Free Republic

U.S. officials say adding the B61-13 bomb to America's nuclear arsenal is key to holding certain underground and large area targets at risk. he first production example of the new B61-13 nuclear bomb has been completed roughly a year ahead of schedule, according to the U.S. Department of Energy. The B61-13 is based on the preceding B61-12, but offers a higher maximum yield that U.S. officials say offers important additional capacity to hold hardened targets, such as underground command and control facilities, and ones spread across physically larger areas, at risk.The U.S. military first announced plans to develop and field...

America's newest weapon of mass destruction is going into production seven months ahead of schedule as fears of a war with China continue to grow. Scientists at Sandia National Laboratories in New Mexico are kickstarting development of the B61-13, a nuclear 'gravity bomb' that was originally slated to go into production for the US Air Force in 2026. Gravity bombs are literally what they sound like, a bomb dropped from a military plane which lets gravity do all the work. The timeline was moved up due to the 'critical challenge and urgent need' for a new nuclear deterrent - a...