US Air Force tests B-61 nuclear gravity bomb in Nevada desert

The video shows the F-35A releasing the B-61 bomb from its bomb bay while the aircraft flies faster than the speed of sound.

By Lauren Marcus, World Israel News

The United States Air Force, in collaboration with Sandia National Laboratories, successfully tested the integration of the B-61 nuclear gravity bomb with F-35A Joint Strike Fighter jets in a series of test flights.

A video of the testing was declassified and included in a press release from Sandia National Laboratories on Monday.

The testing took place in August 2020 in the Tonopah Test Range at the Nevada Test and Training Range, a restricted military zone under the authority of the National Nuclear Security Administration.

The video shows the F-35A releasing the B-61 bomb from its bomb bay while the aircraft flies faster than the speed of sound.

“We successfully executed this historic, first-ever F-35A flight test at Tonopah Test Range within the specified delivery criteria,” Brian Adkins, the range manager at the facility, was quoted as saying in the release.

“We’re not slowing down. We’re still moving forward with the B61-12 compatibility activities on different platforms.”

While the video does not show the bomb’s impact, the press release explained that the bomb struck the desert floor 42 seconds after being released from a height of 10,500 feet.

“We’re showing the B61-12’s larger compatibility and broader versatility for the country’s nuclear deterrent, and we’re doing it in the world of COVID-19,” said Steven Samuels, a manager with Sandia’s B61-12 Systems Team, in the press release.

“This was the first test to exercise all systems, including mechanical, electrical, communication and release between the B61-12 and the F-35A,” Samuels continued. “The latest test is a critical piece in the F-35A and B61-12 program.”

According to the press release, the F-35A is the fifth generation of the fighter jet . An Air Force online fact sheet describes the aircraft as an “agile, versatile, high-performance, 9-G capable multirole fighter.”

The fighter jet has advanced sensors and stealth technology.

According to the press release, nine countries – the United States, the United Kingdom, Italy, Netherlands, Turkey, Canada, Denmark, Norway and Australia – worked on development of the F-35A.