Publications: Nuclear Security & Deterrence Monitor

Todd Jacobson NS&D Monitor 4/25/2014 In a new 23-page follow-up to a 2010 report that raised concerns about lagging development and validation of technologies planned for the multi-billion-dollar Uranium Processing Facility, the Government Accountability Office has identified some additional risks associated with the technology efforts. The GAO, at the request of Congress, is providing regular […]

Total Value of Proposed Contract Could Reach Approx. $120 Million Kenneth Fletcher NS&D Monitor 4/25/2014   In a new effort to continue to fund the American Centrifuge project, USEC is looking to serve as a subcontractor to Oak Ridge National Laboratory, though the Department of Energy has yet to give its approval. The proposed subcontract, […]

Todd Jacobson NS&D Monitor 4/25/2014 After surveying its ICBM force as part of a widespread force improvement program, the Air Force is turning its eyes to its bomber wings. Lt. Col. John Sheets, director of Public Affairs at Air Force Global Strike Command, confirmed this week that the service’s bomber wings would take part in […]

Reichert Replaces Dan Glenn, Who Was Bid by CNS But Was Subject of B&W Lawsuit Todd Jacobson NS&D Monitor 4/25/2014 Bechtel-led Consolidated Nuclear Security has replaced Dan Glenn as the operations manager of the Pantex Plant with another former Babcock & Wilcox official, revealing this week that Michelle Reichert would head up operations at Pantex […]

Todd Jacobson NS&D Monitor 4/25/2014 The Red Team that analyzed alternatives to the Uranium Processing Facility planned for the Y-12 National Security Complex also weighed in on management of the multi-billion-dollar facility, and NS&D Monitor has learned that the team recommended a major management change for the project. The recommendations of the team, led by […]

Push Continues for MOX Construction NS&D Monitor 4/25/2014 As South Carolina Gov. Nikki Haley (R) this week hailed a lawsuit the state has filed opposing the proposed suspension of the Mixed Oxide Fuel Fabrication Facility, members of the state’s Congressional delegation took credit for avoiding 1,000 layoffs at the site. The state filed suit last […]

Y-12 Union Tentatively Agrees to One-Year Extension NS&D Monitor 4/25/2014 The collective bargaining agreement between the Atomic Trades and Labor Council and B&W Y-12 is expected to be extended for one year after the union announced a “tentative” agreement on the extension this week. The ATLC agreement at Y-12 runs out June 22, and with […]

Plant Recognized for Safety Performance NS&D Monitor 4/25/2014 Kansas City Plant contractor Honeywell Federal Manufacturing & Technologies has gone 5 million hours without a lost workday injury  and was recently recognized by the National Safety Council for going 12 months without an occupational injury or illness that resulted in a day away from work. The […]

DOE Warns Plant on Nuclear Safety Issues NS&D Monitor 4/25/2014 A series of recent nuclear safety issues at the Pantex Plant are drawing concern from the Department of Energy’s Office of Health, Safety and Security. The HSS Office of Enforcement and Oversight recently issued an enforcement letter to contractor B&W Pantex, and while HSS declined […]

Todd Jacobson NS&D Monitor 4/18/2014 Retired Air Force Lt. Gen. Frank Klotz was sworn in as the administrator of the National Nuclear Security Administration late this week, formally taking over as the agency’s fourth full-time leader. Klotz’s nomination was stalled in the Senate for more than eight months, but he was confirmed by the Senate […]

Todd Jacobson NS&D Monitor 4/18/2014 CRANE NAVAL SURFACE WARFARE CENTER, Ind.—With the defense budget continuing to tighten, the Navy and Air Force must expand their cooperation on the nation’s fleet of delivery vehicles, senior officials at a Strategic Deterrence Conference here said this week, with Navy Vice Adm. Terry Benedict advocating an “intelligent commonality” approach […]

Todd Jacobson NS&D Monitor 4/18/2014   With about two months left before proposals are due for the Department of Energy’s Office of Science Brookhaven National Laboratory procurement, no clear-cut competitor to incumbent Brookhaven Science Associates has emerged and industry officials are questioning whether that will happen at all. Brookhaven is the first Office of Science […]

Todd Jacobson NS&D Monitor 4/18/2014 The National Nuclear Security Administration unveiled its Fiscal Year 2015 Stockpile Stewardship and Management Plan late last week, revealing updated costs figures for the agency’s rebalanced “3+2” warhead modernization strategy. The NNSA delayed work on the first interoperable warhead, cruise missile warhead and the First Production Units for the B61 […]

From staff reports NS&D Monitor 4/18/2014 As Consolidated Nuclear Security moves a third of the way into its transition as the management and operating contractor at the Y-12 and Pantex nuclear weapons plants, the Bechtel-led team is revealing more of its employment plans to employees, introducing additional members of its leadership team and giving some […]

One-year Extension of Y-12 Labor Agreement Expected It appears that a one-year extension of the labor agreement at the Y-12 National Security Complex may be close at hand. Consolidated Nuclear Security, the incoming contractor now in transition at Y-12 and Pantex, has given its approval for a limited extension of the current agreement with the […]

