A group of 43 Republican Senators is vowing to oppose any additional reductions to the nation’s nuclear weapons stockpile, calling President Obama’s suggestion earlier this week that the U.S. could reduce its nuclear arsenal below the ceiling set by the New START Treaty “ill-advised.” Obama reaffirmed the Administration’s plans to reduce the nation’s stockpile earlier this week when he said “I can already say with confidence that we have more nuclear weapons than we need,” and it is expected that the Pentagon’s Nuclear Posture Review implementation study will facilitate additional cuts to the stockpile. The Republicans, led by Sen. Jon Kyl (R-Ariz.), noted in a March 27 letter that former U.S. Strategic Command chief Gen. Kevin Chilton said in 2010 that the New START Treaty force levels were adequate to maintain the nation’s nuclear deterrent. “In light of this comment—and the fact that your administration is still engaged in a study of our nuclear forces—it would certainly seem premature, and quite possibly incorrect, to claim that we can further reduce our nuclear arsenal,” the Republican Senators wrote. “This is especially so given that reductions to even New START force levels were predicated on the successful completion of a nuclear modernization program that has lost your full support and now appears delayed.”
43 REPUBLICAN SENATORS VOW TO OPPOSE ADDITIONAL STOCKPILE CUTS
Chilton’s view, however, was not held by his successor at StratCom, Gen. Robert Kehler. In testimony before the Senate Armed Services Committee Tuesday, Kehler seemed open to the idea of further reductions. “I think there are opportunities to reduce further, but I think that there are factors that bear on that ultimate outcome,” he said. “And rather than get into those, which I don’t think would be appropriate, I would just simply say I do think there are opportunities here, but recognizing that there are some factors that bear on this.”
Y-12 completes B61-13 canned subassembly production early
The National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA) said Thursday its Y-12 National Security Complex has completed production and acceptance testing of the B61-13’s canned subassemblies, finishing the work roughly seven months ahead of schedule. The milestone fulfills a timeline NNSA Administrator Brandon Williams projected in an August interview with Exchange Monitor, when he said the remaining […]