B61 nuclear bomb
The B61 nuclear bomb is the primary thermonuclear gravity bomb in the United States Enduring Stockpile following the end of the Cold War. It is a low-to-intermediate yield strategic and tactical nuclear weapon featuring a two-stage radiation implosion design.
| B61 | |
|---|---|
B61 training unit intended for ground crew. It accurately replicates the shape and size of a "live" B61 (together with its safety/arming mechanisms) but contains only inert materials | |
| Type | Nuclear bomb |
| Service history | |
| Used by | United States |
| Production history | |
| Designer | Los Alamos National Laboratory |
| Designed | 1963 |
| Manufacturer | Pantex Plant |
| Unit cost | $28 million (Mod 12) |
| Produced | 1968 (full production) |
| No. built | 3,155 |
| Variants | 13 |
| Specifications | |
| Mass | 715 pounds (324 kg) |
| Length | 141.6 inches (3.60 m) |
| Diameter | 13.3 inches (34 cm) |
| Blast yield | Believed to be either 0.3–340 kt or 0.3–400 kt in the weapon's various mods. |
The B61 is of the variable yield ("dial-a-yield" in informal military jargon) design with a yield of 0.3 to 340 kilotons in its various mods ("modifications"). It is a Full Fuzing Option (FUFO) weapon, meaning it is equipped with the full range of fuzing and delivery options, including air and ground burst fuzing, and free-fall, retarded free-fall and laydown delivery. It has a streamlined casing capable of withstanding supersonic flight and is 11 ft 8 in (3.56 m) long, with a diameter of about 13 inches (33 cm). The basic weight of the B-61 is about 700 pounds (320 kg), although the weights of individual weapons may vary depending on version and fuze/retardation configuration. As of 2020, the weapon was undergoing a 12th modification. According to the Federation of American Scientists in 2012, the roughly 400 B61-12s will each cost "more than its weight in gold" - $28 million apiece.