Inside the Ring

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By Bill Gertz INSIDE THE RING

The slides also show that the bomb's interface would be adjusted to fit it under the F-35 "to meet NATO requirements."

Also, four of the five deployed B61 versions would be combined into one, called B61 LEP, for life extension program.

"Today's requirements can't be fully implemented in current weapons," one slide states. "Most lack space needed to add required reliability, safety and security features."

The B61 also could be used by the military to target deeply buried structures, such as underground nuclear facilities in North Korea or Iran. A 2002 Pentagon nuclear review stated that the military has a very limited ground-penetration capability and that its only earth-penetrating nuclear weapon is the B61 Mod 11, an unguided gravity bomb.

While details of how the bomb would be upgraded are closely held, the upgrade likely would include adding a guidance kit like those used to convert conventional gravity bombs into precision guided munitions.

Maj. Winchester, the Strategic Command spokeswoman, said there are no plans to convert B61s into penetrating nuclear bombs. "Neither STRATCOM nor DoD is pursuing any nuclear penetrator capabilities," she said.

The Pentagon several years ago tried to develop a penetrating nuclear bomb to deter rogue states or terrorists from building nuclear, chemical or biological weapons in bunkers. Congress blocked the program.

China's anti-carrier missiles

China is moving ahead with development of an aircraft-carrier-killing ballistic missile that is likely the first step in a major new Chinese strategic missile program, according to a forthcoming report by Mark A. Stokes, a retired Air Force officer and former Pentagon China specialist.

The report provides new details on efforts by the Chinese military to convert DF-21 medium-range ballistic missiles into aircraft-carrier-killing weapons, viewed by the Pentagon to be key asymmetric warfare weapons in Beijing's military buildup.