Overview
- Sandia National Laboratories and the NNSA said F-35A flight tests on August 19–21 at Nevada’s Tonopah Test Range successfully released B61-12 units, with support from Hill Air Force Base crews and aircraft.
- These were the only B61-12 stockpile flight tests involving the F-35 platform to date, covering both captive-carry and release events to assess operational reliability.
- The bombs were joint test assemblies without nuclear warheads, providing data for stockpile certification following a 2024 life-extension program that added at least 20 years of service life.
- The series featured the first thermal preconditioning of a B61-12 before F-35 carriage, confirming performance under real-world environmental conditions.
- The announcement follows late-October remarks by President Trump calling for more testing; Energy Secretary Chris Wright has said upcoming subsystem work will not involve nuclear detonations.