Washington. November 19. INTERFAX - The United States plans to produce at least 480 new B61-12 nuclear bombs to equip its B-2 Spirit strategic stealth bombers and the B-21 Raider being developed, as well as American and other NATO fighter-bombers in Europe, according to the Federation of American Scientists.
It is noted that most of these nuclear weapons can be deployed on the continental part of the United States as early as 2022.
The deployment of new bombs in warehouses at air bases in Europe is planned to begin in 2023-24.
According to the US National Nuclear Safety Administration, which is responsible for the country's nuclear arsenal, the development of a new B61-12 tactical nuclear aerial bomb has already been completed, and its mass production will begin soon.
They will be delivered to replace outdated versions of this aerial bomb (B61-3 and B61-4) to American warehouses in the continental United States and in Europe.
According to reports, B61-12 bombs (with a capacity of 0.3, 1.5, 10 or 50 kilotons), in particular, will be placed in underground warehouses at air bases in Germany, Belgium, the Netherlands, Italy and Turkey, which are under the control of the US military.
According to various estimates, currently in the European theater of operations, the United States has from 100 to 150 nuclear bombs for use by tactical aviation.
They are designed to equip tactical fighter-bombers F-35A, F-15E and F-16C/D, F/A-18 and Tornado of the US Air Force and other NATO member countries.
