Nuclear Matters - Physical Security

Abstract

This program supports the Department's initiatives to Defend the Homeland, Provide Nuclear Deterrence, and Build Sustainable and Long-Term Advantage. The mission of Nuclear Matters is to ensure the continued credibility, effectiveness, safety, and security of the U.S. deterrent in order to deter nuclear and non-nuclear attack, assure U.S. allies and partners, achieve U.S. objectives if deterrence fails, and hedge against an uncertain future. Nuclear Matters serves as the Department of Defense (DoD) focal point for the modernization and sustainment of the U.S. nuclear weapons stockpile, as well as for a wide range of nuclear counter-terrorism and counter-proliferation issues. The funds for this program are used to support research, development, test and evaluation efforts as well as studies and analyses for nuclear weapons modernization, sustainment, security, use control, nuclear weapons stockpile safety, and survivability requirements. Funds are also used to develop and implement plans for stockpile transformation; infrastructure analyses and assessments; DoD-National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA) Nuclear Weapons Council (NWC) activities, as mandated by Title 10 USC, section 179; radiological and nuclear emergency response efforts; and management of international programs of nuclear cooperation, particularly with respect to enhancing international nuclear safety and security. Nuclear Matters is also responsible for policy development and implementation for personnel reliability; nuclear weapons, nuclear command and control, and special nuclear materials security; use control; nuclear weapons transportation; physical security equipment; countering nuclear threats; and nuclear and radiological incident response. Additionally, Nuclear Matters serves as the focal point for DoD activities and initiatives related to the dual missions of sustaining a safe, secure, and effective nuclear deterrent and countering the threat from nuclear terrorism and nuclear proliferation. Nuclear Matters is leading a series of efforts to provide data-driven support to integrated portfolio management for 21st century nuclear deterrent sustainment and modernization. The United States is modernizing all three legs of its nuclear triad and is also reconstituting its nuclear weapons production capability at roughly the same time, while simultaneously sustaining weapons and systems that have aged well beyond their original design lives. The NWC and similar bodies seek to manage the transition from legacy Cold War delivery systems and weapons, to replacement systems and warheads, and make decisions that will affect U.S. national security through the end of the 21st century. To field a modern, threat-informed, nuclear deterrent that will keep pace with evolving adversary capabilities, it is necessary to conduct a variety of assessment and study efforts to support data-driven decisions concerning the future of the U.S. nuclear deterrent. This Program Element can fund travel to support the requirements of this program. This appropriation will finance work, including manpower, performed by a government agency or by private individuals or organizations under a contractual or grant arrangement with the government who conduct research (systematic study directed toward fuller scientific knowledge or understanding of the subject studied), development (systematic use of the knowledge and understanding gained from research, for the production of useful materials, devices, systems, or methods, including the design and development of prototypes and processes) and test and evaluation efforts.

Document Details

• Document Type: R2 Budgetary Justification
• Publication Date: Oct 01, 2023
• Source ID: 0605161D8Z_6_0400_PB_2023
• Change Summary Explanation: FY 2023 funding increase reflects the fact that the FY 2022 President’s Budget request did not include out-year funding.
• Service Agency Name: Office of the Secretary Of Defense

Entities

Organizations

• Office of the Secretary of Defense

Tags

Communities of Interest

• C4I
• Counter WMD
• Engineered Resilient Systems
• Weapons Technologies

DTIC Thesaurus Topics

• Agreements
• Cold War
• Command And Control
• Command And Control Systems
• Control Systems
• Data Analysis
• Department Of Defense
• Governments
• National Security
• Nato
• Nuclear Forensics
• Nuclear Warheads
• Nuclear Weapons
• Physical Security
• Test And Evaluation
• United States
• Unmanned Systems

Fields of Study

• Physics

Readers

• Defense Acquisition Program Management
• Maritime Combat Support and Expeditionary Logistics.
• Nuclear Non-Proliferation and International Security

Technology Areas

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