US speeds up production of new nuclear bomb

By Dean Murray

The United States has begun production of its new nuclear bomb - seven months ahead of schedule.

The B61-13 weapon features a maximum yield of 360 kilotons—24 times more powerful than the bomb dropped on Hiroshima in 1945.

Nuclear weapons engineers Sandia National Laboratories have shown off the assembly of the B61-13 unit and cited putting "an aggressive set of plans in motion" to expedite the project.

They said: "Responding to a critical challenge and urgent need, the B61-13 program used innovative program planning that resulted in projected delivery seven months earlier than expected, a more than 25% decrease in overall time to first production unit.

"The B61-13 team reprioritized qualification activities, planned tests with U.S. Air Force stakeholders and jointly completed requirements with Los Alamos National Laboratory and NNSA (National Nuclear Security Administration)."

When the new bomb was announced in 2023, Assistant Secretary of Defense for Space Policy John Plumb said: "The United States has a responsibility to continue to assess and field the capabilities we need to credibly deter and, if necessary, respond to strategic attacks, and assure our allies."

The NNSA allocated $92 million over four years for development, with original production expected to begin in fiscal year 2026.

The bomb will be deployable by strategic aircraft such as the upcoming B-21 Raider stealth bomber and possibly the retiring B-2 Spirit.