B61-12 LEP sustainment begins after last production unit produced

The B61-12 nuclear gravity bomb’s life extension program has “fully transitioned into the stockpile” after its last production unit was produced in December, Sandia National Laboratories announced Monday in a press release.

With production complete for the B61-12 life extension program, the gravity bomb can now enter the stockpile for “sustainment,” the press release said, meaning it will be monitored through surveillance, assessment and maintenance to assure it can be deployed safely and securely. 

According to the press release, the program is still producing spare components, and will pursue “program closeout activities” into fiscal year 2026, which is consistent with 2025 Stockpile Stewardship and Management Plan published in October.

The B61-12 life extension began in 2008, and the gravity bomb itself is the oldest in the U.S. arsenal, with over 50 years of service since 1968. The life extension program includes replacing older modifications of the B61 in the stockpile.

The National Nuclear Security Administration coordinated with the Air Force to deliver the last production unit three years after the first production unit, which was produced in November 2021, the press release said.

The B61 family of bombs is currently deployed from the U.S. Air Force and NATO bases, NNSA said.