Nuclear Planning and Execution System (NPES)

Abstract

United States Strategic Command (USSTRATCOM) conducts global operations in partnership with other combatant commands, services and U.S. government agencies to deter and detect strategic attacks against the United States. USSTRATCOM is responsible for command of U.S. nuclear capabilities, space operations, global surveillance and reconnaissance, intelligence, communications, computers, global missile defense and combatting weapons of mass destruction. To enable completion of these missions, it is recapitalizing the Nuclear Planning and Execution System (NPES). NPES is a Chairman, Joint Chiefs of Staff system for nuclear operations and fulfillment of Nuclear Command and Control (NC2) responsibilities. NPES supports national strategic deterrence by providing a host of NC2 execution activities as well as contingency and crisis action planning capabilities to selected joint and combatant command staffs. NPES is operated by USSTRATCOM and other specified users performing missions to deter and dissuade threats, and, when directed, defeat adversaries. The NPES system has evolved from several single-purpose command and control systems over the past 30 years and has reached a point where it requires recapitalization to meet national and strategic objectives and to comply with future concepts of operation. Additionally, recapitalization is needed to improve cybersecurity, system effectiveness, and supportability. Recapitalization will also seek to lower the total cost of ownership and sustainment. The recapitalization program will use proven/mature software engineering, technologies, and design tenets to provide a modern, secure, interoperable and reliable Nuclear Command and Control (NC2) software capability. This program element may include necessary civilian pay expenses required to manage, execute, and deliver NPES weapon system capability. The use of such program funds would be in addition to the civilian pay expenses budgeted in program elements 0605826F, 0605827F, 0605828F, 0605829F, 0605830F, 0605831F,0605832F, and 0605898F. As directed in the FY 2018 NDAA, Sec 825, amendment to PL 114-92 FY 2016 NDAA, Sec 828 Penalty for Cost Overruns, the FY 2018 Air Force penalty total is $14.373M. The calculated percentage reduction to each research, development, test and evaluation and procurement account will be allocated proportionally from all programs, projects, or activities under such account. This program is in Budget Activity 7, Operational System Development because this budget activity includes development efforts to upgrade systems that have been fielded or have received approval for full rate production and anticipate production funding in the current or subsequent fiscal year.

Document Details

• Document Type: R2 Budgetary Justification
• Publication Date: Oct 01, 2020
• Source ID: 0301112F_7_3600_PB_2020
• Service Agency Name: Air Force

Entities

Organizations

• United States Air Force

Tags

Communities of Interest

• C4I
• Counter WMD
• Engineered Resilient Systems

DTIC Thesaurus Topics

• Acquisition
• Agile Software Development
• Air Force
• Combatant Commanders
• Command And Control
• Command And Control Systems
• Contracts
• Control Systems
• Decision Support Systems
• Engineering
• Product Development
• Software Development
• Software Prototyping
• Test And Evaluation
• Unified Combatant Commands
• United States
• United States Strategic Command

Readers

• Aerospace Engineering.
• Defense Acquisition Program Management
• Naval Engineering and Maritime Security

Technology Areas

• Cyber
• Fully Networked C3
• Fully Networked C3 - Command and Control
• Space