Vol. 23, No. 41 
House Armed Services Chair Puts Long Odds on Blocking Low-Yield Nuke
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Budget & Policy
Brouillette to Succeed Perry, but Official Nomination Still Pending
President Donald Trump said he plans to nominate Deputy Secretary of Energy Dan Brouillette to replace Rick Perry as head of the agency responsible for U.S. nuclear weapons and Cold War nuclear-waste cleanup. Brouillette has been Perry's deputy secretary for just over two years. When Trump first nominated him, a source said the longtime insurance […]
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Plutonium Pit Production
NNSA Could Check Dilute-and-Dispose Plan to Accommodate Pit Production, GAO Says
The U.S. National Nuclear Security Administration’s (NNSA) plans to produce intercontinental ballistic missile warhead cores starting in the next decade could delay plans to dilute and dispose of 34 metric tons of surplus weapon-usable plutonium, the Government… SUBSCRIBER ACCESS Thank you for visitingNuclear Security & Deterrence Monitor! You must be logged in as a subscriber […]
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Nuclear Weapons & Stockpile
DNFSB Chair Says Board Staff Will Attend DOE Nuclear Explosive Safety Meetings
In an escalation of an ongoing turf war, the federal Defense Nuclear Facilities Safety Board (DNFSB) said last week it would send personnel to the Department of Energy’s secretive nuclear explosive safety study meetings, despite that agency’s position that… SUBSCRIBER ACCESS Thank you for visitingNuclear Security & Deterrence Monitor! You must be logged in as […]
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Budget & Policy
Inhofe Prepping ‘Skinny’ NDAA, in Case Politics Derails Annual Defense Policy Bill
The leader of the Senate Armed Services Committee plans to introduce a stripped-down version of the fiscal 2020 National Defense Authorization Act next week as a last-ditch effort to push colleagues to reach consensus on a number of partisan issues that have gummed… SUBSCRIBER ACCESS Thank you for visitingNuclear Security & Deterrence Monitor! You must […]
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Plutonium Pit Production
STRATCOM Chief Nominee Says NNSA Pit Plan Has ‘Issues’
Navy Vice Adm. Charles Richard, the Donald Trump administration’s nominee to lead U.S. Strategic Command, on Thursday told the Senate Armed Services Committee that there are “issues” with the National Nuclear Security Administration’s (NNSA) plan… SUBSCRIBER ACCESS Thank you for visitingNuclear Security & Deterrence Monitor! You must be logged in as a subscriber to view […]
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Delivery Systems & Nuclear Triad
Northrop Stands Alone on GBSD After Air Force Cuts Funds for Boeing Contract
The U.S. Air Force has pulled the plug nearly a year early on Boeing’s contract to mature technology for the next generation of silo-based, nuclear-tipped intercontinental ballistic missiles, the company said this week. This is another setback for the incumbent… SUBSCRIBER ACCESS Thank you for visitingNuclear Security & Deterrence Monitor! You must be logged in […]
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Delivery Systems & Nuclear Triad
Northrop Grumman Sees No Impact To GBSD Acquisition Strategy Despite Regulatory Review
By Calvin Biesecker A review initiated this month by antitrust regulators into Northrop Grumman’s compliance with terms of the government’s approval last year of the acquisition of Orbital ATK isn’t expected to impact the Air Force’s acquisition plans… SUBSCRIBER ACCESS Thank you for visitingNuclear Security & Deterrence Monitor! You must be logged in as a subscriber […]
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Contracts & Procurement
AECOM Has Exit Clause for Sale of Government Service Unit
Both AECOM and the investment group planning to buy its government contracting business could call off the deal if it takes too long to complete, according to a recent financial filing. AECOM plans to sell its Management Services business to Maverick Purchaser… SUBSCRIBER ACCESS Thank you for visitingNuclear Security & Deterrence Monitor! You must be […]
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Plutonium Pit Production
Judge Allows Nevada to Tweak Lawsuit to Seek Removal of Plutonium
Nevada will be allowed to seek removal of half a metric ton of nuclear weapon-usable plutonium sent to the Department of Energy’s Nevada National Security Site by amending a nearly year-old lawsuit, a federal judge ruled Monday. The state sued DOE and its semiautonomous… SUBSCRIBER ACCESS Thank you for visitingNuclear Security & Deterrence Monitor! You […]
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Nuclear Weapons & Stockpile
Environmental Groups Ask Judge Again: Stop UPF Construction
Environmental groups whose lawsuit forced the U.S. Department of Energy to partially redo an environmental review of its Uranium Processing Facility (UPF) on Monday asked the federal judge who ordered the do-over to halt construction of the next-generation weapons-uranium… SUBSCRIBER ACCESS Thank you for visitingNuclear Security & Deterrence Monitor! You must be logged in as […]
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Cleanup & Remediation
Key Opinion in SRNS Overcharging Suit Still Sitting with Civilian Board
An independent opinion that could help determine the outcome of a federal lawsuit claiming a Savannah River Site contractor overcharged the federal government by $5 million is still being decided after nearly three years, according to a status report recently filed… SUBSCRIBER ACCESS Thank you for visitingNuclear Security & Deterrence Monitor! You must be logged […]
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Contracts & Procurement
Boeing Defense Business Turns a Profit as 737 MAX Woes Weigh Down 3Q Earnings
Boeing on Wednesday reported big drops in sales and earnings in its third quarter as it continues to struggle with the grounding of its 737 MAX passenger plane, which it expects to return to service later this year. The safe return to service of the 737 MAX, which… SUBSCRIBER ACCESS Thank you for visitingNuclear Security […]
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Contracts & Procurement
Lockheed Martin Plows Forward With Strong Third Quarter
Lockheed Martin on Tuesday posted strong third-quarter financial results driven by gains in three of its reporting segments and the company raised its earnings guidance for the year due to a tax benefit. Net income increased 9 percent to $1.6 billion, $5.66 earnings… SUBSCRIBER ACCESS Thank you for visitingNuclear Security & Deterrence Monitor! You must be […]
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Defense & Military
Air Force RCO: December 2021 ‘Earliest’ Target Date for B-21 First Flight
The Air Force’s next-generation nuclear bomber is winding its way through production, but don’t expect to see it flying until December 2021 at the earliest, the service’s rapid capabilities office (RCO) director said Oct. 24. The service has its first B-21… SUBSCRIBER ACCESS Thank you for visitingNuclear Security & Deterrence Monitor! You must be logged […]
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Nuclear Weapons & Stockpile
NNSA Considering Small, Complex-Wide Recruiting Services Contract
The U.S. National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA) is mulling whether to establish an umbrella human-resources contract to help the entire nuclear security enterprise recruit and retain new personnel. In a request for information last week, the semiautonomous… SUBSCRIBER ACCESS Thank you for visitingNuclear Security & Deterrence Monitor! You must be logged in as a subscriber to […]