Nuclear Security & Deterrence Vol. 19 No. 27 Emails Shed Light on Lockheed, Sandia Efforts to Extend Contract Bid
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Warhead & Weapons Development
Pantex Confirms Restart of B61 and W80 Work after ‘Code Blue’
Brian Bradley NS&D Monitor 7/10/2015 Pantex has resumed work on the B61 and W80 warhead programs after a “code blue” situation at the plant in early May sidelined operations on the programs for weeks, a Pantex spokesperson told NS&D Monitor this week. The NNSA Production Office (NPO) on June 1 issued two Safety Evaluation Reports […]
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Nuclear Weapons & Stockpile
JCS Chair Nominee Calls for Modernization of NNSA Weapons Complex
Brian Bradley NS&D Monitor 7/10/2015 The U.S. should modernize the Energy Department’s nuclear weapons complex to have a “full range of capabilities” to produce components for National Nuclear Security Administration life extension programs, Marine Gen. Joseph Dunford, President Barack Obama’s nominee to serve as the next Chair of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, stated in […]
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International
Would Renewal of 123 Agreement with China Open Bilateral Supply Partnerships?
Brian Bradley NS&D Monitor 7/10/2015 Renewing the 30-year-old U.S.-China civil nuclear agreement would allow bilateral nuclear supply partnerships if China becomes a larger nuclear supplier, Tom Countryman, State Department Assistant Secretary of International Security and Nonproliferation, stated in Congressional testimony submitted on Wednesday. “These export opportunities could support tens of thousands of high-paying American jobs,” […]
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Non-Proliferation
Review Rejects April MOX Cost Analysis, Estimates Downblending Would Cost the Same
Brian Bradley NS&D Monitor 7/10/2015 Released on Wednesday, an independent review of The Aerospace Corporation’s recent study of plutonium disposition options projects similar costs for the Mixed Oxide Fuel Fabrication Facility and a downblending alternative to dispose of surplus plutonium. The Nuclear Infrastructure Council posted the review, which essentially rejects Aerospace’s $47.5 billion life cycle cost […]
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Cleanup & Remediation
Wrap Up
AT SAVANNAH RIVER On Thursday afternoon, S.C. Gov. Nikki Haley’s Nuclear Advisory Council played host to U.S. Energy Department official Pete Hanlon, the assistant deputy administrator for the National Nuclear Security Administration’s Office of Material Management and Minimization, according to the Aiken Standard. Hanlon spoke about a recent study that priced the nation’s plutonium disposition […]
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Contracts & Procurement
Incumbent Honeywell Wins Kansas City Plant Contract
Brian Bradley NS&D Monitor 7/10/2015 Beating out at least one other bidder, incumbent Honeywell Federal Manufacturing and Technologies has won the management and operations contract for the Kansas City National Security Campus, which will extend the contractor’s 15-plus-year tenure running the facility, according to a press release posted today by the National Nuclear Security Administration. […]
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Delivery Systems & Nuclear Triad
Air Force 1-3 Months Away from Long Range Strike Bomber Decision, LaPlante Says
Pat Host NS&D Monitor 7/10/2015 The Air Force is about one-to-three months away from its decision on a contractor for its widely- anticipated Long Range Strike Bomber (LRSB) program, its acquisition czar said Thursday. Assistant Secretary of the Air Force William LaPlante defended the timing, saying it is more important that it gets started at […]
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Life Extension Programs
NNSA/AF Complete First B61-12 Development Flight Test
Brian Bradley NS&D Monitor 7/10/2015 The Air Force and National Nuclear Security Administration completed the first development flight test of the B61-12 gravity bomb at Tonopah Test Range in Nevada on July 1, according to a July 8 NNSA press release. “This test marks a major milestone for the B61-12 Life Extension Program, demonstrating end-to-end […]
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National Laboratories
Sandia Director Touts ‘Younger’ Demographic Despite Aging Nuclear Industry Workforce Concerns
Alissa Tabirian NS&D Monitor 7/10/2015 Sandia National Laboratories’ role in nuclear modernization has contributed to the retention of a younger technical workforce, according to Paul Hommert, outgoing president and director of SNL. Speaking to NS&D Monitor July 8 on Capitol Hill, Hommert noted the “continuing challenge” to “attract and retain good people” with the necessary […]
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Plutonium Pit Production
NNSA Extends Timeline for PF-4 Reinvestment Decision
Brian Bradley NS&D Monitor 7/10/2015 The National Nuclear Security Administration has not decided on a path forward for the third phase of Los Alamos National Laboratory’s Plutonium Facility Reinvestment Project—referred to as TA-55—after a decision was expected by July 5. “The NNSA continues to evaluate options for the TA-55 Reinvestment Project Phase III (TRP III); […]
