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By Nick Mordowanec
Staff Writer
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A new nuclear warhead has been approved and cleared for use in a variety of U.S. aircraft, notably the B-2A Spirit bomber.
Spirit will be the first domestic combat aircraft to employ the B61-12 nuclear bomb, unveiled Monday as part of the 335-page unclassified Stockpile Stewardship and Management Plan (SSMP), a report for the 2024 fiscal year by the National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA). The latter works within the Department of Energy (DOE) and designs, produces, delivers and certifies the nation's nuclear stockpile for military operation.
In October, the House of Representatives approved a resolution to increase defense spending in fiscal year 2024 by about $1.11 billion over the current fiscal year—including $19.114 billion for the continued modernization of the nation's nuclear weapons stockpile and infrastructure and $1.946 billion for naval warships.
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NNSA Administrator Jill Hruby said in an interview earlier this month that the U.S. continues to do testing at the Nevada National Security Site in southeastern Nye County, approximately 65 miles northwest of Las Vegas. She said that activity has multiple objectives, including subcritical experiments for the science-based Stockpile Stewardship Program.
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The SSMP explains to members of Congress and the general public how the NNSA and DOE will "maintain and advance the safety, security, reliability, and effectiveness of the U.S. nuclear weapons stockpile without underground nuclear explosive testing."
In a statement, Hruby said, "This year's report reaffirms DOE/NNSA's commitment to maintaining a safe, secure, reliable and effective U.S. nuclear weapons stockpile without underground nuclear explosive testing and details DOE/NNSA's plans and key activities related to stockpile modernization, infrastructure recapitalization, and science, research technology, and engineering capabilities."
An NNSA spokesperson told Newsweek that an aircraft compatibility control document was also released, showing compatibility with the F-15E, B-2A, F-35A, F-16 and PA-200 aircraft, and that certification activities are continuing for the B-21. The B61-12 life-extension program was approved by the Nuclear Weapons Council to begin development engineering activities in 2012.
Questions about system deployment and aircraft certification timelines were directed to the Air Force, which told Newsweek it had no additional information to provide beyond the new NNSA report.
Retired Air Force Colonel Jeffrey Fischer told Newsweek that the new warhead is "impressive," adding that the U.S. push toward modernization goes beyond just updating the broader fleet.
"There is a part of this that has to do with a modernization of the fleet, that's true," Fischer said. "But one can't help but notice the rapid erosion of U.S./Russia arms control instruments. Further, there has been a significant amount of D.C./Moscow security posturing, especially related to the Ukraine conflict."
Newsweek reached out to the Defense Department via email for comment.
The first production unit of the warhead was delivered in November 2021. In June 2022, the NNSA and DOE executed full-scale production of the B61-12 and completed its first loading run.
The warhead will be used to replace multiple components approaching the end of their lifespans, in addition to meeting military requirements for reliability, service life, field maintenance, safety and use control.
This includes refurbishing nuclear and nonnuclear components and incorporates component reuse where possible, according to the report. The warhead will consolidate and replace previous B61-3, -4 and -7 bomb variants.
The B61-12 life-extension program is estimated to conclude in fiscal year 2025.
The SSMP reports said the B61-12 warhead will also be eventually operational on multiple other aircraft, including the Air Force's F-35A Joint Strike Fighters, F-15E Strike Eagles and F-16C/D Vipers, in addition to B-21A Raider stealth bombers.
Footage of the B-21, described as an "invisible" plane, was recently unveiled by developer Northrop Grumman. The bomber carries conventional and nuclear munitions and is said to be able to penetrate air defenses and hit global targets that roughly 90 percent of current U.S. bombers are incapable of reaching. The sixth-generation aircraft was designed to replace planes in the Air Force's aging bomber fleet.
NATO F-16s will also be equipped with these warheads. However, the warhead's precision guide package—which, according to website The Drive, costs more than its literal weight in gold—will not be operational from the U.S. Air Force's F-16s or on German Tornado combat jets.
Update 11/29/23, 12:56 p.m. ET: This story was updated with comments from the NNSA, the Air Force and retired Air Force Colonel Jeffrey Fischer.
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