ABQ Times

Sandia National Laboratories, along with the nuclear security enterprise, has reached a pivotal moment in the nation's nuclear deterrence program by completing the last production unit of the B61-12 nuclear gravity bomb. The final unit was finished in December at the Pantex Plant. Despite this completion, spare components will continue to be produced, and program closeout activities are expected to continue into fiscal year 2026.

Rich Otten, a senior manager at Sandia involved in the B61-12 Life Extension Program, remarked on this achievement: “It’s a tremendous accomplishment. For more than a decade, people have poured their time, effort and careers into making this a reality.”

The success of this project is attributed to collaborative efforts among several entities including Sandia and Los Alamos national laboratories, Kansas City National Security Campus, Pantex Plant, Y-12 National Security Complex, Savannah River Site, the National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA), and the U.S. Air Force.

The B61 bomb initially entered service in 1968. Through this life extension program, most older modifications have been replaced to prolong its service life by at least 20 years. Sandia's role as the design and engineering laboratory for nonnuclear components included ensuring aircraft compatibility amid changes to delivery platforms.

With full system production concluded, the B61-12 has transitioned fully into stockpile status. Scott Klenke from Sandia emphasized: “We want to take time to recognize and celebrate the last production unit... It’s a critical element to ensure we have a strong and viable deterrent.”

Sandia has also delivered several components for full-scale production at Kansas City National Security Campus and Pantex Plant. According to Klenke, ongoing work across NNSA and the Department of Defense will focus on stockpile surveillance activities for B61-12. These involve disassembling units at Pantex Plant and testing components at Sandia’s Weapons Evaluation Testing Laboratory.

Some units will be used for surveillance flight tests. Data from these tests support an annual assessment report essential for asserting weapon safety, reliability, and performance.