WASHINGTON (NewsNation) — The U.S. Department of Defense (DOD) is urging Congress to authorize the production of a significantly more powerful nuclear bomb, surpassing the capabilities of the two bombs employed in World War II. Military officials argue these weapons are crucial for safeguarding Americans against escalating global threats.
Last week, military leaders announced their plan to pursue the production of the B61-13 nuclear gravity bomb, a weapon 24 times more powerful than the bomb dropped on Hiroshima, Japan during World War II.
“If you look at the bombs of Japan in Hiroshima, Nagasaki, approximately each of those bombs, killed 80,000 civilians at one location and 40,000 at another. So multiply that times 24, and that’ll give you a good perspective of the dynamics of this weapon, and how far we’ve come technologically to advancing our nuclear armaments,” said Donald Bramer, a former naval intelligence officer.
In a statement, Assistant Secretary of Defense for Space Policy John Plumb said the need for the nuclear weapon reflects “a changing security environment and growing threats from potential adversaries.”
“This is as serious of a topic as we will hear about this year,” said Republican Mississippi Sen. Roger Wicker.
Earlier this month, on Capitol Hill, the Senate Armed Services Committee emphasized the nation’s nuclear strategy. Leaders from both sides of the aisle expressed concerns about persistent threats from adversaries such as Russia, which recently withdrew from a nuclear threat ban treaty, and North Korea, which continues to conduct numerous weapons tests.
“To prevent war and keep the peace, it is incumbent upon legislators to commit – today – to a program of sustained innovation and investment. This is the only way we can reclaim lost ground,” Wicker said.
“This mission has become more urgent through Russia’s assault on Ukraine and because of China’s rapid strategic expansion,” said Democratic Rhode Island Sen. Jack Reed.
Just two weeks ago, the National Nuclear Security Administration announced that a team conducted an underground chemical explosion at a test site in Nevada. This action was aimed at improving America’s ability to detect nuclear explosions worldwide. Given the current push to upgrade the U.S.’s own weapons, some lawmakers are advocating for the country to be well-prepared.
“It is time to begin making the national defense investments required to deter the conflicts looming ahead,” Wicker said.
Bramer believes some see the U.S. in decline; however, the bomb’s pursuit signals our commitment to invest in strengthening our military.
“This is a good measure to show that we’re willing to invest. We’re going to invest in advancing our military force and our dynamic so that our allies can depend on us. A lot of allies have started to have doubts in America. It’s a good time; we need to do this,” he said.
Bramer added: “We have an aging nuclear fleet that is costing us more money than it should. And so it’s an efficient move as well, that long-term well, it has a huge upfront costs but will save taxpayers money.”
The DOD states that this new weapon will provide President Biden with an option against certain harder and large-area military targets while also discouraging adversaries from possibly targeting the U.S.
