Development of nuclear bomb 24 times more powerful than Hiroshima's is 'significantly ahead of schedule'

The improvement of a atomic weaponry that would beryllium 24 times much almighty than the 1 dropped connected Hiroshima, Japan, during World War II is "significantly up of schedule," according to U.S. nationalist information officials. 

"The National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA) volition implicit the First Production Unit of the B61-13, a modern variant of the B61 atomic gravity bomb, this fiscal twelvemonth and importantly up of schedule," an NNSA spokesperson told Fox News.

"One of 7 warhead modernization programs to guarantee the reliability and effectiveness of the U.S. atomic stockpile, the B61-13 volition supply further options against definite harder and large-area subject targets," the spokesperson added. "NNSA accelerated transportation of the limb by leveraging manufacturing processes from the related B61-12 program, whose last portion was completed successful 2024, and implementing a scope of method innovations to optimize production."

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An aerial photograph of Hiroshima, Japan, soon aft the "Little Boy" atomic weaponry was dropped. Dated 1945.  (Universal History Archive/UIG via Getty images)

The process for the newest mentation began successful the Biden medication successful 2023, and it is present going into afloat accumulation 7 months up of schedule. A Department of Defense information expanse from 2023 said the B61-13 would "strengthen deterrence of adversaries," referring to the 2022 atomic posture reappraisal that observed U.S. adversaries similar China and Russia proceed to grow their atomic forces portion "increasing reliance connected atomic weapons." 

The atomic weaponry dropped connected Hiroshima was astir a 15-kiloton bomb. The DoD information expanse released successful October 2023 said the "B61-13 volition person a output akin to the B61-7, which is higher than that of the B61- 12." 

Citing defence officials, the Federation of American Scientists said the B61-7 has a maximum output of 360 kilotons, making it 24 times much almighty than the weaponry dropped connected Hiroshima. The B61-13, therefore, would besides beryllium 14 times much almighty than the 25-kiloton weaponry dropped connected Nagasaki. 

Sandia National Laboratories, where the caller weaponry is being developed, said the B61-13 programme "used innovative programme readying that resulted successful projected transportation 7 months earlier than expected, a much than 25% alteration successful wide clip to archetypal accumulation unit." Their connection cited "a captious situation and urgent need" for the acceleration and said the B61-13 "team reprioritized qualification activities, planned tests with U.S. Air Force stakeholders and jointly completed requirements with Los Alamos National Laboratory and NNSA." 

A postwar replica of the 'Little Boy' atomic weapon, which was dropped connected Hiroshima, Japan, successful August 1945. Circa 1946.  (MPI/Getty Images)

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"Their creativity successful strategy qualification enactment an assertive acceptable of plans successful question to conscionable stakeholder expectations," Sandia National Laboratories said. 

The connection comes a time aft President Donald Trump's nominee for NNSA administration, erstwhile Rep. Brandon Williams, faced disconnected with senators during his confirmation hearing. 

NNSA head nominee Brandon Williams testifies earlier the Senate Armed Services Committee connected Tuesday, April 8, 2025.  (Handout)

Williams notably testified that helium would not counsel the resumption of atomic detonation tests past conducted successful the United States successful 1992. He said the eventual determination would beryllium "above my paygrade" but that helium would not urge tests and alternatively preferred to trust connected "scientific information," specified arsenic machine modeling done astatine NNSA laboratories based connected information gathered from nonnuclear detonation tests. 

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His effect came during a enactment of questioning by Sen. Jacky Rosen, D-Nev., who cited however "millions of radical and acres of onshore were contaminated by radiation" during atomic detonation investigating conducted successful her location authorities during the Cold War.