US completes new B61-13 nuclear bomb production ahead of schedule

The United States (US) has announced the completion, a year ahead of schedule, of the first unit of its newest B61-13 unguided nuclear bomb, which has a destructive yield of up to 360 kilotons.

US Secretary of Energy Chris Wright, in announcing the development, highlighted that the B61-13 was created in less than two years from its conception, positioning it among the most swiftly developed and deployed defense tools since the Cold War period.

Secretary Wright noted that this accomplishment underscores the US’s capability to rapidly address burgeoning global security challenges within what is being termed a “new unstable era.”

Wright stated, “The modernization of the US nuclear arsenal is critically important for implementing President Donald Trump’s ‘Peace Through Strength’ strategy… This success demonstrates America’s power to both our rivals and our allies.”

The B61-13 is described as the latest variant in the B61 family of nuclear weapons.

While this new bomb incorporates the advanced safety features, multi-layered protection, and precision guidance systems of the B61-12 model, it is equipped with a more potent warhead engineered to neutralize fortified and extensive military installations, such as subterranean bunkers and command posts.

The National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA) has indicated that the bombs will be deployed to bases on the US mainland.

The munitions are scheduled for integration with the B-2 Spirit strategic stealth bombers and the newer B-21 Raider aircraft. The B61-13’s development gained approval in late 2023, with its completion initially projected for the spring of 2026.

Its modification was undertaken at the Y-12 National Security Complex in Oak Ridge, Tennessee, while final assembly was completed at the Pantex Nuclear Weapons Plant in Amarillo, Texas.