US completes successful stockpile flight tests of B61-12 nuclear gravity bomb — Here's all we know

The United States government has successfully completed stockpile flight tests for its B61-12 nuclear gravity bomb via the stealth F-35A fighter jet, at its Tonopah Test Range in Nevada, ANI reported citing a statement from the US Department of Energy's Sandia National Laboratories.

The statement on November 13, said that a series of critical stockpile flight tests was successfully conducted from August 19-21 at the Tonopah Test Range in Nevada with support from Hill Air Force Base in Utah, it said.

According to Jeffrey Boyd, surveillance lead for the B61-12 and B61-13 at Sandia, “These B61-12 F-35A stockpile flight tests and captive carry flight test were the capstone accomplishment of a tremendous amount of planning and effort by those who were involved across not only Sandia, but many other agencies.”

“In addition, these B61-12 stockpile flight tests represent the completion of the most B61-12 flight testing surveillance scope in a year to date and the most in a given year for the foreseeable future,” he added.

B61-21 tests: See top highlights from test

• The tests saw inert units of the B61-12 successfully released from the F-35A aircraft, confirming the end-to-end performance of the aircraft, aircrew, and weapon under operational conditions.
• The US National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA), in collaboration with Sandia National Laboratories, described the trials as the only B61-12 stockpile flight tests using joint test assemblies on the F-35 platform this year.
• These tests represent a critical step in evaluating the operational readiness of the weapon and its delivery platform.
• The successful tests validate the bomb's compatibility with the F-35, an advanced stealth fighter, and reaffirm its reliability for future nuclear missions.

About the B61-12: Multiyear life extension programme completed

The B61-12, part of the US nuclear arsenal since its development, recently underwent a multiyear life extension programme completed by NNSA in late 2024, extending its service life by at least 20 years.

The life extension programme addresses all known age-related concerns found within the nation's stockpile of B61 weapons, upgrades encryption algorithms, modernises the safety and use-control features of the weapon and supports compatibility with future aircraft designs, as per Sandia National Laboratories.

The refurbished B61-12's full-scale production started in May, with completion expected in 2026.

Other tests completed successfully: Check details

Beyond the successful flight tests, the series included the first-ever thermal preconditioning of a joint test assembly for carriage on the F-35. This preconditioning process, which involved testing the bomb under extreme conditions before release, ensured that the B61-12 met environmental standards required for real-world deployment.

An advancement to the B61 nuclear gravity bomb, deployed from the US Air Force and North Atlantic Treaty Organization bases since 1968, the B61-12 is a modification of the B61 and has an extended service life of at least 20 years.

(With inputs from ANI)