F-35A drops inert B61-12 nuclear bomb in first of new test series
Sandia National Laboratories has flight-tested a weapons drop of the B61-12 nuclear bomb from an F-35A aircraft.
Honeywell subsidiary Sandia National Laboratories announced on 23 November that it has successfully conducted a mock B61-12 weapons drop from a US Air Force F-35A Lightning II in a flight test that saw the fighter jet launch the bomb from an internal bay faster than the speed of sound.
The demonstration took place on 25 August at the company’s Tonopah Test Range, Nevada, and saw a modified B61-12 with a ‘mock nuclear explosive package’ launched from the F-35A from around 10,500ft, according to Steven Samuels, a manager of Sandia’s B61-12 Systems Team.
Between release and ground impact the weapon was
Already have an account? Log in
Want to keep reading this article?
Read this Article
Get access to this article with a Free Basic Account
- Original curated content, daily across air, land and naval domains
- 1 free story per week
- Personalised news alerts
- Daily and weekly newsletters
Unlimited Access
Access to all our premium news as a Premium News 365 Member. Corporate subscriptions available.
- Original curated content, daily across air, land and naval domains
- 14-day free trial (cancel at any time)
- Unlimited access to all published premium news
More from Defence Notes
-
![Why the Arctic could be Russia’s next target]()
Why the Arctic could be Russia’s next target
Moscow has been upgrading and re-equipping its bases in the Far North, and international affairs and defence experts say that the possibility of a war in the region cannot be ruled out.
-
![Amentum to provide ground support for US Navy hypersonic development]()
Amentum to provide ground support for US Navy hypersonic development
The US Naval Surface Warfare Center (NSWC) Crane Strategic Systems Hardware Division (GXW) has awarded Amentum a five-year contract with a potential value of $70 million. …
-
![Why delays in approving the FY2024 budget can widen the gap between Chinese and US capabilities]()
Why delays in approving the FY2024 budget can widen the gap between Chinese and US capabilities
Naval shipbuilding and restocking key munitions, as well as development projects, may be directly impacted by short-term funding measures.
-
![SOF Week 2023: USSOCOM chief highlights special forces lessons learned from Ukraine relationship]()
SOF Week 2023: USSOCOM chief highlights special forces lessons learned from Ukraine relationship
USSOCOM Commander Gen Bryan P Fenton has highlighted the importance of relationship-building between US SOF and their Ukrainian counterparts since 2014.
