Posted on 12/09/2021 9:52:00 PM PST by SeekAndFind
The U.S. Department of Energy's National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA) announced Thursday it had "successfully" modernized the first B61 nuclear gravity bomb to increase the nation's air-delivered nuclear deterrent capability amid threats of war with Russia in Ukraine and China in the South China Sea and or in the Taiwan Strait.
Over the years, we've been documenting (read: here & here) NNSA's $12 billion program to modify aging B61 thermonuclear gravity bombs for the modern battlefield. The weapons first entered service in the late 1960s and needed upgrades to be more effective and increase lifespan by another two decades.
The first B61-12 nuclear gravity bomb paves the way for an estimated 480 bombs. NNSA expects full-scale production to begin in May 2022 and last through 2026.
"With this program, we're delivering a system to the Department of Defense that improves accuracy and reduces yield with no change in military characteristics, while also improving safety, security and reliability," Department of Energy Under Secretary and NNSA Administrator Jill Hruby stated.
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
Deputy NNSA Administrator for Defense Programs Charles Verdon said it's "extremely satisfying" to see the B61-12 enter production.
"This successful effort results from years of seamless execution between our NNSA and U.S. Air Force teams. The integration of the NNSA Bomb Assembly and the Boeing Tailkit Assembly as well as the joint certification on multiple aircraft platforms stands as a testament to our continued commitment to national security and that of our allies and partners," Verdon said.
We've noted multiple airframes, such as the Lockheed Martin F-35 Lightning II and McDonnell Douglas F-15 Eagle, have been conducting mock nuclear attacks with inert B61-12 over the past two years.
The nuclear gravity bomb upgrade is more than a year late. We noted bomb production was supposed to begin in 2020. The upgraded version can carry low-yield nukes to 50 kilotons nuclear bombs, guided by an advanced Boeing tail kit.
Blast yield Believed to be either 0.3–340 kt[3] or 0.3–400 kt[4] in the weapon’s various mods.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/B61_nuclear_bomb
Even in an era of nuclear tipped missiles of global range, the seemingly humble nuclear gravity bomb retains an important deterrent role in that it can be carried by a wide range of aircraft that have routine non-nuclear missions. Thus no-goodniks like China or Iran, for example, have to wonder just what a handful of B-2s deployed to Diego Garcia might be up to. When a US general or diplomat warns that the US is “prepared for all eventualities” it means that conventional and nuclear options are available to the US without risking a general nuclear war by launching land of seaborne ICBMs.
I’m very sure that using a nuclear bomb on China or Russia in any capacity would escalate into a full exchange pretty quick.
Someday it will....with certainty.
A gravity bomb today is of questionable survivability against modern air defenses. An airplane overflying it’s target is not going to survive against a Russian S-400 SAM, and even stealth has it’s limits.
Don’t nuke me, bro!
“We’ll meet again...”
Notably, Russian doctrine considers battlefield use of nuclear weapons as plausible and potentially advantageous without necessarily leading to a full nuclear exchange. Thus Russia might be tempted to use one or more small nuclear weapons to break the Ukrainian army without causing major civilian casualties while declaring that they do not intend a wider nuclear attack on the US or Europe.
Yet Russia would be much less inclined to try that if the US (or Britain) could swiftly counter with an equivalent small, limited nuclear attack on Russian forces in the field. Remarkably, US and Russian military strategists know well enough how each other think that there is a high degree of confidence in these calculations.
In our era of large and highly capable nuclear weapons stockpiles, a stable nuclear standoff between Russia and the US is essential to keeping the peace. It also helps dissuade more European countries like Poland, Italy, and Ukraine from developing nuclear weapons for their own sake.
Similarly, South Korea, Japan, Taiwan, and Australia refrain from developing nuclear weapons to counter China and North Korea because the US has that covered, more or less.
A stick for whacking hornets nests.
“An airplane overflying it’s target is not going to survive against a Russian S-400 SAM, and even stealth has it’s limits.”
My first thought too. Good luck against their S-400’s!!!
The oldest pawn strategy.. just keep flying or walking or sailing into the kill zone until someone gets lucky. After all.. how many Congress critters have skin in the military game.
Before the release of each & every bomb from the airplane, there will be a required congressional commission established to review the mission reasons and the environmental and cultural impact of the explosion...
By order of the WH, the delay in the bomb's release can last no longer than 15-days in order to assure expeditious completion of the bombing mission...
Too late for Ukraine; however, there are drones (left).
Any attack would have that effect. China and Russia are prepared to use a Samson option. It’s their only hope.
More evidence that Biden wants to SkyNet us.
“... don’t know where, don’t know when ...”
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