Updated B61 nuclear warhead enters production - Breaking Defense

America’s newest nuclear bomb warhead has entered production.

The National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA) on Thursday announced that it had completed the first production unit of the B61-12, an updated version of the warhead used on weapons dropped from fighters and bombers.

The NNSA is a semi-autonomous agency located within the Department of Energy. While the Defense Department has oversight of developing the delivery systems for America’s nuclear arsenal — the planes, ships and missiles — the NNSA is in charge of producing the actual nuclear payload.

Currently there are four B61 variants in the nuclear stockpile: the 3, 4, 7, and 11. The B61-12 design will replace all four of those. While not technically a “new” warhead, the design replaces or refurbishes all the bomb’s nuclear and non-nuclear parts. The upgraded variant will be carried by America’s F-15, F-16 and B-2 aircraft, as well as on aircraft for NATO member nations.