A Higher Yield Nuclear Bomb For the F-35 Stealth Fighter: U.S. Preparing to Produce B61-13
North America, Western Europe and Oceania , Aircraft and Anti-Aircraft
Production of the U.S. Armed Forces’ latest class of tactical nuclear bomb, the B61-13, is scheduled to begin in June 2025, with the program intended to provide a new much higher yield class of modern nuclear weapon for the country’s combat aviation assets including its F-35 stealth fighters. The U.S. Armed Forces announced plans to develop the new bomb on October 27, 2023, with the Pentagon announcing at the time: "The B61-13 would take advantage of the current, established production capabilities supporting the B61-12, and would include the modern safety, security, and accuracy features of the B61-12.” The new bomb has a maximum yield of approximately 360 kilotons compared to a maximum yield of around 50 kilotons on the widely used B61-12 bomb and a yield of just 15 kilotons on the Little Boy bomb used to destroy the Japanese city of Hiroshima in 1945. A Pentagon report summarised at the time that the new bomb was intended to “provide the President with additional options against certain harder and large-area military targets.” National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA) acting head Teresa Robbins informed Congress on May 7 that the bomb “strengthens deterrence and assurance by providing the President with additional options against certain harder and large-area military targets.”
Rising tensions with leading adversaries benefitting from heavily fortified military sites has led to greater importance being attributed to an the ability to launch higher yield tactical nuclear attacks. North Korea in particular has been a leader in proliferating fortification technologies and provided hardening for Iranian and Hezbollah facilities. The B61-13’s entry into production is particularly significant due to its planned compatibility with the F-35, which other than a small fleet of under 20 B-2 bombers, is the only stealth aircraft in the Western world capable of launching nuclear attacks. With the U.S. Armed Forces expected to field close to 2000 F-35s, the ability to launch very high yield nuclear attacks using any of these operating from bases and warships across the world presents adversaries with a particularly significant nuclear threat. The issue of the F-35’s nuclear capabilities has been particularly sensitive for Russia, with assessments in November 2023 having concluded that the new B61-13 tactical nuclear bomb would allow a single F-35 to kill up to approximately 360,000 inhabitants of major Russian cities in a single strike.
The Radar Cross Section (RCS) of F35 is about 0.005m^2.
ReplyDeleteF-35's engine remains a real problem for IRST detection.
The Chinese military has 2 sets of air detection systems to locate the F35 on air.
1) using the latest millimeter wave radar (MWR) working on 30~300GHz (wavelength of 1~10mm). By utilizing the high sensitivity of REE sensor, the visible range of the MWR can be extended over hundreds of km
2) using low orbit REE IR sensing satellites, via triangulation
The stealth effect of F35 is no more effective! Before reaching the fringe range, to launch the missile carrying B61-13 tactical nuclear bomb, it would have been detected & taken out of mission within minutes.
An addendum to my previous post.
ReplyDeleteF-35 is a fighterjet, not a bomber. In stealth mode, when the F-35 carries weapons internally, the jet can handle just 5,700 pounds of ordinance. That breaks down to either four AIM 120 AMRAAM missiles (for air-to-air missions), or alternatively – for hybrid missions – two AMRAAMs paired with two GBU-31 JDAM bombs. This is approximately less than 2 B61 carrying capacity.
The B61 can be set for airburst or groundburst detonation, and by free fall, retarded free fall or laydown delivery through the use of a parachute to slow down the weapon during release from the delivery aircraft.
If B61-13 tactical nuclear bomb is designed to be air launcher - meaning equipped with rocket propulsion, its weight would increase considerably. Its dimension would be affected, making it difficult to fit inside F-35 body. If fitted outside, Its RCS would increase, reducing its stealth ability.
Thus, deploying B61-13 via F-35 isn't viable at this stage of American fights jet development. B2 bomber is a possible candidate. But it's too expensive & has stopped production. B-21 Raider is smaller & face the same carrying capacity as F-35. Conventional bomber, w/o fighterjets production is only a sitting target.
well laid down
DeleteCut and paste abracadabra..
DeleteMfer, u try doing one.
DeleteWith yr know-nothingness, c&p abracadabra would be just water liu liu!
https://warontherocks.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/09/F-35A_with_2_B61-12_bombs-1024x682.jpg
DeleteF-35 purposely showing off carrying not one , but two nuclear bombs in its internal bomb bay.
F-35 can carry a total of two GBU-10s or GBU-32s in its internal loading bay. The length of a GBU-10 Paveway II is 14 feet 9 inches, or 14.8 feet. It has a diameter of 18 inches.
DeleteThe B61-12 will be approximately 12 feet long and weigh approximately 825 pounds. If it has self propulsion then its length would be longer than 15 feet, making it impossible to fit into the internal bomb bay.
Thus that claim applied only to gravity bomb. The F-35 then needs extra companion fighter jets for protection in order to carry out the bombing task.
Know-nothing mfer, u have been conned by yr c&p trashy article, reinforced with yr nought military insight!
Ooop… forgetting to add, that the thrust power of F-35 cannot allow it to carry 2 B61 gravity bombs in its bombing bay.
ReplyDeleteAt most just 1 B61 payload with very much reduced flight range!
Under the new EER equiped radar sensors, its a real sitting duck waiting to be roasted.