NEW REPORT FROM ANTI-NUKES CALLS FOR ‘CURATORSHIP’ OF STOCKPILE

A new report by the Alliance for Nuclear Accountability that will be formally unveiled today calls for a massive change to U.S. nuclear modernization plans, again recommending a “curatorship” approach that would halt current life extension efforts. “Rather than introduce uncertainty into the stockpile through unnecessary Life Extension Programs, NNSA should maintain the currently reliable US weapons stockpile in a safe and secure status until weapons are retired,” ANA said in the report, which is titled “Billion Dollar Boondoggles: Challenging the National Nuclear Security Administration’s Plan to Spend More Money for Less Security.” What “curatorship” would mean, according to the anti-nuclear group, is stopping Fiscal Year 2015 funding for the B61 life extension program, cancelling plans for a trio of interoperable warheads, and abandoning the “3+2” strategy for modernizing the stockpile. The report also called on the NNSA to retire the W78 warhead “since the more modern W87 is already available to sit atop Minuteman III ICBMs for as long as ICBMs remain in the stockpile.” ANA will hold a briefing on the report at 9:30 a.m. today in Room HVC 200 of the Capitol Visitor Center.