Two German Tornado fighter jets were recently spotted at Edwards Air Force Base in California, carrying a nuclear bomb under the fuselage.
The image, released on social media by user TaskForce23, shows the jet equipped with a B61-12 nuclear bomb trainer, a non-explosive version of the weapon used for training purposes.
The B61-12 nuclear bomb is the latest variant in the B61 family, with selectable explosive yields of up to 50 kilotons of TNT. For comparison, the atomic bombs dropped on Hiroshima and Nagasaki in 1945 had yields of 15 and 25 kilotons, respectively.
Sören Schmelz, spokesperson for the German Bundeswehr Procurement Office, confirmed that the jets were in the United States as part of the “Silent Companion 24” campaign.
Guess we know why the Germans are in town (at least partially)
Luftwaffe Tornado 98+59 as EDGE02 with what appears to be a B61-12, returning to Edwards last week pic.twitter.com/jDzTdIU7cn
— TaskForce23 (@Task_Force23) September 3, 2024
“Both aircraft are currently in the U.S. for testing, which took place at Edwards Air Force Base, while instrumentation was conducted at the Tonopah Test Range in Nevada,” Schmelz said in an email to Newsweek. He added that both aircraft would return to Germany between September 11 and 13.
The Tornado aircraft is currently Germany’s designated platform for delivering nuclear weapons under NATO’s nuclear sharing arrangements, although it is expected to be replaced by the F-35 in the future.
This testing underscores Germany’s role in NATO’s nuclear deterrence strategy, amid rising global tensions. Germany’s continued participation in such exercises ensures it maintains the operational capabilities required for the nuclear mission under NATO’s framework.