Thermonuclear · United States · 2021
B61-12
B61 Mod 12
Modernized version of the B61 family (in service since 1968), fitted with a guidance kit. The only tactical nuclear bomb still in US service.
See B61-12 in the 3D simulator- Yield
- 50 ktPublic estimate
- Energy
- 209 TJ
- Mass
- 350 kgPublic estimate
- Dimensions
- 3.6 m · Ø 0.34 mDocumented
- Type
- Variable-yield guided nuclear bomb
- Period
- Today
- Status
- Current
B61-12 releases about 3.3 times the energy of Little Boy (Hiroshima, 1945).
Key points
- At its estimated maximum yield (50 kt): about 3 times the Hiroshima bomb.
- At the estimated minimum yield (0.3 kt), the energy is only ~30 times that of a MOAB.
History
The B61 family is the most produced in the American arsenal. Version 12 replaces several older versions and can be carried by the F-35A since 2023.
- 1968 First B61s enter service.
- 2021 First production unit of the B61-12.
- October 2023 Certified on the F-35A.
How does it work?
A thermonuclear weapon (“H-bomb”) first uses a fission explosion, which creates the extreme conditions needed to fuse light nuclei (hydrogen isotopes).
Fusion releases a lot of energy per unit of mass and is not limited by a critical mass: this is what makes the megaton range and beyond possible.
One megaton (Mt) is the energy of one million tons of TNT, about 4.2 × 10¹⁵ joules.
Deliberately general explanations: the application provides no design or manufacturing information.
Frequently asked questions
How powerful is B61-12?
B61-12 has an estimated yield of 50 kt of TNT equivalent, about 209 TJ of energy.
What is the history of B61-12?
American “tactical” nuclear bomb, deployed in the United States and in several NATO countries. The B61 family is the most produced in the American arsenal. Version 12 replaces several older versions and can be carried by the F-35A since 2023.
What does the B61-12 explosion look like?
The Bomb Simulator shows the fireball, shock wave and cloud of B61-12 at real scale, over Paris, London or New York, with the sources and reliability of each value.
Sources
- B61 nuclear bomb — Wikipedia (overview, to be cross-checked)
- Status of World Nuclear Forces — Federation of American Scientists
Other weapons
- Trinity — 25 kt
- Little Boy — 15 kt
- Fat Man — 21 kt
- RDS-1 — 22 kt
- Hurricane — 25 kt
- RDS-6s — 400 kt
- Gerboise Bleue — 70 kt
- 596 — 22 kt
- Davy Crockett — 20 t
- Ivy Mike — 10.4 Mt
- Castle Bravo — 15 Mt
- RDS-37 — 1.6 Mt
This application is an educational tool. The animations and effect zones are simplified representations meant to illustrate orders of magnitude. They are neither a prediction of the effects of a real weapon nor a military planning tool.