First B61-13 Nuclear Bomb Completed Ahead of Schedule
- On May 19, 2025, the United States finalized the first B61-13 nuclear bomb at its production facility located in Amarillo, Texas.
- The completion of this unit was achieved well in advance of the original timeline, as program managers expedited development by utilizing existing B61 design and qualification data.
- The B61-13 nuclear bomb, with a top explosive power roughly 24-fold greater than the Hiroshima bomb, can be launched from strategic bombers such as the B-21 Raider.
- Energy Secretary Chris Wright said, "Modernizing America's nuclear stockpile is essential," and NNSA noted the bomb adds options against hard and deeply buried targets.
- The early completion reflects urgency to maintain deterrence amid global nuclear modernization and could influence future weapon modernization timelines.
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US completes new nuclear bomb year ahead of schedule
The new nuke is 24 times more powerful than the bomb dropped on Hiroshima in 1945.
The announcement was made by the National Agency for Nuclear Safety (NNSA) and confirmed by Energy Secretary Chris Wright during an inaugural speech at the Pantex plant of the Department of Energy in Amarillo, Texas, on Monday, May 20. The completion of this armament takes place almost a year earlier than expected and less than two years after its initial announcement, marking it as "one of the fastest developed weapons" since the Cold War. Secr…
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