US Air Force MOST FEARED B-61 Nuclear Bomb sends deadly message

• published: 04 Dec 2015
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The US Air force conducted an inert B-61 Nuclear bomb drop with an F-15 Fighter Aircraft to send a message to Russia. The B61 nuclear bomb is one of the primary thermonuclear weapons in the U.S. Enduring Stockpile following the end of the Cold War. It is an intermediate yield strategic and tactical nuclear weapon featuring a two-stage radiation implosion design.[1] The B61 is a variable yield bomb (0.3 to 340 kiloton yield in various versions and settings) designed for carriage by high-speed aircraft. It has a streamlined casing capable of withstanding supersonic flight speeds. The weapon is 11 ft 8 in (3.58 m) long, with a diameter of about 13 in (33 cm). Basic weight is about 700 lb (320 kg), although the weights of individual weapons may vary depending on version and fuze/retardation configuration. Development[edit] A B61 bomb undergoing disassembly. The B61, known before 1968 as the TX-61, was designed in 1963. It was designed and built by the Los Alamos National Laboratory in New Mexico. It began from a program for a lightweight, streamlined weapon launched in 1961. Production engineering began in 1965, with full production beginning in 1968 following a series of development problems. Total production of all versions was approximately 3,155, of which approximately 1,925 remain in service as of 2002, and some 1,265 are considered to be operational.[citation needed] The warhead has changed little over the years, although early versions have been upgraded to improve the safety features.[citation needed] According to the journal "Physics Today", September 2013, page 45, there are 200 B61 bombs actively in use by the United States. Of these 200 bombs, 180 are deployed with NATO allies in Europe according to the 26 October 2013 issue of "The Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists." Nine versions of the B61 have been produced. Each shares the same "physics package", with different yield options. The newest variant is the B61 Mod 11, deployed in 1997, which is a ground-penetrating bunker buster. The Russian continuity of Operations facility at Kosvinsky Kamen, finished in early 1996, was designed to resist US earth-penetrating warheads and serves a similar role as the American Cheyenne Mountain Complex.[2][3] The timing of the Kosvinsky completion date is regarded as one explanation for U.S. interest in a new nuclear bunker buster and the declaration of the deployment of the B-61 mod 11 in 1997: Kosvinsky is protected by about 1,000 feet (300 m) of granite.[4] The B61 unguided bomb should not be confused with the MGM-1 Matador cruise missile, which was originally developed under the bomber designation B-61. When the B61 was still classified, aircrew were not allowed to use the term "B61". Instead, it was referred to as a "shape", "silver bullet", or even "external delivery". Deployment[edit] B61 bomb in various stages of assembly. The nuclear component is contained in the small, silver cylinder near the upper middle The B61 has been deployed by a variety of U.S. military aircraft. Aircraft cleared for its use have included the FB-111A, B-1 Lancer, B-2 Spirit, B-52 Stratofortress; F-101 Voodoo, F-100 D & F Super Sabre, F-104 Starfighter, F/A-18 Hornet, F-111 Aardvark and F-4 Phantom II fighter bombers; A-4 Skyhawk, A-6 Intruder and A-7 Corsair II attack aircraft; the F-15 Eagle, F-15E Strike Eagle and F-16 Falcon; British, German and Italian Panavia Tornado IDS aircraft. USAFE and all NATO dual role aircraft can carry B61s. The Lockheed S-3 Viking was also able to deploy the B61 as a nuclear depth bomb. The B61 cannot fit inside the F-22 Raptor's weapons bays and will instead be carried by the Lockheed Martin F-35 Lightning II.[5] Though exact numbers are hard to establish, research done by the Natural Resources Defense Council suggests approximately 180 are deployed with United States Air Force Europe units.[6] As of 2005, they are deployed in Europe under the NATO nuclear sharing arrangement.[7] NATO has agreed to vastly improve the capabilities of this force with the increased accuracy of the B61 Mod 12 upgrade and the stealthy delivery of the F-35.[8][9] This will for the first time add a modest standoff capability to the B61.[10] As of 2013, the Pentagon is asking for an $11 billion life-extension program for the B61 bomb, which would be the most ambitious and expensive nuclear warhead refurbishment in history. Congress is opposed to this effort for cost and timeline issues and questions for the B61's need. Cost estimates have doubled from $4 billion to $8 billion and production slipped from 2017 to 2020, then grew to $10 billion for life extension plus $1 billion for tail guidance kits and production was delayed to 2021. Sequestration budget cuts in early 2013 delay any start until 2020. The Senate Energy and Water Appropriations Subcommittee stated that extending the life of B61s and consolidating its variants may not be a cheap and low-risk method to meet military requirements.