Pentagon wants a nuclear bomb 24 times more powerful than one used in Japan

Oct 30, 2023

By Ryan Robertson (Reporter), Alex Peebles (Producer), Ian Kennedy (Editor)

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As conflicts grow worldwide, the U.S. finds itself at the center of creating and providing weaponry to protect its global interests. To update its current weapon arsenal, the Department of Defense revealed that it is pursuing a nuclear bomb that is 24 times more powerful than one of the bombs dropped on Japan in World War II.

The Pentagon is seeking congressional authorization to create the modern version of the B-61 nuclear gravity bomb, dubbed the B61-13.

Biden Administration pushes a new B61-13 nuclear gravity bomb as it fights Hill efforts to retain a much older and higher yield B83-1 gravity weapon https://t.co/0g63IowHsU
— NPEC (@NuclearPolicy) October 28, 2023

The announcement comes in response to national security demands described by the 20-22 Nuclear Posture Review and as the Pentagon looks to retire legacy bombs like the B61-7 and the B83-1.

In a 2022 congressional hearing, Deputy Under Secretary of Defense for Policy Sasha Baker testified about the importance of the United States’ nuclear capabilities.

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“Nuclear deterrence is the department’s highest priority mission, our nuclear posture continues to be the backbone of our strategy to preserve peace and stability by deterring aggression against the united states, our allies, and our partners,” Baker said. “Potential U.S. adversaries are modernizing, diversifying, and expanding their strategic capabilities, resulting in growing risks.”

If approved by Congress, the DOD’s National Nuclear Security Administration would begin producing the bomb, which could be delivered by modern aircraft and give the president more options against large military targets.

“The B61-13 represents a reasonable step to manage the challenges of a highly dynamic security environment,” said Assistant Secretary of Defense for Space Policy John Plumb. “While it provides us with additional flexibility, production of the B61-13 will not increase the overall number of weapons in our nuclear stockpile.”

The bomb itself has 24 times the power than the 15-kiloton bomb dropped on Hiroshima in World War II, and it is 14 times more powerful than the 25-kiloton bomb dropped on Nagasaki in the same war.

According to the Straight Arrow News Media Miss™ tool, this story is a Media Miss for the left. The Media Landscape indicates that while right-leaning and center-oriented outlets are covering this story, fewer — if any — left-leaning outlets are reporting on the topic.

According to the Department of Defense, producing new nuclear bombs will not increase the number of weapons in the country’s nuclear stockpile but will update it. The department added that the decision was not made in response to any current event and follows months of review and consideration.

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Tags: Department of Defense, National Security, Nuclear weapons, The Pentagon, U.S. Congress, U.S. military, Weapons

AS CONFLICTS GROW AROUND THE WORLD, THE U.S. FINDS ITSELF AT THE CENTER OF CREATING AND PROVIDING WEAPONRY TO PROTECT ITS GLOBAL INTERESTS.

THE U-S IS SENDING MILITARY AID TO THE MIDDLE EAST TO SUPPORT ISRAEL IN ITS WAR WITH HAMAS AND OTHER POTENTIAL AGGRESSORS.

CONGRESS IS DEBATING SENDING MORE MILITARY AID TO UKRAINE

NOW THE DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE IS REVEALING IT’S PURSUING A NUCLEAR BOMB TWENTY-HOUR TIMES*** MORE POWERFUL THAN ONE OF DEVICES DROPPED ON JAPAN IN WORLD WAR TWO…

THE PENTAGON WANTS CONGRESSIONAL AUTHORIZATION TO CREATE THE MODERN VERSION OF THE B-SIXTY-ONE NUCLEAR GRAVITY BOMB… DUBBED THE B-SIXTY-ONE-THIRTEEN..

THE ANNOUNCEMENT COMES AFTER THE 20-22 NUCLEAR POSTURE REVIEW FOUND U-S ADVERSARIES WERE EXPANDING, INCREASING AND MODERNIZING THEIR OWN NUCLEAR ARSENALS…AND SUGGESTED THE U-S CONSIDER QUOTE NUCLEAR FORCE ADJUSTMENTS IN ORDER TO ACHIEVE DETERRENCE OBJECTIVES.

IN PART, THAT INCLUDES RETIRING LEGACY BOMBS LIKE THE B-SIXTY-ONE-SEVEN AND THE B-EIGHTY-THREE-ONE…

DURING A CONGRESSIONAL HEARING IN 2022… SASHA BAKER, THE DEPUTY UNDER SECRETARY OF DEFENSE FOR POLICY, – TESTIFIED ABOUT THE IMPORTANCE OF U-S NUCLEAR CAPABILITIES.

“Nuclear deterrence is the department’s highest priority mission, our nuclear posture continues to be the backbone of our strategy to preserve peace and stability by deterring aggression against the United States, our allies, and our partners. Potential U.S. adversaries are modernizing, diversifying, and expanding their strategic capabilities resulting in growing risks.”

IF APPROVED BY CONGRESS… THE D-O-D’S NATIONAL NUCLEAR SECURITY ADMINISTRATION WOULD BEGIN PRODUCING THE BOMB… WHICH COULD BE DELIVERED BY MODERN AIRCRAFT AND GIVE THE PRESIDENT MORE OPTIONS AGAINST LARGE MILITARY TARGETS..

THE BOMB ITSELF CARRIES A PAYLOAD TWENTY-FOUR TIMES MORE POWERFUL THAN THE 15-KILOTON BOMB DROPPED ON HIROSHIMA IN WORLD WAR TWO – AND FOURTEEN TIMES MORE POWERFUL THAN THE BOMB DROPPED ON NAGASAKI

THIS STORY IS NOT BEING COVERED BY ALL MEDIA…

THE STRAIGHT ARROW NEWS MEDIA MISS TOOL SHOWS THE MAJORITY OF OUTLETS COVERING IT ARE EITHER CENTER ORIENTED OR RIGHT-LEANING

LEFT-LEANING NEWS OUTLETS ARE UNDER-REPORTING THE PENTAGON’S EFFORTS TO UPGRADE THE NUCLEAR GRAVITY BOMB.- OUR REAL-TIME MEDIA MISS TOOL SPOTLIGHTS WHICH STORIES RIGHT-LEANING AND LEFT-LEANING OUTLETS AREN’T COVERING SO YOU GET A COMPLETE PICTURE OF THE NEWS. THIS IS HOW THE NEWS SHOULD BE… FAIR, FACTUAL AND UNBIASED.

ACCORDING TO THE DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE… PRODUCING NEW NUCLEAR BOMBS WILL NOT INCREASE THE NUMBER OF WEAPONS IN THE COUNTRY’S NUCLEAR STOCKPILE BUT WILL UPDATE IT..

THE DEPARTMENT ADDED THAT THE DECISION WAS NOT MADE IN RESPONSE TO ANY CURRENT EVENT AND FOLLOWS MONTHS OF REVIEW AND CONSIDERATION…