United States Air Force conducts test-drops of dummy nukes

[Hindustani78]

By: Stephen Losey, October 7, 2016 (Photo Credit: Air Force)

The Air Force dropped two mock nuclear weapons at the Tonopah Test Range in Nevada earlier this month in a test of a key element of the nation's nuclear triad.

The tests, which Global Strike Command conducted with the Energy Department's National Nuclear Security Administration, had two B-2A Spirit stealth bombers from the 509th Bomber Wing of Whiteman Air Force Base in Missouri drop joint test assemblies of the B61-7 and B61-11 nuclear bombs, NNSA said in a Thursday release.

"The B61 is a critical element of the U.S. nuclear triad and the extended deterrent," said Brig. Gen. Michael Lutton, NNSA's principal assistant deputy administrator for military application, in the release. "The recent surveillance flight tests demonstrate NNSA's commitment to ensure all weapon systems are safe, secure and effective."

The joint test assemblies, or JTAs, are mock-ups of nuclear weapons that have no nuclear materials and cannot detonate in a nuclear explosion, NNSA said. They have sensors and instruments to collect data on how well they performed, and a flight recorder to store that data.

NNSA sought to get data on how reliable and accurate the bombs perform in real-world situations, which scientists will then use in computer simulations from the Sandia National Laboratories to make sure they're reliable and working as designed.

The B61-11 is an unguided earth-penetrating weapon designed to destroy underground targets, according to the Federation of American Scientists.

The tests come amid rising tensions between Russia and NATO, including increased nuclear saber-rattling from Russia that has alarmed many in the West.

Last year, Russia warned Denmark that if it joined Nato's ballistic missile defence shield, its warships could become the target of nuclear strikes.

 

[Hindustani78]

B 2 just 21 are being produced.
Ceiling: 50,000 feet (15,240 meters)
It can fly 6,000 nautical miles unrefueled and 10,000 nautical miles with just one aerial refueling. With its ability to carry more than 20 tons of conventional and nuclear ordnance and deliver it precisely under any weather conditions

Twenty one aircraft were built in the original B-2 fleet. Today, the fleet consists of 20 aircraft, following the loss, in February 2008, of the Spirit of Kansas, which crashed while taking off from Andersen Air Force Base, Guam, the only such incident in the B-2's more than 20 years of operation. Nineteen B-2s are currently based at Whiteman Air Force Base, Mo., home of the 509th Bomb Wing, while one aircraft is assigned to flight testing at Edwards AFB, Calif. to validate software and weapon systems upgrades.


B-2 is capable of carrying 40,000 lb (18,000 kg) of ordnance.

B61 nuclear bomb is one of the primary thermonuclear weapons in the U.S.

The weapon is 11 ft 8 in (3.56 m) long, with a diameter of about 13 inches (33 cm). Basic weight is about 700 pounds (320 kg)

Blast yield 0.3–340 kilotons

As of late 2013, there were 200 B61 bombs actively in use by the United States. Of these, 180 were deployed with NATO allies in Europe.

 

[Hindustani78]

https://sputniknews.com/asia/201708241056766677-us-palau-radar-system-korea/

The Pentagon and Palau, a nation of more than 500 islands and islets in Oceania, have mutually agreed to install a radar system to help the US monitor the local air domain while respecting the integrity of the National Marine Sanctuary in Koror, Palau.

On Thursday, the Defense Department and Office of Palau President Tommy Remengesau said they were finalizing joint plans to install an unspecified radar system on the island chain, Channel News Asia reports. While the parties have agreed in principle to move forward with the plans, the radar’s geographic placement has yet to be solidified.

According to a Compact of Free Association signed by former President Bill Clinton on October 1, 1994, Palau does not maintain a military and is reliant on Washington for its defense needs. The island nation is approximately 1,300 kilometers southwest of Guam, a US territory that the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea recently threatened to strike with intercontinental ballistic missiles.

“Installation of the radar systems will greatly enhance Palau’s surveillance and enforcement of the Palau National Marine Sanctuary,” a statement from Remengesau’s office reads. The project promises to bring economic opportunities for “Palauan citizens to construct and operate the sites and training for Palauan officials to interpret and make use of the collected maritime data,” the statement added.

Negotiations for the proposal began July 18 for the reception of one Air Domain Awareness (ADA) tower and one Maritime Domain Awareness (MDA), a DoD announcement says. US Defense officials arrived in Palau August 16 to discuss the plans with local stakeholders. The next day, technical teams from both sides convened to discuss the plan’s details.

“Palau and the US agreed to narrow down the scope of the remaining details, which, due to their sensitive nature cannot be disclosed at this time, according to Palau’s Press Secretary Olkeriil Kazuo,” the August 22 release states.

“This project is essential to the well-being of the Republic of Palau’s air and maritime domains, as well as to the ability of the United States to maintain its defense of the Republic of Palau. The sites provided, which have yet to be finalized, have been chosen with an eye on minimizing environmental impacts,” the announcement said.

Palau was a United Nations Trust Territory of the Pacific Ocean following World War Two and was administered by the US until Washington recognized Palau as an independent nation in 1994, according to the US State Department.