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Objectives for the Future Nuclear Weapons Enterprise

The Reliable Replacement Warhead Program September 29, 2006 Susan Stoner Office of Transformation Defense Programs National Nuclear Security Administration. Future. Today. Objectives for the Future Nuclear Weapons Enterprise. Nuclear Posture Review The New Triad.

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Objectives for the Future Nuclear Weapons Enterprise

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  1. The Reliable Replacement Warhead ProgramSeptember 29, 2006Susan StonerOffice of TransformationDefense ProgramsNational Nuclear Security Administration

  2. Future Today Objectives for the FutureNuclear Weapons Enterprise Nuclear Posture Review The New Triad “…I am committed to achieving a credible deterrent with the lowest-possible number of nuclear weapons ….” President Bush, May 2001 Nuclear and non-nuclear strike capabilities Command and Control, Intelligence, Planning Responsive Infrastructure Defenses

  3. Our Challenge • We assess increased risk in assuring long-term safety, security and reliability of today’s Cold War stockpile. • The current nuclear weapons complex is not sufficiently “responsive” to fixing technical problems in the stockpile, or to reacting to potential adverse geopolitical change. We must ensure a safe, secure, and reliable nuclear deterrent for the foreseeable future. Response: Explore a new approach to sustaining the stockpile and supporting infrastructure.

  4. The Reliable Replacement Warhead • The Reliable Replacement Warhead (RRW) program is structured to: • Sustain existing military capabilities • Assure long-term confidence in stockpile reliability • Enhance stockpile safety and security • Use replacement components and assemblies that are easier to manufacture • Exercise critical skills • Help develop a responsive infrastructure • Enable a reduced stockpile size • Decrease the likelihood of underground nuclear testing The RRW program is structured to provide a vehicle for long-term sustainability of the nuclear deterrent.

  5. RRW Decreases the Likelihood of Underground Nuclear Testing • Highly optimized Cold War systems are designed close to performance “cliffs” • Sensitive to small changes • Relaxed constraints facilitate RRW design far from performance “cliffs” • More resilient to change • Confidence in predicting RRW performance without testing based on use of previous nuclear test data with stockpile stewardship tools RRW is enabled by the success of the Stockpile Stewardship Program.

  6. A Successful RRW ProgramEnables Transformation

  7. Future Today RRW and Responsive Infrastructure Change the Way We Manage Risk Increased confidence in warhead designs and demonstration of a responsive infrastructure will enable a reduction in stockpile size.

  8. Nuclear Weapons CouncilRRW Feasibility Study • Joint Navy-Air Force group overseeing an RRW design competition (two teams) • Assessing feasibility of RRW concept • Recommending preferred RRW design • Evaluation criteria • Not negotiable: certain safety requirements and certifiable without underground nuclear testing • All other attributes trade-able • Study to be complete November 2006 • Nuclear Weapons Council decides if RRW is feasible and recommends preferred design • Congress must appropriate funds to proceed • President authorizes RRW entry into the stockpile

  9. Summary • The RRW program is underway with close cooperation between the NNSA and DoD. • NNSA has a complimentary effort to develop a strategy to transform to a responsive nuclear weapons complex. • A successful RRW program will assure, over the long term, the Nation’s ability to sustain the nuclear deterrent, while enabling a smaller, safer, more secure, stockpile with a reduced likelihood that we will ever need to conduct an underground nuclear test.

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