Extending the life of B-61 nuclear weapons could cost $4 billion

[unhappycamper]

The B61-11, a tactical nuclear bomb, ceased production in 2008. The B-61 series weapons won't remain vital if they don't undergo a life-extension program.


Extending the life of B-61 nuclear weapons could cost $4 billion
By WALTER PINCUS
Tuesday, July 20, 2010

Any spy who listened to the directors of the three national nuclear laboratories testify before the Senate Armed Services and Foreign Relations committees could have gotten an advanced primer on the U.S. nuclear weapons complex and the stockpile of missile warheads and bombs.

The directors' prepared testimony and the National Nuclear Security Administration's Stockpile Stewardship and Management Plan for fiscal 2011 were also made available.

For example, the B-61 bomb, the basic U.S. nuclear weapon stored in Europe for use by NATO forces, probably will not remain "as a vital weapon system through the decade" without completion of its life-extension program, according to Paul J. Hommert, director of the Sandia National Laboratories.

The original B-61 entered the stockpile in 1968 as a tactical nuclear bomb. In those days, and for almost two decades, they were hung from F-4 fighter bombers on forward bases in Greece, Italy and Turkey -- on the perimeter of the Soviet Union -- with both U.S. and foreign pilots on 15-minute alert.

Those early B-61s had dials that could make them low-, medium- or high-yield weapons, with explosive power that could be less than, or far greater than, the Hiroshima atomic bomb. Beginning in 1985, a newer B-61-7 replaced the old ones. This strategic version has yields that range from 10 kilotons to more than 300 kilotons, the equivalent of 300,000 tons of TNT. Hiroshima was 12.5 kilotons.

[Tesha]

1. It's good to know that we still have money to burn on stuff like this.

Money for guns: Yes!
Money for butter: Hell no!

Tesha

[Tesha]

2. Kicking for the evening crowd... (NT)