The production of new U.S. nuclear bomb components for the B61-13 ended ahead of schedule

Defense Blog reported that the U.S. National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA) completed the “diamond shaping” process for all components of the new nuclear gravity bomb B61-13 at the Y-12 Tennessee facility three months ahead of schedule. This achievement came after the first batch of these bombs was completed in May 2025 (about one year earlier than the originally planned date) and has turned the program into one of the fastest U.S. nuclear weapons programs since the Cold War.

With a maximum yield of 360 kilotons (about 24 times the bomb dropped on Hiroshima), the B61-13 is set to replace the older B61-7 bombs and will be installed on the U.S. Air Force’s sixth-generation strategic bombers, the B-21 Raider.