 Editor in Chief Bill   | 24 May 2018 12:11 p.m. PST |
The Air Force is integrating the B61 Mod 12 nuclear weapon into the F-35 this year as part of a long-range plan to deploy a nuclear-armed, dual-capable F-35 able to give commanders a wider envelope of precision nuclear attack options… link |
| 15mm and 28mm Fanatik | 24 May 2018 2:34 p.m. PST |
This is the first time I heard about the F-35 being used as a nuke delivery platform. Interesting. |
| Cacique Caribe | 24 May 2018 4:06 p.m. PST |
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| Katzbalger | 24 May 2018 5:27 p.m. PST |
I don't know if I'd call it creative--after all, an early nuke delivery platform was the wonderful delta-winged A4! Rob |
| Cacique Caribe | 24 May 2018 10:01 p.m. PST |
Rob Lol. It's creative for an F-35. Dan |
| Andy ONeill | 25 May 2018 4:50 a.m. PST |
Precision isn't something i'd usually associate with any nuclear attack. |
| Old Wolfman | 25 May 2018 7:02 a.m. PST |
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| Cacique Caribe | 25 May 2018 7:23 a.m. PST |
Andy: "Precision isn't something i'd usually associate with any nuclear attack" Back in the days of the Cold War, didn't we already have ICBM missiles that could hit within 300 yards of their targets? We must have made some improvements since then, for sure. But, then again, at that point what difference does it make if you vaporize 300 yards further, right? Dan |
| Andy ONeill | 25 May 2018 11:24 a.m. PST |
Yep, that's my thinking.
I suppose precision can be relative. |
| bsrlee | 25 May 2018 12:39 p.m. PST |
Its way easier to recall an aircraft than a missile. |
| Cacique Caribe | 25 May 2018 12:41 p.m. PST |
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| Lion in the Stars | 25 May 2018 4:27 p.m. PST |
Wiki says the B61-12 is as accurate as a JDAM. Certain deeply-buried bunkers require either a small bomb on the front door or a much, much bigger bomb within 300m. Yield required basically goes up with the square of the distance. |
| Cacique Caribe | 25 May 2018 10:54 p.m. PST |
Lion: "Yield required basically goes up with the square of the distance." Is that the distance from blast to target? Dan |
| Lion in the Stars | 26 May 2018 4:03 a.m. PST |
Yes, distance from blast to target. If you can put that nuke within 30m of the target, even a 50kt blast will leave a big enough crater to eat the bunker. But if you can only get with 500m, well, you're going to need 225x the blast force (or more). |
