New Delhi: In a resounding display of nuclear prowess, the United States has successfully tested its advanced B61-12 thermonuclear gravity bomb from an F-35A stealth fighter, ending a 33-year hiatus in such trials.
Conducted in secrecy during August 19-21 at the Nevada Test Site, the inert —warhead-free — variant plummeted with pinpoint accuracy, underscoring America’s enduring edge in tactical deterrence.
Overseen by Sandia National Laboratories under the Department of Energy and the National Nuclear Security Administration, the exercise marked a milestone. The F-35A integrated thermal preconditioning technology for the first time, simulating brutal combat extremes by subjecting the bomb’s assembly to wild temperature swings. This innovation guarantees dependability during intense combat, converting the jet into an efficient nuclear delivery system.
The B61-12, the pinnacle of the storied B61 series operational since 1968, boasts a sleek 12-foot frame and weighs a mere 374 kilograms. Versatile across aircraft like the B-2A, F-15E, F-16, and the forthcoming B-21, it toggles between free-fall gravity drops and laser-guided precision strikes. Engineered for superior safety and adaptability, it outshines its predecessors, offering commanders flexible responses without escalating to full-scale arsenals.
This test caps a comprehensive life-extension programme, concluded by late 2024, injecting two more decades of vigour into the arsenal. March’s authorisation for the F-35A to wield the B61-12 elevates it to dual-role status — conventional and nuclear — amid swirling global tensions.
As adversaries eye advancements in hypersonics and missiles, this revival signals Washington’s unyielding commitment to a credible deterrent, a quiet thunderclap in an era of strategic brinkmanship.