Old nuclear bomb in the service of the United States – BBC

New nuclear bomb the United States was well-forgotten old. History B61 – main nuclear bomb in US history – the material “Gazety.Ru».

While the world powers, including the United States, are trying to prevent Iran from nuclear weapons, Americans spend conditional test the latest models of nuclear weapons. This week, the National Nuclear Security Administration and the US Air Force (NNSA) issued a press release in which it reported the successful testing of a nuclear bomb B61-12.

The bomb was dropped from the F-15 at the Tonopah test site, which is located in Nevada is about 340 km from Las Vegas. However, in contrast to testing times “cold war”, when a bomb dropped from a warhead and spent most real test, but now with a free flight in the aircraft bomb sent without warheads. The test was considered successful – military received telemetry, and soon use this data to refine the bombs.

However, B61-12 is not the latest military developments, and a “hello” since the “cold war».

Established in 1963, the bomb was known by the acronym TX-61. We developed it in just two years as part of running the program in 1961 to create an easy streamlined bombs designed to replace its heavy predecessors. It happened all, as easy to guess, in the midst of the “cold war” – so, in 1962 came the Cuban missile crisis when the United States and the Soviet Union stood on the brink of nuclear war present.

By 1968, when the TX-61 allowed into production, the bomb began referring to as B61. Under this acronym it is known today. A figure of 12 in the title «B61-12» means that the test is held the 12th modification of the original bomb. One of the main advantages of B61 is that it can carry a nuclear warhead variable power. This means that you can throw a bomb for destroying a certain point target, and for the apocalypse in the framework of a metropolis and its surrounding suburbs.

For example, the tenth modification of the B-61 allows you to choose between the power of the explosion of 0.3, 5, 10 and 80 kilotons. However, this is done before loading the bomb on the bomber.

Total 1968 were produced about 3155 bombs. The average weight of one is about 320 kg, slightly ranging, depending on the modification of the bomb and its charge. Who is now in service B61-11 was created in 1996 on the basis of the tenth modification. This B61-11 is designed to destroy fortified bunkers: it is able to penetrate granite wall thickness of 300 m.

As of 2002, the United States has about 1,925 bombs B-61 3rd, 4th, 7th and 11th modifications. This charge shall be 1,265 of them, and are ready for immediate use about 200 B61.

nuclear bomb tests in the B61-12 Tonopah test site, which is located in Nevada is about 340 km from the Las Vegas

NASA

It is important that 180 of these 200 bombs deployed in Europe on military bases countries – members of NATO. Prior to Russia conditional or forbidden on the territory of the Russian Federation “Islamic state” from there to fly much closer than across the Atlantic.

The program to modify B-61 was adopted not immediately: the congressmen did not like nine-digit number that operated the military, trying to get funding. As a result, the upgrade “good old” bomb was allocated $ 11 billion, though many are not offered to modify the outdated B61, and B83, which was developed in 1983. But in the end it was decided to use that B-61.

It is assumed that the B61-12 serve the United States until 2025, when it will be replaced by a 13th modification, or more action-packed and deadly armaments. The difference from the B61-11 would be a higher precision strike if the first had to rely on the accuracy, equipping the most powerful bomb warhead will now need only 50 kt.