The United States is reportedly developing a nuclear weapon that is said to be 24 times more powerful than the bomb dropped on Hiroshima in 1945. The bomb, known as the B61-13, is a modified version of the B61 gravity bomb that was originally created during the Cold War in the 1960s. The Department of Defense (DoD) announced this development last week.
According to a report by Newsweek, if the B61-13 bomb were to be dropped on Moscow, it could potentially kill over 300,000 Russians. The bomb is intended to enhance deterrence against adversaries and provide President Joe Biden with additional options against certain military targets.
The Department of Defense stated in a press release that the B61-13 bomb would be deliverable by modern aircraft, replacing some of the B61-7s in the current nuclear stockpile. It would have a yield similar to the B61-7, but higher than that of the B61-12.
Assistant Secretary of Defense for Space Policy, John Plumb, emphasized the importance of assessing and fielding capabilities that can effectively deter and respond to strategic attacks, while also assuring allies.
According to a Nukemap simulation developed by historian Alex Wellerstein, the B61-13 bomb, if detonated over Moscow at its maximum estimated yield of 360 kilotons of TNT, would result in the deaths of more than 300,000 people. In comparison, the bomb dropped on Hiroshima had a blast yield of 15 kilotons.
The simulation suggests that anything within a half-mile radius of the detonation site would be instantly vaporized by a massive fireball. Buildings would be demolished, and those within a mile of the blast would likely be killed. Furthermore, those within two miles of the detonation site would succumb to radiation exposure within a month, and approximately 15% of survivors would eventually die from cancer. The total number of injuries is estimated to be 868,860, according to Nukemap.
In related news, Russian President Vladimir Putin recently signed a law revoking Russia’s ratification of the Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban Treaty. Russia stated that it will only resume testing if the United States does so as well, and that this action does not affect its nuclear posture or the sharing of information about its nuclear activities.
Putin warned that if an attack of this nature were detected, Russia would respond with a massive number of missiles that would leave no chance of survival for the enemy.
