American fifth-generation F-35A Lightning II fighters will receive B61-12 thermonuclear bombs to strike Russia, writes Popular Mechanics magazine.
The publication notes that the B61-12 is a tactical nuclear bomb designed for high-precision destruction of protected enemy shelters. The power of the weapon in TNT equivalent, according to the magazine, does not exceed 50 kilotons.
"For what purposes could the F-35A drop a nuclear bomb? Thanks to America's overwhelming non-nuclear firepower, it's hard to imagine the US using nuclear weapons against non-nuclear targets. One of its targets may be a Russian missile weapons command post, the application of a nuclear strike on which will break the chain of command between Moscow and its tactical nuclear forces," the publication says.
It also notes that the B61-12 can be used to destroy headquarters units, weapons depots and assembly points of the armed forces. The publication admits that the use of tactical nuclear weapons can provoke the use of strategic.
In October, American F-35A Lightning II fighters tested the dropping of a B61-12 bomb at the Tonopah proving ground in Nevada.
Ivan Potapov