B61-12 Undergoes Successful Wind Tunnel Test The National Nuclear Security Administration’s B61-12 life extension program has reached another milestone as officials at Sandia National Laboratories successfully conducted the first wind tunnel test of the refurbished nuclear bomb. The eight days of testing at the largest wind tunnel that could accommodate the warhead, the Air Force’s […]

DOE Puts out RFP for Extreme Scale Supercomputing R&D The Department of Energy’s Office of Science and National Nuclear Security Administration are offering up another funding opportunity for research into extreme scale supercomputer technology. The agencies issued a joint Request for Proposals this week for contracts that could total approximately $100 million. Proposals under the […]

From staff reports NS&D Monitor 4/18/2014 Bruce Held, the former acting administrator of the National Nuclear Security Administration, received the report from a Red Team assembled to look at alternatives to the Uranium Processing Facility this week, but it’s not clear when—or if—the partially classified report will be released or how the NNSA plans to […]

Kenneth Fletcher NS&D Monitor 4/18/2014 While a Department of Energy program supporting USEC’s American Centrifuge technology had been set to expire this week, some savings have allowed USEC and DOE to undertake a “no-cost” extension of the program until the end of the month. The extension will allow details to be worked out for current […]

Still No Direction to Contractor on ‘Cold Standby’  Kenneth Fletcher NS&D Monitor 4/18/2014 As the state of South Carolina this week filed for summary judgement in its challenge to the Department of Energy’s planned suspension of the Mixed Oxide Fuel Fabrication Facility, the Department still has not provided any direction to the project’s contractor on […]

From staff reports NS&D Monitor 4/18/2014 A North Carolina State-led consortium has been awarded a $25 million grant by the National Nuclear Security Administration for research and development on nonproliferation capabilities. According to the NNSA, the team will perform research and development in methods for detecting foreign nuclear weapon proliferation activities, focusing on projects to […]

Todd Jacobson NS&D Monitor 4/11/2015 As the National Nuclear Security Administration pivots toward a smaller and cheaper way of maintaining its uranium processing capabilities at the Y-12 National Security Complex, acting NNSA chief Bruce Held acknowledged this week that about half of the $1.2 billion that has been spent on the Uranium Processing Facility has […]

Todd Jacobson NS&D Monitor 4/11/2015 The Congressionally appointed advisory panel on National Nuclear Security Administration governance won’t wrap up its final report until later this summer, but the chairmen of the panel told the Senate Armed Services Strategic Forces Subcommittee this week they will have the "essence of the report" completed by Memorial Day. The […]

Todd Jacobson NS&D Monitor 4/11/2014 The National Nuclear Security Administration’s strategy for maintaining and modernizing the nation’s nuclear deterrent can’t absorb any more cuts or schedule delays, acting NNSA Administrator Bruce Held told a Senate panel this week. The Administration has requested $8.3 billion for NNSA weapons work in Fiscal Year 2015, a $533.9 million […]

Todd Jacobson NS&D Monitor 4/11/2014 More than seven months after Frank Klotz was nominated to head up the National Nuclear Security Administration, the Senate finally confirmed the retired lieutenant general, clearing him by a voice vote late in the afternoon on April 8. Klotz’s confirmation ends the NNSA’s 15-month gap without a permanent administrator; Neile […]

Kenneth Fletcher NS&D Monitor 4/11/2014 The Department of Energy requested a funding boost for weapons projects in Fiscal Year 2015 at the expense of nonproliferation and cleanup programs, Senate Appropriations Energy and Water Subcommittee Chair Dianne Feinstein (D-Calif.) said this week, and appropriators are looking for ways to rebalance that funding. Feinstein pressed Secretary of […]

Todd Jacobson NS&D Monitor 4/11/2014 The Department of Defense this week announced its force structure implementation plan under the New START Treaty, spreading cuts out across the three legs of the nuclear triad. Under the plan, the Pentagon will trim the size of its deployed intercontinental ballistic missile force by 50 ICBMs to 400 but […]

Board Working To Address Staff Morale Concerns Mike Nartker NS&D Monitor 4/11/2015 The Defense Nuclear Facilities Safety Board is considering establishing some sort of ombudsman capability as part of its efforts to address staff morale concerns, DNFSB Chairman Peter Winokur told NS&D Monitor this week. A new ombudsman was one of several recommendations developed by […]

Kenneth Fletcher NS&D Monitor 4/11/2015 While a Department of Energy program supporting the American Centrifuge Project is set to come to an end next week, DOE is deciding how to reprogram National Nuclear Security Administration funds to keep the project alive. Last week, Secretary of Energy Ernest Moniz said the Oak Ridge National Laboratory will […]

NS&D Monitor 4/11/2015 Incoming Y-12/Pantex contractor Consolidated Nuclear Security is continuing the earlier stages of its transition at the two nuclear weapons sites, gradually introducing the company’s philosophies, implementation plans and management team leaders. Earlier this week, CNS emphasized safety and posted its first "safety message" on its transition web site. It was called, "Respect […]