NS&D Monitor
1/16/2015
IN THE NNSA
Ken Ivey has been named senior scientific and technical advisor in the National Nuclear Security Administration Production Office, which oversees operations at the Y-12 and Pantex nuclear weapons plants. Ivey, who has been serving in the position on an acting basis, will be based at Pantex. Ivey has held a number of positions with the NNSA, at one time serving as assistant manager for programs in the old Y-12 Site Office. Before joining NNSA, he held positions with DOE and the Nuclear Regulatory Commission. He has a degree in nuclear engineering from the University of Tennessee.
IN CONGRESS
New Mexico Sen. Martin Heinrich (D) is joining the Senate Armed Services Strategic Forces Subcommittee. Heinrich previously served on the House version of the panel until 2012, but was not selected for the Senate subcommittee during his first two years in the upper chamber. The subcommittee will be chaired by Sen. Jeff Sessions (R-Ala.), with Sen. Joe Donnelly (D-Ind.) serving as ranking member. Other Republicans on the subcommittee include Sens. Jim Inhofe (Okla.), Deb Fischer (Neb.), Mike Lee (Utah), Lindsey Graham (S.C.), and Ted Cruz (Texas). Other Democrats on the panel include Sens. Bill Nelson (Fla.), Joe Manchin (W.Va.) and Angus King (Maine), an independent who caucuses with the Democrats.
IN THE INDUSTRY
Former URS executive Richard Wolfe has joined Fluor Government Group as a vice president for business development. Most recently, Wolfe was based in Charlotte as a vice president for business development focusing on commercial nuclear business for URS. Wolfe will replace Don Sticinski, who is retiring later this year.
Former Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory official Ronald Streit has joined the consulting firm Longenecker & Associates as a Senior Associate, effective Jan. 14. Streit previously served as Lawrence Livermore’s Associate Program Director for Nuclear Weapons Engineering, where he was “the lead for development of additive manufacturing focused on applications nuclear weapon components and ancillary equipment with the goal to improve functionality, reduce cost and/or reduce manufacturing facility footprint,” according to an L&A release. Streit’s previous assignments at Lawrence Livermore also included working in the area of Stockpile Evacuation and Management, and serving as Separator Systems Project and Engineering Manager for the AVLIS project. “We are honored to have Ron join our team. His extensive experience in nuclear weapons and national security will be a great addition to our team,” L&A President John Longenecker said in the release.
IN THE AIR FORCE
Nuclear satellite communication terminals that connect U.S. leaders to Minuteman 3 combat crews in the event of a nuclear attack are being upgraded and should begin operational testing this month, with a hopeful initial operational capability date of early 2016, according to a Jan. 14 Air Force press release. “The Air Force will be updating its intercontinental ballistic missile communication systems located in the ICBM Launch Control Centers (LCC),” the release said. “This is an effort led by the Minuteman Minimum Essential Emergency Communications Network Program Upgrade team (MMPU), at Hanscom Air Force Base, Massachusetts. MMPU will be the first Air Force Advanced Extremely High Frequency terminal fielded in support of the new Advanced Extremely High Frequency (AEHF) satellite architecture.” The MMPU team intends to modify all terminals within the LCCs managed by Malmstrom, Minot and F.E. Warren AFBs.
ON THE INTERNATIONAL FRONT
Under Secretary of State for Arms Control and International Security Rose Gottemoeller and Assistant Secretary of State for International Security and Nonproliferation Thomas Countryman traveled this week to address different nonproliferation issues. On Jan. 12, Gottemoeller met with the NATO Arms Control, Disarmament and Nonproliferation Committee as well as members of the NATO International Staff in Brussels. On Jan. 13, she also met with counterparts at the Vatican to discuss arms control and nonproliferation, and with her Italian counterpart to discuss international security issues. Countryman is traveling to Egypt, Jordan, Israel and the United Arab Emirates from Jan. 12 to 20 to consult on nonproliferation issues and cooperative programs to address proliferation-related challenges in the Middle East.
