President Donald Trump and his generals are ready to use tactical nuclear weapons against North Korea and its hereditary leader, Kim Jung-un.
In early January, the Pentagon sent three B-2 Spirit strategic stealth bombers along with approximately 200 Airmen attached to the 509th Bomb Wing to the Andersen Air Force Base located on Guam in Micronesia in the western Pacific Ocean, according to Business Insider.
The nuclear capable B-2s join an unspecified number of B-1B Lancers deployed to Guam to support the US Pacific Command’s (USPACOM) Continuous Bomber Presence mission. B-52 bombers are also stationed at the airbase.
The B-2 and B-52 comprise the air wing of the US nuclear triad. Both aircraft carry nuclear air-launched cruise missiles and also the B-61 gravity tactical nuclear bomb. It is currently the primary thermonuclear weapon in the “Enduring Stockpile” arsenal established after the Cold War. As of 2004, the arsenal included 5,886 strategic warheads and 1,120 tactical weapons. Of this number, 1,600 are B-61 and B-83 gravity bombs. The arsenal also includes 320 nuclear warheads for Tomahawk missiles.
The B-61 underwent modification and tests in October 2015. “The bomb has two key difference” from an earlier version, notes Russian military analyst Viktor Murakhovsky. “It has the so-called scalable nuclear yield which allows for controlling the yield to a certain extent. In addition, its aerodynamic configuration and control surface makes the bomb extremely high-precision. The previous versions were developed several decades ago. Since nuclear warheads have limited operational time they need to be replaced from time to time. With the new bomb, the US has incorporated high-precision developments with the scalable nuclear yield technology.”
Known as a nuclear bunker buster, the B-61 is designed to penetrate underground facilities, making it an ideal candidate for use against North Korea. It is estimated North Korea has hundreds of underground bunkers. In 2009, it was reported the regime planned to build over a thousand of these bunkers, many serving as decoys.
In 2010, it was reported by the Hong Kong bureau of the Canadian defense information center that Kim Jung-un has a huge underground command center built inside Mount Baekdusan near the border of China. It is speculated the bunker is located near China so Kim and his associates can seek asylum if war breaks out.
In December, Trump unveiled a new security strategy that includes the use of nuclear weapons. His National Security Strategy (NSS) document is critical of previous administrations downgrading the role of nuclear weapons in the US security strategy.
[READ MORE]
*If you are a Newsbud Community Member, you must log in to view full content.