Upgraded sub-launched nuclear warhead program wraps production
The last production unit of the W88 Alt 370, an upgraded version of the legacy W88 used on Ohio-class ballistic missile submarines, has rolled off the line.
The last production unit of the W88 Alt 370, an upgraded version of the legacy W88 used on Ohio-class ballistic missile submarines, has rolled off the line.
“In an increasingly uncertain world, NATO needs a credible nuclear capability to prevent attacks against the Alliance. Steadfast Noon contributes to ensuring this,” Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson said in a written statement Friday.
Technically, the B61-12 is not a “new” nuclear weapon that increases the stockpile, as the US is taking the warheads from the older bombs and placing them in new housings.
The B61-13, announced in October, seeks to create a higher-yield nuclear bomb that can be used to penetrate hardened enemy locations.
The designation marks the first time that a stealth fighter can carry a nuclear weapon, in this case the B61-12 thermonuclear gravity bomb.
The new warhead variant is needed to provide “additional options against certain harder and large-area military targets,” according to the Pentagon.
The decision amounts to a massive reversal for Germany, which eliminated the F-35 as an option for its Tornado replacement in 2019.
The new B61-12, with replaced or refurbished components, will be used by the F-15, F-16 and B-2, among others.
When talking about nuclear policies and programs, defense leaders often emphasize that “the Cold War is over.” But given a chance to explain what is strategically different and how policies and programs need to be changed, they duck and cover. Take, for example, a recent congressional hearing on the B61 nuclear bomb. The Defense and […]