The U.S. military in early August held a second test of its B61-12 gravity nuclear bombs at Tonopah Test Range in Nevada, the National Nuclear Security Administration said in a statement Monday.
"The non-nuclear test assemblies, which were dropped from an F-15E based at Nellis Air Force Base, evaluated the weapon's non-nuclear functions and the aircraft's capability to deliver the weapon," said the NNSA.
President Donald Trump has called for the U.S. to "greatly strengthen and expand its nuclear capability until such time as the world comes to its senses regarding nukes," a message he campaigned on and one he has reiterated during the first eight months of his presidency.
The B61-12 bomb replaces older versions in the nation's nuclear arsenal, and is considered "the most dangerous nuclear bomb ever produced." The bomb is more accurate than ever, and its yield can be adjusted from a high of 50,000 tons of TNT equivalent to a low of 300 tons.
The test comes as tensions with North Korea continue to escalate. North Korean leader Kim Jong Un's military launched a missile over Japan Tuesday, and Trump said, "all options are on the table" in terms of a U.S. response.