The U.S. will rapidly send upgraded B61-12 bombs, the first guided bombs in its nuclear arsenal, to Europe, Politico claims , citing sources. Initially, the bombs were supposed to be delivered in the spring of 2023.
According to the newspaper, the speeding up of sending is mentioned in a diplomatic cable, which was sent to the Pentagon and the State Department after the defense ministers of 15 NATO countries met in Brussels.
The US was going to send almost 480 of these bombs to NATO bases in Europe in 2023-2024. They planned to replace the outdated B61. The publication claims that this is due to Russia's nuclear threats, which have become more frequent after the change in the situation at the front in Ukraine.
At the same time, Pentagon spokesman Patrick Ryder told Politico that "the modernization of the American B61 nuclear bombs has been going on for many years": "This is part of a long-planned modernization process. It has nothing to do with current events in Ukraine and has not been accelerated in any way.”
The publication writes that the decision could lead to an escalation of tensions and is more likely addressed to the European allies of the United States, who "feel particularly vulnerable to strikes from Russia."
The B61 family of nuclear bombs was developed in the early 1960s. Since then, the US has created 12 versions of these bombs, most of which are now obsolete. The modernization program with the help of the new B61-12 is estimated at $10 billion. According to it, they also want to replace about 100 bombs that are stored at air bases in Germany, Italy, Belgium, the Netherlands and Turkey.
On October 17, NATO began the annual Steadfast Noon nuclear exercise, involving 14 countries and about 70 warplanes. Politico claims that the United States announced its decision on the accelerated transfer of bombs to the allies a few days before the start of the exercise. They should end on October 30th.
On October 26, Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu announced that under the leadership of Vladimir Putin, a training session was held "to deliver a massive nuclear strike in response to an enemy nuclear strike."