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Meet the B61-12, the most powerful nuclear bomb in the United States. Capable of decimating underground shelters, this weapon of mass destruction is expected to enter the defense industry in 2026.
In this article, we will explore a range of bombs, missiles and torpedoes that have either recently been introduced into military operations or are currently in development. These weapons, each with their own unique characteristics, have one thing in common: they are all designed to cause devastating damage on the battlefield. Among them, the B61-12 stands out, the most powerful nuclear bomb ever developed by the United States, capable of redefining global military power with its unprecedented destructive potential.
US nuclear bomb has a capacity of 50 kilotons
The B61-12 is the US's main short- and medium-range nuclear bomb, having been in operation since 1968. The 12th version was recently tested and improved, making the B61-12 the US's most powerful nuclear bomb.
Even before the first tests with the model, the federation of scientists Americans calculated that the cost of manufacturing each unit of this bomb would be more expensive than a gold bar of the same weight.
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For this reason, the US nuclear bomb is considered an extremely special bomb. After undergoing a series of field tests, the B61-12 began to be deployed in 2021 and the production of 400 to 500 units of this bomb is planned, with a yield ranging from 0,3 to 50 kilotons.
The main feature of the most powerful US nuclear bomb is its guidance system and its controllable tail, which eliminates the need for parachute bombing and allows the aircraft to not fly directly over the target, reducing the risk. This gliding US nuclear bomb can be dropped at a considerable distance from the target and then glides towards the target.
When will America's most powerful bomb be ready?
The accuracy of the B61-12 is within 30 m of the aiming point, which is higher compared to the previous model, whose accuracy was within 170 m, which allowed its power to be reduced by ¼.
If a 50-kiloton US nuclear bomb were detonated, it is estimated that it would be capable of creating a crater with a radius of up to 68 meters, making it an extremely accurate weapon for destroying underground bunkers.
But the evolution of this weaponry does not stop there and the United States are already working on the development of B61 pump mod 13, with a maximum yield of 360 kilotons. Like the B61-12, this is not a completely new bomb, but rather an upgrade of an existing, more modern and advanced one.
This most powerful nuclear bomb in the US is also a high-precision glide bomb, but with incomparably greater destructive power, so much so that it has already been nicknamed the political bomb. Production of this bomb is scheduled to begin in 2026 and will be launched from the modern B21 Rider stealth bomber.
Meet the new US hypersonic missile
The first hypersonic weapon designed specifically to be installed on fifth-generation combat aircraft, called Mako, was developed in a partnership between the arms industry giant Lockheed Martin and the company CO Aspire, and was recently presented to the public in April 2024.
Compared to other hypersonic missiles, the new missile stands out for its compact size, measuring just 4 m in length and 33 cm in diameter.
With a total weight of 590 kg, it is capable of carrying a payload of up to 59 kg and can reach speeds in excess of Mach 5, equivalent to more than 6.000 km/h. This speed allows surprise attacks and rapid approaches to the target while reducing the probability of being intercepted by surface-to-air missiles.
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