B-61 Bomb Upgrade Adds Military Capability

February 28, 2014 | Edited by Lauren Mladenka and Geoff Wilson

Golden bomb’s new tail - “The U.S. government has published the first images of the Air Force’s new B61-12 nuclear bomb,” writes Hans M. Kristensen in the FAS Strategic Security Blog. “The images for the first time show the new guided tail kit that will provide new military capabilities in violation of the Nuclear Posture Review.”

--“The tail kit will increase the accuracy of the bomb and enable it to be used against targets that today require bombs with higher yields. The guided tail kit is also capable of supporting new military missions and will,according to the former USAF Chief of Staff, affect the way strike planners think about how to use the weapon in a war. The new guided weapon will be deployed to Europe, replacing nearly 200 non-guided nuclear B61 bombs currently deployed in Belgium, Germany, Italy, the Netherlands, and Turkey.”

--“Enhancing military capabilities of nuclear weapons (accuracy and yield) is controversial and Government officials in the United States and European capitals are trying to dodge the issue. The 2010 Nuclear Posture Review Report explicitly promised that ‘Life Extension Programs…will not support new military missions or provide for new military capability capabilities.’ But the guided tail kit is a new military capability and so is a different explosive yield.” Read the full report here. http://bit.ly/1eFRGtd

The Omnibus bill and the NNSA - “With the administration scheduled to put out its budget proposal for FY 2015 next week, we can now see where the FY 2014 chips have fallen, and get some idea of what the future may hold [for the NNSA],” writes Erin MacDonald for All Things Nuclear. “The final overall FY14 appropriation for the NNSA came in at $11.2 billion, a modest decrease from the Obama administration’s request of $11.7 billion, and also slightly under the agency’s FY13 funding. Of this, $7.8 billion (about 70 percent) is for Weapons Activities and $2 billion for Defense Nuclear Nonproliferation, with the remaining amount going to Naval Reactors ($1.1 billion) and the NNSA Office of the Administrator.”

--“While the overall trend was down—understandable in a year when the entire government is facing cuts—some programs fared better than others. In the Weapons Activities category, for example, Appropriators allocated $7.8 billion—virtually level with last year and slightly more than in FY12—while Defense Nuclear Nonproliferation fared worse, with a 7.1% cut from the FY14 request, but a nearly 19% decline from FY13.” Read the full report concerning the funding of individual nuclear weapons and nonproliferation programs here. http://bit.ly/1hvwSsW

Contentious amendment - “Senate Republicans on Thursday derailed a sweeping $21 billion bill that would have expanded medical, educational and other benefits for veterans — in another chapter of the ongoing feud over amendments, spending and new sanctions on Iran,” writes Juana Summers in Politico. Read the full story here. http://politi.co/1ksB651

Tweet - @ErshadAlijani: The American Legion Says #Iran Sanctions Measure Has ‘No Place’ In Veterans Bill via @thinkprogress http://bit.ly/1obgy18

Pelosi’s take - “House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) pushed back hard Thursday against those urging further sanctions on Iran, saying the lawmakers are throwing ‘sand in the face’ of the international negotiators working on a nuclear deal,” writes Mike Lillis for The Hill. “It is really important for us to give diplomacy a chance, especially since it was such a long road to get to this place. And it has to be very clear to the Iranians that, if this doesn't work, we have other options which we are ready to use," Pelosi said. Read the full article here. http://bit.ly/1fYE3WX

Money politics - “Dozens of major Democratic donors are urging congressional leaders to oppose any new sanctions or legislation that could jeopardize ongoing negotiations between world powers and Iran,” writes Sara Sorcher for the National Journal. “The letter, signed by 82 donors, the majority of them Jewish, could be a boon for President Obama's diplomatic efforts, which resulted in a controversial deal that curbed major aspects of Iran's nuclear program temporarily as negotiations to reach a permanent deal continue.”

--“The donors insist that lawmakers should be aware of Iran's threats that new sanctions—even if they did not take effect immediately—would be seen as a violation of the interim agreement and could rupture negotiations,” Sorcher says. Full article here. http://bit.ly/OHbcAH

Economic silver lining - “Much has been written about the economic benefit Iran will get if it agrees to compromise. Less attention, however, has been paid to the economic benefits the United States will reap from a nuclear deal,” writes Amir Handjani in The Hill. “America too will win from this scenario in ways few have imagined. A strong Iranian economy - once it has moderated its policies and compromised on the nuclear issue - can become the largest consumer of American goods and services in the Middle East. For 35 years policy makers in US have been preoccupied with how to confront and contain Iran militarily and politically. Billions have been spent on sophisticated weaponry and alliances have been formed with unsavory regimes all the while abandoning America’s greatest asset - its soft power through trade.”

--“Engaging Iran economically could be as beneficial for the United States economy and manufacturing base as it would be for the Iranian consumer. Over time sustained economic investment and trade can overcome years of distrust and enmity,” Handjani says. Full piece here. http://bit.ly/1hpU0th

North Korea launches ballistic missiles - “North Korea on Thursday launched what appeared to be tactical ballistic missiles into the sea, an unidentified South Korean Defense Ministry official said. The suspected missile drill by Pyongyang took place a few days after the United States and South Korea began their yearly joint military exercises, which are seen as one of the allies' biggest deterrence-messaging tools to the North… North Korea traditionally condemns the maneuvers and sometimes carries out timed provocations, such as last year's deployment of intermediate-range ballistic missiles to its eastern coast.” Full report from Global Security Newswire here. http://bit.ly/1lp8EEz

Pakistani command authority - “Pakistan's top leaders would not delegate advance authority over nuclear arms to unit commanders, even in the event of crisis with India, a senior official says. The revelation might slightly ease global concerns about Pakistani nuclear arms being detonated precipitously in any future combat, though plenty of potential hazards appear to remain.”

--“The longtime worry has been that Pakistani military units might be tempted to use battlefield nuclear weapons as a last resort. One possible scenario for such a move might be if Pakistani troops are in danger of being overwhelmed in any future war against India, which has a larger and more capable conventional army. The two nations currently field roughly the same size nuclear arsenal, numbering around 100 weapons apiece… The senior Pakistani official acknowledged, though, that ultimately any battlefield use of tactical nuclear arms is left in military hands, as would be the case in virtually any nation's combat operations… Asked subsequently about U.S. concerns regarding Pakistani security over its stockpile -- particularly after militants have attacked armed forces installations in recent years -- the senior official said nuclear safety is of paramount priority to the nation's leaders.” Get the full story from Elaine Grossman of Global Security Newswire here. http://bit.ly/1jE1Gsc

Events:

--United States Senate Committee on Armed Services, Subcommittee on Strategic Forces: Hearing on on nuclear forces and policies in review of the Defense Authorization Request for Fiscal Year 2015 and the Future Years Defense Program. Wednesday, March 5, 2:30PM. R-222, Russell Senate Office Building. http://1.usa.gov/1hqabH6

--United States Senate Committee on Armed Services, Subcommittee on Strategic Forces: Defense Authorization Request for Fiscal Year 2015 and the Future Years Defense Program. Wednesday, March 5, 9:30AM. SH-216, Hart Senate Office Building. http://1.usa.gov/1d1Q40t