Nuclear Weapons: NNSA Has a New Approach to Managing the B61-12 Life Extension, but a Constrained Schedule and Other Risks Remain

Abstract

Weapons in the U.S. nuclear stockpile are aging. NNSA and DOD undertake LEPs to refurbish or replace nuclear weapons aging components. In 2010, they began an LEP to consolidate four versions of a legacy nuclear weapon, the B61 bomb, into a bomb called the B61-12 (see fig.). NNSA and DOD have stated they must complete this LEP by 2024 to uphold U.S. commitments to the North Atlantic Treaty Organization. As of September 2015, NNSA and DOD estimated that the B61-12 LEP would cost about $8.9 billion. Senate Report 113-44 included a provision for GAO to periodically assess the status of the B61-12 LEP. This report assesses (1) NNSAs management approach for the B61-12 LEP and (2) the extent to which NNSA and the Air Force are managing risks in the LEP. GAO reviewed project plans, schedules, management plans, and other documents and program data, and visited the two NNSA national laboratoriesSandia and Los Alamosthat serve as the design agencies for the LEP.

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Document Details

Document Type
Technical Report
Publication Date
Feb 01, 2016
Accession Number
AD1002756

Entities

Organizations

  • United States Government Accountability Office

Tags

Communities of Interest

  • Counter WMD

DTIC Thesaurus Topics

  • Best Practices
  • Business Administration
  • Congress
  • Cost Estimates
  • Department Of Defense
  • Engineering
  • Explosives
  • Governments
  • Manufacturing
  • Materials
  • Military Acquisition
  • National Security
  • Nuclear Weapons
  • Program Management
  • Project Management
  • Systems Engineering
  • United States Government

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  • Defense Acquisition Program Management
  • Nuclear Non-Proliferation and International Security