U.S. speeds up production of new B61‑13 nuclear bombs

The Military Service highlighted recent flights of American C-17 transport aircraft to Europe, monitored on social media by an open-source intelligence researcher using the pseudonym TheIntelFrog. He noted that on April 14, two U.S. Air Force C-17 military aircraft returned to Kirtland Air Force Base in New Mexico after completing flights to Europe. This base holds various weapons, including B61 nuclear bombs.

The American planes kept their transponders on, making their routes trackable. One of the aircraft appeared in Belgium at the Kleine Brogel Air Base, while the other was spotted in the Netherlands at the Volkel Air Base. The Military Service indicates that the presence of special cargo is partly confirmed by the fact that, at the beginning of the operation, at least one C-17 aircraft was positioned at spot No. 5, a location designated for handling ammunition.

The Military Service further noted that, based on the flight paths and the nature of the missions, it is very likely that the operation was intended to swap outdated B61 special ammunition with upgraded versions stored at the American nuclear facilities in Kleine and Volkel. This aligns with the U.S. government's official statement on expediting the production of the new B61-13 variant, which could now be delivered to the armed forces as much as seven months ahead of schedule.

The new bomb is structurally based on the B61-7 version, which for many years has been the backbone of the American arsenal of gravity nuclear loads. However, the B61-13 has been upgraded with the latest targeting technologies and control systems, developed during the B61-12 project. Practically, this means the new bomb can be deployed with great precision, thanks to guided aerodynamic surfaces and inertial navigation systems supported by GPS.

Importantly, the warhead's yield adjustment capability has been retained. According to official data, the B61-13 can achieve a yield of 360 kilotons, making it significantly more powerful than the modern B61-12, which has a maximum yield of 50 kilotons. The difference between the B61-13 and its predecessors isn't limited to yield. A key change is its compatibility with the latest combat platforms.

Aircraft like the B-21 Raider bombers, F-35A fighters, and F-15E Strike Eagles will be able to carry this weapon as part of precision strike operations on strategic enemy targets. Additionally, the B61-13 is intended to serve as a deterrent against nuclear weapon programs being developed by Russia and China — including Russian variable-yield warheads and Chinese underground silos capable of launching DF-41 missiles.

The deployment of American nuclear bombs in Europe dates back to the Cold War. As part of the nuclear-sharing program conducted within NATO, the U.S. deployed its B61-type bombs in several European countries. Officially, exact numbers have never been confirmed, but it's widely known that American nuclear weapons have been located in Germany, Italy, Belgium, the Netherlands, and Turkey. Bases such as Büchel in Germany and Aviano in Italy have been key elements of NATO's nuclear deterrence strategy for decades.

The deployment of B61 bombs in Europe occurred within a joint NATO policy framework, which allows member states to share nuclear resources, though control over their use remains with the USA. This way, European allies can maintain shared deterrent capabilities without needing to possess their own nuclear weapons.

For several years, there has been discussion about gradually replacing older B61 bomb versions with the more modern B61-12 models. This modernization is part of the Life Extension Program (LEP), aimed at prolonging the lifespan of the U.S. arsenal without creating entirely new warheads. The emergence of the B61-13 may indicate a further step in this strategy, although there is no official confirmation yet that the new bomb will be deployed to European bases.