Nuclear Weapons Modernization

This project supports the B61 Life Extension Program (LEP), a critical national security initiative to modernize a key component of the nuclear triad. The B61 LEP integrates Department of Energy (DOE) efforts to extend the warhead's service life with Department of War (DoW) efforts to develop a modern, guided Tail Kit Assembly (TKA). This ensures the weapon maintains its operational effectiveness and mission characteristics. Programmatic integration of this joint Air Force-led program is accomplished through the B61 LEP Project Officers Group (POG) and its subgroups, in accordance with the National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA) and Air Force Nuclear Weapons Center (AFNWC) Memorandum of Understanding. This project is a new start initiative beginning in FY 2027. No funding was allocated in FY 2025 or FY 2026. The total cost of the B61 LEP Middle Tier of Acquisition (MTA) effort is $46 million, including RDT&E and procurement of prototype units. The B61 LEP is fully funded across the Future Years Defense Program. Funding will be used to award the prime contract and initiate critical engineering and integration activities. Specifically, this funding will enable: • System Engineering: To ensure the All-Up Round (AUR) technical integration is successful and all system interfaces are properly defined. • Aircraft Integration: To begin software development and testing to ensure the new B61 variant is fully compatible with threshold aircraft mission planning systems. • Test and Evaluation: To fund test planning, range coordination, and support for validation and verification activities, which are critical for eventual nuclear certification. • Program Management: To provide essential government oversight of cost, schedule, and performance, ensuring the program remains on track to deliver this vital capability to the warfighter. The acquisition strategy utilizes a low-risk, expedited Mid-Tier Acquisition (MTA) pathway by modifying the existing, highly reliable B61-12 TKA, which significantly reduces technical and programmatic risk. This funding is critical to maintaining the program's schedule and delivering a modernized, credible deterrent capability. This program element included all necessary expenses required to manage, execute, and deliver weapon system capability.

This project will deliver the Next Generation Nuclear Gravity Bomb, a critical capability to deter strategic attacks against the United States and its allies. This program directly supports a directive from the 2022 Nuclear Posture Review (NPR) to develop a comprehensive strategy for the defeat of hard and deeply buried targets. This is directly aligned with both the 2025 National Security Strategy (NSS) released by President Donald J. Trump, as well as the 2026 National Defense Strategy (NDS) released by Secretary of War Pete Hegseth. Both documents capture the need to modernize and adapt our nuclear forces to our overall national defense strategies. The primary goal is to successfully transition the current prototyping effort, conducted by the Air Force Research Laboratory (AFRL), into a formal acquisition program and establish a dedicated System Program Office (SPO). The SPO will be responsible for refining requirements, defining Key Performance Parameters (KPPs), overseeing technical integration, and managing the system lifecycle to deliver a credible and effective deterrent. This project is a new start initiative beginning in FY 2027. No funding was allocated in FY 2025 or FY 2026. During this pre-acquisition period, AFRL-led prototyping efforts were underway to mature key technologies and reduce risk for the formal program. The FY 2027 budget request of 10.066 million is required to formally establish the program and initiate critical acquisition activities. This funding is foundational to transitioning from research into a structured development program. Key activities in FY 2027 include: • Establish SPO: To fund operational costs necessary to establish the System Program Office, enabling management of the acquisition process to include oversight of cost, schedule, and performance objectives, and facilitate the execution and tracking of program milestones. • Acquisition Initiation: To begin formal acquisition of the Tailkit Assembly (TKA) by funding studies, requirements definition, development of the Request for Proposal (RFP), and source selection planning. • Test and Evaluation Planning: To develop the initial Test and Evaluation Master Plan (TEMP) and coordinate with test agencies for future activities. • Weapon Planning Kick-Off: To formally begin program execution and integrated planning across all functional areas.