, a single U.S. ICBM warhead had less than a 60 percent chance of destroying a typical silo. Today, a multiple-warhead attack on a single silo using a Trident II missile is said to have a roughly 99 percent chance of destroying it.”

A Baby Nuke With Great Accuracy

To be clear, the B61-12 is America’s first nuclear-guided bomb, it is a new weapon. According to Hans Kristensen, from the Federation of American Scientists, existing U.S. nuclear bombs have circular error probabilities (CEP) of between 110-170 meters. The B61-12’s CEP is just 30 meters. Also, with a maximum yield of 50 kilotons, the yield can be lowered as needed for any particular mission. An amazing fact is, the bomb’s explosive force can be reduced electronically through a dial-a-yield system.

The problem with this "friendly" nuclear bomb is that those controlling its use will most likely be more inclined to use it. This muddies the boundary and red line that mankind has up until now feared to cross. As noted earlier in this article, "once the nuclear genie is out of the bottle it will be hard to put back in."

Remember the 1983 movie WarGames? In it, a young computer whiz kid accidentally connects to a top-secret super-computer. The computer which has complete control over the U.S. nuclear arsenal innocently starts the countdown to World War 3. We may be moving back into such a scenario. This bodes poorly for us poor saps living in harm's way if shit hits the fan.


TOPICS: Government; Military/Veterans
KEYWORDS: b6112; military; nuclearweapon; nukes
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1 posted on 12/14/2021 8:46:56 PM PST by SeekAndFind
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To: SeekAndFind

Slow Joe will look at this (low yield) nuke as a “nice way” of making a hard point and drop it on Canada or Sweden when they disagree with him.

Only Democrats drop (consider dropping) atomic or nuclear weapons. Truman, Kennedy, Biteme.


2 posted on 12/14/2021 8:53:33 PM PST by Rembrandt (-a sure sign a Dem is lying - his lips are moving.)
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To: SeekAndFind

Test a small one on DC.


3 posted on 12/15/2021 12:33:08 AM PST by HYPOCRACY (This is the dystopian future we've been waiting for!)
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To: Rembrandt

So this is what Brandon and Swalwell have in mind to use on conservative states?


4 posted on 12/15/2021 12:51:41 AM PST by HombreSecreto (The life of a repo man is always intense)
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To: SeekAndFind

China’s nuke arms build-up has me worried where they might see Biden as a joke and be tempted to a pre-emptive nuclear strike (or threaten one) the same as what Tojo ordered on Pearl Harbor perceiving weakness and reaping a whirlwind.


5 posted on 12/15/2021 12:53:55 AM PST by Gideon7
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To: SeekAndFind

The key bit to remember, not mentioned in the article, is that the new bomb turns every single one of our Air Force and Navy fighters into an accurate nuclear delivery platform.


6 posted on 12/15/2021 1:05:48 AM PST by SauronOfMordor (A Leftist can't enjoy life unless they are controlling, hurting, or destroying others)
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To: SeekAndFind

Another capability is the bomb’s ground penetration

https://fas.org/blogs/security/2016/01/b61-12_earth-penetration/

By detonating several meters below the surface, the blast effects are much more able to take out underground bunkers.


7 posted on 12/15/2021 1:12:47 AM PST by SauronOfMordor (A Leftist can't enjoy life unless they are controlling, hurting, or destroying others)
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To: SeekAndFind

8 posted on 12/15/2021 2:05:15 AM PST by ReaganGeneration2 (Widespread belief in asymptomatic spread of a low-risk virus hastened the end of the West by 100 yrs)
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To: SeekAndFind

It isn’t more likely to be used. Nukes of any size will be viewed the same by the world and by our enemies. If we shot a Davey Crockett from a 106 recoilless rifle, it might as well be the Castle Bravo shot or the Tsar Bomba. Only a DC or Pentagon retard thinks you can use small nukes here and there and it won’t get you the full response.
What would we do if China used a small nuke on a carrier for example?

When you shoot one, it’s nuclear war. So you might as well build them just how they are most useful.


9 posted on 12/15/2021 2:58:22 AM PST by DesertRhino (Dogs are called man's best friend. Moslems hate dogs. Add it up....)
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To: DesertRhino

Yup.


10 posted on 12/15/2021 5:22:28 AM PST by Sequoyah101 (Politicians are only marginally good at one thing, being politicians. Otherwise they are fools.I ha)
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To: DesertRhino

You make an excellent point about using a small nuke.

However,
Q: What would we do if China used a small nuke on a carrier for example?
A: Probably nothing at all. The White House would say that we deserved it.


11 posted on 12/15/2021 5:49:17 AM PST by KingLudd
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To: SeekAndFind

Should used them in the mountains of Afghanistan.

China wouldn’t have cared as it would have made it easier to mine rare earth metals when we were through.


12 posted on 12/15/2021 6:08:11 AM PST by shotgun
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To: DesertRhino

I’m not saying we wouldn’t get our hair missed up….but 20 million casualties tops! Gen Buck Turgedson.


13 posted on 12/15/2021 6:08:40 AM PST by ealgeone
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Comment #14 Removed by Moderator

To: DesertRhino

The demonKKKrats/leftists like the “dial-down” feature.


15 posted on 12/15/2021 6:37:00 AM PST by Carriage Hill (A society grows great when old men plant trees, in whose shade they know they will never sit.)
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To: SeekAndFind

Leftwing fear porn crap article. Just the same fever-dream rantings of the no-nuke crowd - the same now as in 1980.

It doesn’t help their credibility to show a F-16 without a single bomb attached to the aircraft.


16 posted on 12/15/2021 6:49:26 AM PST by larrytown (A Cadet will not lie, cheat, steal, or tolerate those who do. Then they graduate...)
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To: DesertRhino

It is odd that people don’t understand the dynamic in what you posted. It is fundamental.


17 posted on 12/15/2021 6:52:14 AM PST by rlmorel (If the Biden Administration was only stupid or incompetent, some actions would benefit the USA.)
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To: DesertRhino

It is odd that people don’t understand the dynamic in what you posted. It is fundamental.


18 posted on 12/15/2021 6:52:17 AM PST by rlmorel (If the Biden Administration was only stupid or incompetent, some actions would benefit the USA.)
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To: SauronOfMordor

The only ‘accurate’ part of the statement is the addition of a ‘guidance’ package.

ALL US fighters have been rated to deploy the B61 since the 1960s - usually with a ‘toss bomb’ technique. The ‘new bomb’ has nothing to do with that.


19 posted on 12/15/2021 6:53:14 AM PST by larrytown (A Cadet will not lie, cheat, steal, or tolerate those who do. Then they graduate...)
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To: SeekAndFind

If an announcement like this was made a year ago, the MSM: “OMG, he’s building new nukes! We’re all gonna die!” This year: “Boooooring. Now back to Trump’s tax returns!”


20 posted on 12/15/2021 6:56:54 AM PST by Rastus
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