Vol. 29, No. 13 EnergySec tells Fox News he wants to build ‘more than 100’ pits
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Budget & Policy
DOE gears up for next round of federal buyouts, retirements
The Department of Energy has circulated its own Deferred Resignation Plan, akin to the Office of Personnel Management’s earlier “Fork in the Road” initiative, and responses are due Tuesday April 8, according to a Monday memo from Secretary of Energy Chris Wright. The new DOE buyout is spawned by President Donald Trump’s Feb. 11 executive […]
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Defense & Military
Hawk v. Dove: Wicker and others ‘reject’ arguments against Golden Dome
While Sens. Roger Wicker (R-Miss.) and Deb Fischer (R-Neb.) are pulling for President Donald Trump’s “Golden Dome” missile defense against nuclear adversaries, others are saying it is not cost effective. “We need to protect the homeland from as many dangers as are out there,” Wicker told the Exchange Monitor in the halls of the Capitol […]
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Budget & Policy
Dem AGs appeal lack of nationwide injunction for probationary feds
Nineteen states and the District of Columbia are appealing a U.S. District judge decision limiting temporary reinstatement of probationary staff at the Department of Energy and many other federal agencies to just states that sued the Donald Trump Administration over mass firings. Meanwhile, the U.S. Department of Justice, on behalf of DOE, the Department of […]
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Budget & Policy
Fleischmann wants most “robust” 2026 DOE budget reality allows
The chair of the House Appropriations Subcommittee for Energy and Water wants to see the Department of Energy’s nuclear-related programs receive as much money as realistically possible during a period of government cutbacks. “I want to see the most robust budgets that we can — understanding that we are in tight fiscal times,” Rep. Chuck […]
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Delivery Systems & Nuclear Triad
Sentinel design changes considered in Minuteman III silos, Cramer says
Sen. Kevin Cramer (R-N.D.) said Tuesday the U.S. Air Force might be able to re-use some Minuteman III silos to house the future Northrop Grumman LGM-35A Sentinel. Cramer, a member of the Senate Armed Services Committee’s strategic forces panel, also said the Air Force is increasingly discussing possible concurrent upgrades to house Sentinel at the […]
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Nuclear Weapons & Stockpile
DNFSB says NNSA improved project reviews but recommends nuclear safety tracking
The National Nuclear Security Administration has strengthened its infrastructure project review process, but should require more details on safety, the Defense Nuclear Facilities Safety Board said recently. The Defense Nuclear Facilities Safety Board (DNFSB) staff attended three project reviews and had other interactions with the National Nuclear Security Administration’s (NNSA) Office of Project Analysis, Oversight […]
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Warhead & Weapons Development
DNFSB finds power issues with Pantex nuclear explosive bays
The Defense Nuclear Facilities Safety Board said Pantex management and operating contractor PanTeXas Deterrence reported a loss of power in nuclear explosive bays the week of March 7. The Pantex Plant near Amarillo, Texas, is a National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA) site that services all U.S. nuclear weapons in assembly and disassembly, and also houses […]
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Delivery Systems & Nuclear Triad
Air Force nominee pledges support for the Sentinel
Secretary of the Air Force-nominee Troy Meink says that the future LGM-35A Sentinel intercontinental ballistic missile by Northrop Grumman is needed for deterrence. “The ground leg of the nuclear triad–Minuteman III and, over time, Sentinel–are foundational to strategic deterrence and defense of the homeland,” he wrote in written answers to the Senate Armed Services Committee […]
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Non-Proliferation
Iran’s supreme leader threatens Trump over nuclear weapons
Iran’s supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei said the United States. would receive a “strong reciprocal blow” if it commits any military “mischief,” according to a statement Monday. Khamenei’s comments come after President Donald Trump threatened to bomb Iran if the Islamic Republic did not comply with a nuclear deal, as part of his “maximum pressure” […]
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Non-Proliferation
Gabbard says Iran doesn’t have a nuke
Amid saber rattling between President Donald Trump and Iran, Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard told a Congressional panel recently Iran doesn’t have a nuclear weapon. Gabbard’s remarks came while testifying at a Senate Intelligence Committee hearing March 25. Gabbard said the U.S. Intelligence Community assesses that “Iran is not building a nuclear weapon, and […]
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Uranium Enrichment & Fuel Cycle
Tariff threats and Wednesday’s ‘Liberation Day’ could hurt Canada’s uranium supplier
While Wall Street focuses on the S&P 500’s worst quarter in three years due to trade-war threats, the nuclear enterprise could also face market slowdown as uranium stocks fall even further, according to published reports. President Donald Trump has imposed a 10% tariff on energy resources from Canada since early March. He paused the tariffs […]
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Naval Nuclear Propulsion
Navy leaning on new tech in new sub production, nuke director says
To build the equivalent of an annual 500% increase in submarine tonnage from 2004 to now, Adm. William Houston said the Navy is trying to leverage new technology like automated robot inspectors and drone-based monitors. “We now have automated robots to do inspections for us in tanks – that goes ahead and takes tank inspections […]
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Nuclear Weapons & Stockpile
NNSA held radiological incident exercise with 70 U.S. and Canadian agencies
The National Nuclear Security Administration hosted Cobalt Magnet 25, an emergency response exercise, with local, federal and international partners from the U.S. and Canada from March 14 to 21. The exercise provided a scenario of a notional nuclear power plant accident to allow response personnel to practice scanning for radiological materials, protecting affected populations and […]
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International
Wrap up: Russia’s modern arsenal and nukes in Ukraine; Deputy Secretary of Energy hearing; Rubio, Japan and ROK in Brussels; more
Russia’s top commander in Ukraine Gen. Sergei Surovikin discussed using nuclear weapons to prevent Ukraine from advancing into Crimea in the fall of 2022, the New York Times said March 29. The Times cited U.S. intelligence reports, which also reportedly said that U.S. intelligence agencies put the chances of Moscow using nuclear weapons between 5-10%, […]