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U.S. tests B61-12 nuclear gravity bomb
UPI ^ | July 10, 2015 | Richard Tomkins

Posted on 07/10/2015 8:59:59 PM PDT by TaxPayer2000

The first of three development flights for the B61-12 nuclear gravity bomb has been successfully completed in Nevada.

The test -- conducted by the U.S. Air Force and the National Nuclear Security Administration -- was to verify the capabilities of the weapon system and instrumentation system designs and the hardware before undergoing a baseline design review in 2016.

"This test marks a major milestone for the B61-12 Life Extension Program, demonstrating end-to-end system performance under representative delivery conditions," said NNSA Deputy Administrator for Defense Programs Dr. Don Cook. "Achieving the first complete B61-12 flight test provides clear evidence of the nation's continued commitment to maintain the B61 and provides assurance to our allies."

NNSA said the assets used in the test consisted of hardware designed by Sandia National and Los Alamos National Laboratories and manufactured by the National Security Enterprise Plants, which were mated to the USAF tail-kit assembly, designed by Boeing.

The development test unit was released from an F-15E and telemetry, tracking and video data were collected.

The B61-12 LEP entered development engineering in 2012 to modernize both nuclear and non-nuclear components to extend the bomb's service life. With the incorporation of an Air Force provided tail-kit assembly, the B61-12 will replace existing B61-3, -4, -7, and -10 bombs now in the U.S. nuclear arsenal.


TOPICS: Business/Economy; Government; News/Current Events; Technical
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The United States Air Force (USAF) and National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA) completed the first development flight test of a non-nuclear B61-12 gravity bomb at Tonopah Test Range in Nevada on July 1, 2015. Photo courtesy NNSA

1 posted on 07/10/2015 8:59:59 PM PDT by TaxPayer2000
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To: TaxPayer2000
Ooh! Going to give the muzzies a firework show first?

Seems the old dial-a-yield B61 has been going down in yield over the years. Hopefully the one with the Iranians address on it is the older crowd pleaser.

2 posted on 07/10/2015 9:08:39 PM PDT by doorgunner69
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To: doorgunner69

the old Dr Pepper. 10, 2, and 4,,,, yield that is.


3 posted on 07/10/2015 9:16:01 PM PDT by DesertRhino (I was standing with a rifle, waiting for soviet paratroopers, but communists just ran for office)
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To: TaxPayer2000

Really, we shouldn’t build anymore till we nuke a place like Mecca. Unless people believe we will use them, they don’t have much value (except of course, against asteroids)

If we used just one,,,once, people would really come around and start treating us better. 911 was such a golden opportunity.


4 posted on 07/10/2015 9:18:23 PM PDT by DesertRhino (I was standing with a rifle, waiting for soviet paratroopers, but communists just ran for office)
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To: DesertRhino

“(except of course, against asteroids)”

Maybe we could nuke Mecca and make it look like an asteroid did it?


5 posted on 07/10/2015 9:21:05 PM PDT by garjog (Obama: bringing joy to the hearts of Terrorists everywhere.)
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To: TaxPayer2000

6 posted on 07/10/2015 9:24:36 PM PDT by garjog (Obama: bringing joy to the hearts of Terrorists everywhere.)
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To: TaxPayer2000

Spin rockets are cool.....


7 posted on 07/10/2015 9:25:58 PM PDT by Squantos ( Be polite, be professional, but have a plan to kill everyone you meet ...)
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To: DesertRhino

Why stop with Mecca? We should incinerate Saudi Arabia, as they were the ones factually behind the attacks of 9/11/01 ... OBL, AQ and the Taliban were just the facilitators. The Saudi crown financed the operation, and most of the participants were Saudi nationals. End Saudi Arabia’s existence, and you end the breeding place of Wahhabism and its madrassahs. You also send a message to all the Musloids around the world that we do not give a flying squirrel’s butt about annihilating their entire population and culture from the face of the Earth. Islam is no more a “religion” than was Nazism.


8 posted on 07/10/2015 9:29:41 PM PDT by WTFOVR (I find myself exclaiming that expression quite often these days!)
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To: TaxPayer2000

Gravity bong -

A gravity bong, “Geeb” or “bucket” as it is known in parts of the UK, is a method of consuming smokable substances such as cannabis. The term describes both a bucket bong and a waterfall bong, since both use air pressure and water to develop smoke.


