US conducts first flight test of guided B61-12 nuclear bomb

[jakeXT]

The US Air Force and National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA) have conducted the first flight test of the jointly developed B61-12 guided nuclear bomb from a Boeing F-15E Strike Eagle at the Tonopah Test Range in Nevada.

The billion-dollar weapon system couples a refurbished 1960s B61 with a tail kit assembly produced by Boeing. It has been in development since 2012 and will be the primary tactical nuclear weapon carried by US and NATO forces once it enters service in the early 2020s by consolidating the four existing variants (B61-3, -4, -7, and -10), with the exception of the powerful earth-penetrating B61-11.

The NNSA said in a press statement this week that the 1 July developmental flight test is the first of three to be completed this calendar year. The test represents a major milestone in the programme by “demonstrating end-to-end system performance under representative delivery conditions”.

“Achieving the first complete B61-12 flight test provides clear evidence of the nation's continued commitment to maintain the B61 and provides assurance to our allies,” said Don Cook, NNSA deputy administrator for defence programmes. The weapon was inert, and it is unlikely that one will ever be tested live due to the restrictions of the Nuclear Test Ban Treaty.

http://www.flightglobal.com/news/articles/us-conducts-first-flight-test-of-guided-b61-12-nuclear-414484/


B61-12: The New Guided Standoff Nuclear Bomb

http://fas.org/programs/ssp/nukes/publications1/Brief2014_PREPCOM2.pdf

[arcane1]

1. I knew we were missing something: Bigger, deadlier nukes!

What a stupid fucking country we can be sometimes

[truedelphi]

2. Few Americans noticed how last year the

Union of Concerned Scientists advanced the Doomsday clock to three minutes before midnight (Midnight hour being all out, or partial, nuclear war.)

But certainly good to know we will be supplying the MIC with their needed profits right up to the last second of time on this planet.

[arcane1]

3. My favorite part: The weapon was inert, and it is unlikely that one will ever be tested live...

"The weapon was inert, and it is unlikely that one will ever be tested live due to the restrictions of the Nuclear Test Ban Treaty."

So we're just pissing away money on a WMD delivery system that will never have a WMD in it?

[TexasProgresive]

4. Oh no. It will be deployed with warheads

Just not tested. When the clock hits midnight it will be tested in actual use.

[arcane1]

5. Now I'm going to have that Iron Maiden song in my head all day

Not necessarily a bad thing, but they do have better songs