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The US’s new megaweapon is said to be 24 times more powerful than the Hiroshima bomb. That is what the Ministry of Defense plans to do, it was announced this weekend. The US authorities confirmed corresponding reports – and also published a document with the most important figures and facts.
According to current plans, the new hydrogen bomb designated B61-13 will have an explosive power of approximately 360 kilotons of TNT. This means that a large city with several hundred thousand inhabitants could be wiped out in a matter of seconds. The weapon will also be equipped with the modern safety and precision systems of the predecessor B61-12 system. However, the previous model has a significantly lower explosive capacity.
It is also said that the B61-13 has the ability to penetrate Earth and explode there. This should also make it possible to blow up bunkers or fortified positions in the ground. The explosion force would increase again due to the explosion in the earth.
Armament from China?
The earlier model B61-11 was given a special warhead for this purpose to penetrate even deeper into the ground. It is not clear whether the B61-13 will also have such a warhead.
According to the Department of Defense, the nuclear weapon is intended to “provide the President with additional options against certain protected and large-scale military targets.” However, the production is not tied to current events; rather, it is a “response to growing threats from potential adversaries.”
The Pentagon is probably referring to China. Media reports in recent days revealed plans by the Beijing government to double its nuclear arsenal by 2030. The government of President Xi Jinping (70) wants to have more than a thousand nuclear warheads in its own arsenal by then.
Stationing of B61-13 probably only in the US
With a length of 3.6 meters and a weight of about 350 kilograms, the B61-13 would be identical to its predecessor. However, the new hydrogen bomb will only be dropped by futuristic bombers such as the B-21 “Raider”. Classic fighter jets such as the F-35 are not taken into account.
Therefore, the B61-13 must be based exclusively in the US. According to media reports, there are currently no plans to move it to external US bases, for example in Europe.
It is not yet clear how long the development and construction of the new mega bomb will take. According to US authorities, the White House has no plans to expand its nuclear arsenal. Instead, the B61-13 is intended to replace older nuclear weapon models. (zis)
Source: Blick
I am Amelia James, a passionate journalist with a deep-rooted interest in current affairs. I have more than five years of experience in the media industry, working both as an author and editor for 24 Instant News. My main focus lies in international news, particularly regional conflicts and political issues around the world.
