Pentagon announces new nuclear bomb 24 times more powerful than one dropped on Japan
The new bomb would replace some current stocks and not increase the US nuclear stockpile
By Michael Lee Fox News
Published October 30, 2023 4:00am EDT
The Department of Defense announced its pursuit of a nuclear bomb that will be 24 times more powerful than one of the bombs dropped on Japan during World War II.
The Pentagon is seeking congressional approval and funding to pursue a modern variant of the B61 nuclear gravity bomb, which will be designated the B61-13, according to a DoD press release.
"Today's announcement is reflective of a changing security environment and growing threats from potential adversaries," Assistant Secretary of Defense for Space Policy John Plumb said in the release. "The United States has a responsibility to continue to assess and field the capabilities we need to credibly deter and, if necessary, respond to strategic attacks, and assure our allies."
A fact sheet included with the release said the B61-13 will have a similar yield to the B61-7, which according to a Defense News report, has a maximum yield of 360 kilotons. The load is 24 times larger than the bomb dropped on Hiroshima, Japan, during World War II, which was about a 15 kiloton bomb. The B61-13 would also be about 14 times larger than the bomb dropped on Nagasaki, which was 25 kilotons.
According to the fact sheet, the powerful new bomb will also "will include the modern safety, security, and accuracy features of the B61-12."
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