“Americans are modernizing their nuclear air bombs, while European members of North Atlantic Treaty Organisation [are modernizing] airplanes that carry such weapons”, Zakharova said. “Of course, this may lead to a strategic imbalance in Europe, and…this will make Russian Federation take according steps and countermeasures to establish parity because, naturally, this is not a step toward boosting stability, increasing trust or providing security in Europe”.
Advertisement
The Kremlin did not say what form the threatened countermeasures might take, but one source said a possible option would be the deployment of nuclear-capable Iskander missiles to Kaliningrad, Russia’s exclave on the Baltic Sea which borders Poland and Lithuania.
Russian concerns appear to centre on the fact the newer version of the bomb is considered more appropriate for tactical use.
The National Nuclear Safety Administration said in July that the upgrade included a new tail-kit assembly and would improve the bomb’s reliability and security. The television channel supported its claim with US budget plans envisaging the possibility of arming German Tornado attack aircraft with new nuclear bombs B61-12 already in the third quarter of 2015.
Pentagon spokesman, Army Lt. Colonel Joe Sowers, said “life-extended weapons are not “new” weapons”.
Advertisement
Considering the decision of the German parliament, the United States “is making steady progress” in the deployment of new types of nuclear weapons, the presidential press secretary said.
