The US has announced the completion of the B61-12 LPU nuclear bomb upgrade as part of its life extension program.
The US National Nuclear Security Administration reported that the service life has been extended by twenty years.
These bombs, which are delivered by aircraft, are crucial to maintaining nuclear deterrence.
B61-12 LPU – This is the latest modification of the B61 family of nuclear bombs, which have been deployed at US Air Force and NATO bases for over 50 years, making them the oldest weapons in the US nuclear arsenal.
This modernization officially began in 2008 with the aim of replacing outdated analogues of such bombs whose service life has expired.
The new LEP warhead will ensure the preservation of the effectiveness of the B61-12 bomb and will allow for the modification of the -3, -4, -7 and -10 variants of the B61 bomb family.
As indicated, the modernized LEP bomb has less power than the previous model, but greater accuracy through a modified tail fin, which allows the projectile to plan from a high altitude to the target.
Next, the United States will move on to the production of the B61-13 bomb, for which they will use the production capacity from the production of the B61-12 bombs.
The launch of the B61-13 bomb is scheduled for fiscal year 2026.
As American military experts note in their comments on the modernization of the nuclear arsenal taking place in the United States, in the coming decades all nuclear weapons and their delivery systems will be replaced with newer versions.
Today, the United States has stocks of approximately 3,708 warheads, which has not changed compared to the previous year.
Of these, only about 1,770 warheads are deployed, while about 1,938 are in reserve.
In November, the United States test-launched the Minuteman III intercontinental ballistic missile.