9 posted on 07/10/2015 9:40:24 PM PDT by beebuster2000
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To: WTFOVR

“Why stop with Mecca? We should incinerate Saudi Arabia, as they were the ones factually behind the attacks of 9/11/01 ... OBL, AQ and the Taliban were just the facilitators. The Saudi crown financed the operation, and most of the participants were Saudi nationals. End Saudi Arabia’s existence, and you end the breeding place of Wahhabism and its madrassahs. You also send a message to all the Musloids around the world that we do not give a flying squirrel’s butt about annihilating their entire population and culture from the face of the Earth. Islam is no more a “religion” than was Nazism.”

Agreed!


10 posted on 07/10/2015 9:49:43 PM PDT by DavidLSpud ("Go and sin no more"-Rejoice always, pray continually...)
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To: garjog

“Maybe we could nuke Mecca and make it look like an asteroid did it?”

You a Marine by chance? You and me,,im thinkin’ we really need to be in change.


11 posted on 07/10/2015 9:50:59 PM PDT by DesertRhino (I was standing with a rifle, waiting for soviet paratroopers, but communists just ran for office)
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To: TaxPayer2000
Interesting about Mod 12. This article doesn't mention bunker-busting capabilities, though. Are we actually thinking about busting somebody's underground facilities. Or is this a talking point for the next Kerry shouting match?

Mod 11: Tactical or strategic bomb with multiple yield options presumably ranging from 10 Kt (and possibly lower yields) to 340 Kt. This is a modified Mod 7 with a one-piece case hardened steel center case, and a new nose piece and rear subassembly to provide ground penetration capability for defeating buried targets ("bunker busting"). The parachute assembly has also been removed, and new aerodynamic fins added for high-velocity, accurate delivery. The B61-11 buries itself 3-6 meters underground before detonation, transfering a much higher proportion of the explosion energy to ground shock, compared to surface bursts. The actual warhead itself is identical to the Mod 7. This is the first new model of a U.S. warhead to go into service since warhead production was suspended in 1989. It is being produced by field modification of existing Mod 7s.

12 posted on 07/10/2015 10:03:08 PM PDT by ProtectOurFreedom (For those who understand, no explanation is needed. For those who do not, no explanation is possible)
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To: DesertRhino

In charge. Not in change. (unless its a stack of gold coins,,, then we need to be in that too)


13 posted on 07/10/2015 10:07:18 PM PDT by DesertRhino (I was standing with a rifle, waiting for soviet paratroopers, but communists just ran for office)
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To: DesertRhino

“911 was such a golden opportunity.”

I can think of a half-a-dozen “opportunities” without giving it a lot of thought when nukes should have been used starting in the 40s.

If I gave it a lot of thought then there would probably be a dozen or more.


14 posted on 07/10/2015 10:16:34 PM PDT by spel_grammer_an_punct_polise (Why does every totalitarian, political hack think that he knows how to run my life better than I?)
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To: TaxPayer2000

Have seen this news and more details of the testing on other sites. It has to be intentional that this information, which one would usually expect to be secret, is being promoted.


15 posted on 07/10/2015 10:16:55 PM PDT by wideminded
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To: TaxPayer2000

non-nuclear B61-12 gravity bomb

GRAVITY BOMB?

Sou8nd like something outta star trek...

http://en.memory-alpha.wikia.com/wiki/Gravimetric_torpedo

What the hell do they mean a “Non-Nuclear Gravity Bomb”??

Unless this is some sorta anti-matter bomb which in itself is really f***king scary...


16 posted on 07/10/2015 10:17:41 PM PDT by GraceG (Protect the Border from Illegal Aliens, Don't Protect Illegal Alien Boarders...)
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To: GraceG

I think what they’re saying is a Nuclear device without the war head?? I thought all bombs dropped from Airplanes were gravity bombs...


17 posted on 07/10/2015 10:27:36 PM PDT by tallyhoe
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To: GraceG

Sounds like the Israeli non-nuclear bomb that accidently detonates underground Iranian nuclear bombs.


18 posted on 07/10/2015 10:28:51 PM PDT by satan (The tree of liberty is dying in the drought.)
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To: TaxPayer2000

I remember the B61s. Back at the bomb dump in Germany. If you ain’t AMMO you ain’t Sh!t!!!!!


19 posted on 07/10/2015 11:12:00 PM PDT by Busko (The only thing that is certain is that nothing is certain.)
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To: DesertRhino
If we used just one,,,once, people would really come around and start treating us better.

Let's not forget that we have already used "The Bomb" - twice. And that it earned us a lot of respect for a while.

Regards,

20 posted on 07/10/2015 11:21:27 PM PDT by alexander_busek (Extraordinary claims require extraordinary evidence.)
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