The F-35A has been operationally certified to carry the B61-12 thermonuclear gravity bomb, a spokesman for the F-35 Joint Program Office told Breaking Defense, UNN reports.
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Some F-35As will now be able to carry the B61-12, officially making the stealth fighter a "dual" aircraft that can carry both conventional and nuclear weapons.
The F-35A is the first 5th generation aircraft capable of using nuclear weapons and the first new platform (fighter or bomber) to achieve this status since the early 1990s.
This F-35 nuclear certification effort is the culmination of 10+ years of intense effort within a nuclear enterprise comprised of 16 different government and industry stakeholders.
The F-35A received nuclear certification ahead of schedule, providing the United States and NATO with a critical capability that supports the United States' expanded deterrence commitment earlier than expected.