The Nationwide Nuclear Safety Administration (NNSA) stated it accomplished ‘Diamond stamping’ of the brand new B61-13 nuclear bomb, that means it has met all the necessities of the rigorous certification course of.
The U.S. Nationwide Nuclear Safety Administration (NNSA) introduced on Jun. 8, 2026 the “diamond stamping” of all of the Canned Subassemblies (CSA) of the brand new B61-13 gravity nuclear bomb. The milestone was reached “three months forward of schedule” on the Y12 Nationwide Safety Complicated positioned in Oak Ridge, Tennessee.
The NNSA defined in a press launch that “‘Diamond stamping’ signifies {that a} weapon element has met all the necessities of NNSA’s rigorous certification course of and is authorised for deployment to the U.S. nuclear stockpile as ‘warfare reserve’ high quality.” The milestone additionally comes slightly over a yr after the Sandia Nationwide Laboratories (SNL) revealed the B61-13’s first Joint Check Meeting (JTA) in March 2025, and the primary accomplished bomb unit just a few months later in Might 2025.
The NNSA defined that the CSA element in a contemporary two-stage thermonuclear weapon contains the secondary stage capsule and “different components sealed (canned) inside a skinny steel container manufactured from chrome steel or aluminum alloy.” That is mixed with the first stage – the warhead’s nuclear explosive package deal.
🚨NNSA has accomplished “diamond stamping” of all deliberate B61-13 nuclear gravity bomb canned subassemblies (CSAs) for the present Fiscal Yr—three months forward of schedule at @y12nsc.
This early milestone underscores our dedication to delivering on President Trump’s nationwide… pic.twitter.com/BH90dCktTz
— NNSA (@NNSANews) July 8, 2026
The B61-13 has been described as a “trendy variant of the B61 nuclear bomb, the longest-serving and most versatile weapon in America’s nuclear stockpile.” The brand new bomb is designed to “defeat exhausting and deeply buried targets,” and will likely be licensed for supply by strategic bombers of the U.S. Air Power, together with the brand new B-21 Raider.
The B61-12 Life-Extension Program (LEP) and the manufacturing of the brand new B61-13 are being carried out in a means that doesn’t change the variety of nuclear gravity drop bombs within the U.S. stock. As we defined in a earlier report concerning the B61-12’s LEP in January 2025, the B61-13 will substitute a few of the B61-7s within the present stockpile and the variety of B61-12s to be produced will likely be lowered by the identical quantity because the variety of B61-13s produced.
Essential milestone
Within the press launch, NNSA Administrator Brandon Williams stated the progress on the B61-13 program demonstrates the Nuclear Safety Enterprise’s “means to reply to evolving geopolitical necessities with velocity and precision.” Williams additional added that “finishing the 2026 baseline deliverables forward of schedule is a transparent indicator of self-discipline and operational focus,” and “sends a message to our adversaries that our nationwide protection stays agile, safe and efficient.”
Moreover, a separate replace on the SNL web site reported 32 flight checks of inert weapons throughout the nuclear triad. Amongst these have been “one air-launched cruise missile check with the W80,” carried out on the Utah Check and Coaching Vary, and two B61-13 “earth-penetrator weapons.”
The company generically talked about “flight and floor checks,” however it’s unclear if the B61-13 additionally underwent drop checks. Additionally, the point out of the W80 warhead suggests a check of the W80-1 warhead of the AGM-86 Air-Launched Cruise Missile (ALCM), or the W80-4 meant for the AGM-181 Lengthy-Vary Stand Off (LRSO) missile.
B61-13
The B61-13 makes use of the older B61-7’s warhead, which had a yield starting from 10 to 360 kt, but in addition options enhanced security and accuracy mechanisms and improved parts. The B61-13 will reportedly have each decrease and better yield choices, from 0.3 to 1.5 kt, and between 10 to 50 kt.
It was my honor in the present day to stamp the primary accomplished B61-13 unit on the @PantexPlant!
This achievement indicators to our adversaries and allies alike that the U.S. is ready to fulfill the challenges of in the present day’s surroundings from a place of energy and safety. pic.twitter.com/1kgT3OF5Fa
— Secretary Chris Wright (@SecretaryWright) Might 19, 2025
A selected characteristic of the B61-13 is the flexibility to strike underground targets with “restricted earth penetration capabilities […] via smooth soil,” based on the Federation of American Scientists (FAS). After hitting buried targets, the B61-13 can explode with “yields equal to a surface-burst weapon of a couple of megaton.”
An F-35A flying at supersonic velocity carried out a drop-test of the brand new B61-12 guided nuclear bomb. The primary in a sequence of checks to certify the F-35A to be able to delivering the B61-12. Some 480 B61-12s will arm US and NATO plane. pic.twitter.com/CzMAj8BO4p
— Hans Kristensen (additionally on Bluesky) (@nukestrat) November 23, 2020
Just like the B61-12, the B61-13 too will likely be put via grueling stress, shock, stress, vibration, influence and environmental tolerance testing to evaluate that the bomb and its particular person components operate as deliberate. These embody being fired from a Davis Gun operated by SNL into an 8 toes deep pool, a Ahead Ballistic Affect check on a high-speed rail-mounted monitor and, lastly, checks from varied plane.
At present, the B61-13 is supposed for use solely by the B-21 Raider stealth bomber.
B61-12 Ahead Ballistic ImpactSource: Sandia pic.twitter.com/Sm1LRsy6oq
— Casillic (@Casillic) November 10, 2023
The event of the brand new weapon was first publicly introduced in October 2023. By March 2025, SNL revealed the B61-13’s first Joint Check Meeting (JTA) – a check article with out the dwell nuclear warhead for varied floor trials, in addition to aerial captive carry and separation trials.
In Might 2025, the NNSA introduced the manufacturing of the primary B61-13 nuclear bomb on the Pantex plant in Amarillo, Texas. This got here nearly a yr forward of “the unique goal date and fewer than two years after this system was introduced, making the bomb one of the quickly produced post-Chilly Conflict nuclear weapons,” the assertion stated.
B61-12 Ahead Ballistic ImpactSource: Sandia pic.twitter.com/Sm1LRsy6oq
— Casillic (@Casillic) November 10, 2023
Within the newest press launch, the NNSA highlighted: “The newer variant includes a increased nuclear yield, oriented to defeat sure tougher and large-area army targets, offering extra flexibility to the President’s nuclear response choices. The B61-13 is one among six ongoing warhead modernization packages that NNSA is executing to make sure the long-term reliability and effectiveness of the U.S. nuclear weapons stockpile.”
