The USA successfully conducted an important test of the B61-12 thermonuclear bomb, using the non-nuclear, inert version of the weapons system.
The test was carried out in August 2025, as revealed by the Sandia National Laboratories, which fall under the U.S. Department of Energy.
From 19 to 21 August, in the State of Nevada, a series of complex operational tests unfolded.
F-35 fighter jets undertook the transport and release of non-nuclear versions of the B61-12, as part of a collaboration between Sandia and the National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA).
According to the announcement, the test was deemed completely successful, as it confirmed that the F-35 can safely carry and drop the inert bomb, a critical element for the operational evaluation of the B61-12 as a next-generation gravity-type nuclear weapon.
A historic milestone for the B61-12
The announcement notes that one more significant step was achieved: for the first time, a Joint Test Assembly underwent a thermal pre-conditioning process specifically for F-35 transport before release.
This test is crucial, as it confirms that the B61-12 can operate within the demanding environmental conditions required by 5th-generation stealth fighters.
?? The United States has completed a series of B61-12 nuclear bomb flight tests using an F-35 at the Tonopah Test Range in Nevada.
— Defence Index (@Defence_Index) November 15, 2025
The trials, conducted from 19 to 21 August, involved the safe carriage and release of inert B61-12 units and confirmed overall system reliability.… pic.twitter.com/wqUET7RSS5
Life extension for the U.S. nuclear arsenal
The testing program follows the completion by the NNSA of a major modernization initiative, which extends the lifespan of the B61 family of air-dropped bombs by 20 years, at the end of 2024.
As Defense News also reminds us, the B61 family is one of the oldest yet most versatile nuclear platforms of American deterrent power, serving for over half a century in bases inside and outside the USA, including those of NATO.
The political background: Trump’s statements on restarting nuclear tests
Of particular significance is that the tests in Nevada preceded the widely discussed statements by President Donald Trump in late October, where he announced that the USA intends to “restart nuclear testing.”
In a post on Truth Social, Trump stated: “Because of the testing programs of other countries, I have instructed the Department of War to begin testing our nuclear weapons on an equal basis.
The process will begin immediately.”
These statements were interpreted as a direct response to reports that Vladimir Putin is promoting new nuclear tests.
However, the Kremlin clarified that these are not actual nuclear explosions but tests of nuclear-powered weapons systems, which could theoretically carry nuclear warheads.
It remains unclear whether real nuclear detonations are imminent.
Despite Trump’s statements, his true intention remains doubtful. The USA has not conducted a nuclear explosion since 1992, and any return to such testing would have enormous geopolitical significance.
Reports from American media speak of intense pressure within the administration urging the president not to proceed with such an escalation.
Officials are said to warn that any nuclear test could provoke a corresponding Russian move, leading the two superpowers into a new, dangerous era of nuclear competition.
Russia on high alert
The successful U.S. test of the inert version of the B61-12 thermonuclear bomb, and especially the ability of the F-35 to carry and release it, did not go unnoticed by the Russian leadership, which sees in these weapons not merely a technical development but a possible shift in the geopolitical and strategic balance.
Lowering the “nuclear threshold”
Mikhail Ulianov, director of the Department of Non-Proliferation and Arms Control of the Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, has stated that the B61-12 may “lower the nuclear threshold.”
The reasoning behind this is that the bomb, thanks to its higher accuracy and the option to select lower yields (yield), can potentially be used in a more “tactical” manner, something that makes the idea of using it in limited conflicts or at a local level more realistic, without necessarily requiring a full-scale strategic nuclear strike.
Ulianov argues that the deployment of the B61-12 in NATO bases in Europe, and especially its use by member-states of the North Atlantic Alliance that do not possess nuclear weapons, contradicts “their commitments” under the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT).
Countermeasures incoming
Sources from the Russian military and analytical community express the view that Moscow will be forced to take “appropriate countermeasures” against the “upgraded threat.”
Specifically, the possibility is mentioned of deployments or redeployments of Russian weapons systems, for example, movement of missile forces or force dispersion, so that Russia maintains its deterrent advantage.
Moscow has a history of accusing the USA of hypocrisy: in previous cases, the Russian side had labeled the B61-12 tests “provocative,” arguing that they reinforce the American commitment to nuclear weapons and maintain a “tactical” nuclear posture during a period of tensions.
China also takes action - Rejects Trump’s proposal for a trilateral agreement
China is watching developments with particular attention, criticizing the American side for the nuclear testing.
China officially maintains the commitment to the no first use policy (not using nuclear weapons first) as a core pillar of its nuclear strategy.
It views the modernization of the B61-12 not only as a threat but also as a factor that increases uncertainty and pressure on the U.S./NATO deterrence regime.
In recent years, China has accelerated the modernization and expansion of its nuclear arsenal.
Within this context, the testing and use of the B61-12 by the USA may be recorded in Beijing as part of a broader game of strategic competition, where China needs to “strengthen” its own nuclear power to maintain deterrence and balance.
Beijing has recently labeled as “irrational” and “unrealistic” proposals for trilateral disarmament negotiations (USA - Russia - China), emphasizing that its nuclear power is not comparable to that of the two superpowers.
This stance indicates that China does not view the current American weapons upgrades as an opportunity for agreements but rather as confirmation of the need to maintain or strengthen its own nuclear deterrent capabilities.
Through its rhetoric, China may be shifting attention toward the need for greater responsibility from the major nuclear powers, calling for moderation, transparency, and limits on armament. Meanwhile, the acceleration of its own nuclear capability, especially through new systems, serves as a forced message to Washington: China will not remain stagnant.
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