At the Pantex Plant, Secretary Wright personally stamped the first completed unit, highlighting the collaborative efforts across NNSA’s national laboratories, production plants, and military partners.

This version builds on the technological foundation of the B61-12, which completed its final production unit just five months ago. The B61-13 incorporates advanced safety, security, and accuracy features from its predecessor but delivers a higher yield specifically designed to target and defeat hardened or large-area military installations.

The accelerated timeline was achieved through streamlined production methods and design process efficiencies. Engineers utilized decades of prior B61 design and testing data to make calculated decisions that reduced development time without compromising safety or performance. Some traditional design milestones—referred to as “design gates”—were combined or expedited to enable earlier production.

Just three months after congressional authorization and funding, NNSA had already begun hardware test builds—an unprecedented pace for a nuclear weapons program.

“Completing the B61-13 ahead of schedule, while upholding the highest safety and security standards and managing six other modernization programs, is a remarkable accomplishment,” said David Hoagland, Acting Deputy Administrator for Defense Programs. “The agility and innovation demonstrated here offer a blueprint for future weapons modernization efforts.”

The B61-13 gives the President expanded nuclear strike options, particularly against hardened or deeply buried military targets. In parallel, the Department of Defense will work with NNSA to develop a comprehensive strategy for defeating such targets, ensuring alignment with broader national defense objectives.

The B61-13 is one of seven active warhead modernization programs NNSA is managing.