The F-35A Joint Strike Fighter has been certified to carry thermonuclear weapons including the terrifying B61-12 thermonuclear gravity bomb as tensions between NATO and Russia hit a boiling point.
A spokesperson for JPO spokesman told Breaking Defence: “The F-35A is the first 5th generation nuclear-capable aircraft ever, and the first new platform (fighter or bomber) to achieve this status since the early 1990s. This F-35 Nuclear Certification effort culminates 10+ years of intense effort across the nuclear enterprise, which consists of 16 different government and industry stakeholders.”
They added: “The F-35A achieved Nuclear Certification ahead of schedule, providing US and NATO with a critical capability that supports US extended deterrence commitments earlier than anticipated.”
