Topic: B61 Bomb

The National Nuclear Security Administration approved the final development stage for an $11 billion upgrade to the B61 nuclear bomb. The new high-precision version is reportedly 80 times more powerful than the bomb dropped on Hiroshima. This program stands in contrast to President Obama's 2009 pledge to seek a world without nuclear weapons.

The U.S. Air Force recently announced a successful test of an inert B61-12 nuclear gravity bomb. While the test occurred a month prior, the announcement coincided with other military displays. Additionally, the U.S. Army is reportedly developing new kinetic energy weapons to counter Russian nuclear technology.