As the fear of World War II rose, why did the United States build a gravity N bomb 24 times more than the “Little Boy” in Hiroshima?
American nuclear scientists arrived at the production of the B61-13 gravity bomb, such a powerful weapon that dwarfed the destruction seen in Hiroshima. reason? According to Sandia National Laboratories, this is an “emergency” and “critical” response to “growing global tensions.”
The bomb was originally produced in 2026. But concerns about conflicts – especially with Russia, China and Iran, have pushed that timeline to seven months. “In addressing critical challenges and urgent needs, the B61-13 program uses an innovative program plan, which is expected to be delivered seven months in advance,” a statement from Sandia said.
It’s not just a faster bomb. This is a more deadly one.
Destroy Hiroshima 24 times
The output of a single B61-13 is as high as 360 kilotons, or 361,000 tTNT. In contrast, the “Little Boy” dropped only 150 million on Hiroshima in 1945. The new bomb is unguided – the classic gravity bomb fell from the sky. But it is based on modern precision.
The Department of Defense said it would provide the U.S. president with “other options for certain hard and large-area military goals.” Translation: This is to penetrate the bunker, remove the hardened command center, and stop the opponent with horrible efficiency. Instead, it will gradually replace older models such as B61-12, currently stationed at NATO bases in Europe. These bases – in Belgium, Germany, Italy, the Netherlands and Türkiye – possess about 100 American tactical nuclear bombs. By comparison, Russia is believed to have over 2,000.
The fear of the old world war, the new enemy
The nuclear sprint did not occur in the vacuum. Trump’s aggressive global tariffs have put trade relations in turmoil and have increased pressure on already turbulent geopolitical dynamics. He threatened to bomb Iran, the floating plan took over Gaza’s plan, even warned Ukraine that the war would not stop, and even warned “World War III.”
In the background, the United States is preparing for something that has never been faced before: a triopolar nuclear world that walks with China and Russia as atoms.
Jill Hruby, administrator of the National Nuclear Safety Administration (NNSA), bluntly said: “The front-pole or multipole nuclear order is more complex than the bipolar nuclear order, and the new related deterrence theory has been developed less and has not been practiced.”
Speaking at the Hudson Institute, she added: “The new B61-12 gravity bomb has been fully deployed and we have increased NATO’s visibility into nuclear capabilities by visiting our businesses and other conventional engagements.”
Hans Kristensen, director of the Nuclear Information Program at the American Federation of Scientists, responded to Hruby’s comments: “It almost sounds like an official confirmation that B61-12 has begun to deploy B61-12 to Europe.”
There is no doubt that Russia warns that such deployments lower the nuclear threshold.
The Shadow of Chernobyl and the Ghost of the Cold War
Since the beginning of the Ukrainian War, Russia has reintroduced nuclear weapons into its military doctrine and rhetoric. It has been stationed in Belarus for tactical nuclear weapons, withdrawing from a comprehensive test ban treaty and even suggesting a space nuclear energy platform.
“Fighting in the nuclear area has raised concerns about potentially disastrous consequences and introduced new considerations in the wars of the 21st century,” Hrubi warned. She cited Russian attacks on chornobyl and occupation of Zaporizhzhia plants as red flags that nuclear sites are no longer restricted.
Meanwhile, the United States is seeking to rebuild its atomic industry. Decades after the end of the Cold War, the United States is restarting uranium enrichment, repairing collapsed Manhattan-era facilities and producing the “high explosives” needed to maintain its arsenal.
China’s opaque core ambitions
Along with Russia, China is now another key variable in the U.S. nuclear points. Once nuclear lightweight is declared a useless policy, Beijing will build new missile silos, develop early warning systems and modernize its delivery platforms.
“It seems they are moving from useless policies to initiating strategies,” Hruby noted.
The shift is due to rising tensions in Taiwan, technical sanctions and economic competition, all worsened by Trump’s strong tariff stance.
“We therefore focus on the use of export control regulations on important dual-purpose technologies,” Hruby added. “China’s nuclear policy is intentionally opaque and their willingness to engage in dialogue is limited.”
War games and real-world risks
What happens if you use B61-13? Destruction will be almost the end of the world.
Experts estimate in the Daily Mail that a strike in cities like Beijing could kill 788,000 people immediately, causing 2.2 million injuries and leaving thousands dead from radiation exposure. Survivors within a two-mile radius will suffer from radiation disease, with up to 15% likely to die of cancer in a few years.
It is this horror that advocates fear that weapons control – not only because of a bomb, but because the political climate justifies the establishment of it.
Currently, the United States has about 5,044 nuclear warheads. Russia estimates 5,580. Together they own 90% of the world’s arsenal. But the ancient logic of deterrence is to harm under pressure from new wars, new leaders and new technologies.
B61-13 may strengthen the US strategic attitude – but it is also a vivid symbol of the speed of training in the world at the edge of nuclear training.
As Trump’s tariff war pushes the planet to a deeper division, the new bomb may be not only a deterrent, but a warning.