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Delivery Systems & Nuclear Triad
State Dept. Fact Sheet Updates U.S. Strategic Force Quantities
Brian Bradley NS&D Monitor 7/10/2015 The U.S. currently deploys 449 intercontinental ballistic missiles, 248 submarine-launched ballistic missiles, and 88 heavy nuclear-capable bombers, according to a New START fact sheet recently released by the State Department. The document released July 1 lists the quantity of nuclear warheads for each category of deployed and non-deployed U.S. nuclear […]
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Budget & Policy
HASC-SF Chair Confident Congress Will Fund Nuke Modernization Despite Possible Impacts on Conventional Capabilities
Brian Bradley NS&D Monitor 7/10/2015 Rep. Mike Rogers (R-Ala.), Chair of the House Armed Services Strategic Forces Subcommittee, during a speech Wednesday on Capitol Hill said he is “confident” that Congress will support nuclear modernization even if it crowds out other planned defense investments. “Our recent HASC hearing made clear that DoD will fund the nuclear modernization […]
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International
Russia Is Greatest American Threat Largely Due to Nuclear Forces, Dunford Says
Brian Bradley NS&D Monitor 7/10/2015 Russia’s status as a nuclear power contributes to it being the greatest threat to U.S. national security, Marine Gen. Joseph Dunford told senators yesterday during his Senate Armed Service Committee’s confirmation hearing to become the next Chair of the Joint Chiefs of Staff. Sen. Joe Manchin (D-W.Va.) asked Dunford, currently […]
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Contracts & Procurement
BWXT, B&W Split Takes Effect
Alissa Tabirian NS&D Monitor 7/10/2015 The Babcock & Wilcox company split went into effect last week, separating the newly named BWX Technologies from the power generation spin-off Babcock & Wilcox Enterprises, the two companies announced. BWXT began trading under its new ticker symbol on the New York Stock Exchange, the announcement says. John Fees, executive […]
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Innovation & Infrastructure
Y-12 Making Progress on UPF Infrastructure Project
Alissa Tabirian NS&D Monitor 7/10/2015 The Army Corps of Engineers has awarded a $5.89 million contract to Emerald-A&H Joint Venture for site infrastructure and services at the Y-12 National Security Complex’s Uranium Processing Facility (UPF), according to last month’s award announcement. The “field readiness activities” to be performed by the contractor include the development of […]
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Stockpile Stewardship
DOE IG: Subcritical Experiments at NNSS ‘Effectively Managed’
Alissa Tabirian NS&D Monitor 7/10/2015 Los Alamos National Laboratory (LANL) and National Security Technologies (NSTec) effectively managed the subcritical experiments they performed at the Nevada National Security Site’s (NNSS) U1a Complex, according to a June 26 audit report by the Department of Energy’s Office of Inspector General. “Nothing came to our attention to indicate that […]
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Innovation & Infrastructure
NNSA Releases Draft Environmental Assessment as Part of Proposed Y-12 Emergency Ops. Center
Brian Bradley NS&D Monitor 7/10/2015 The National Nuclear Security Administration recently released a draft environmental assessment for a proposed new 17,000-square-foot emergency operations center (EOC) at Y-12 that would consolidate the Plant Shift Superintendent’s Office, the Emergency Command Center, the Technical Support Center, and the Fire Department Control Room from their present locations to a […]
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Naval Nuclear Propulsion
SSP Awards Lockheed $27.5M Trident Contract
Brian Bradley NS&D Monitor 7/10/2015 Navy Strategic Systems Programs has awarded Lockheed Martin Space Systems a $27.5 million sole-source, unpriced-letter contract for long lead material and the “labor, planning and scheduling necessary” to sustain the Fiscal Year 2015 Trident 2 production schedule, the Defense Department announced on July 6. Work is expected to complete by […]
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International
Nuke Experts Agree Putin’s Recent Nuclear Saber-Rattling Lacks Credibility
Lance Moore NS&D Monitor 7/10/2015 Russia is undergoing a full-scale process of rearmament and a costly modernization of strategic and non-strategic nuclear weapons programs, lagging behind the pace of U.S. modernization programs, according to a panel of nuclear experts, who in Washington yesterday said the slower pace discredits Putin’s recent nuclear posturing. The experts downplayed […]
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Nuclear Weapons & Stockpile
At Oak Ridge
Labor contract at Y-12 extended again With union contract negotiations apparently still unresolved at the Pantex nuclear weapons plant, the start of contract talks at Y-12 has once again been postponed so that Consolidated Nuclear Security – the government’s managing contractor at both production sites – can focus its attention at the Texas plant. Steve […]