The Aging Arsenal: The Stockpile Stewardship Program and Long Term Challenges to Viable Deterrence

Abstract

After the dissolution of the Soviet Union, the U.S. nuclear program changed dramatically as the role of nuclear weapons rapidly diminished and nuclear weapon development gradually halted. This change, paired with the end of nuclear testing in 1992, fomented an initiative known as the Stockpile Stewardship Program (SSP). A primary focus of this program is to maintain the stockpile through the use of experimentation and advanced simulation and surveillance tools instead of underground testing. The SSP has provided significant investment in the nuclear complex, particularly with respect to sub-critical testing and analysis that has contributed to a greater understanding of nuclear weapons. Sole reliance on the SSP to maintain the US nuclear capability has had unintended consequences that could ultimately degrade the readiness of the nuclear force. These include the physical aging of the stockpile, antiquated and inadequate design features, and a waning of expertise and deteriorating infrastructure. This paper examines these issues and investigates both sides of the argument for the development of a new nuclear warhead as a first step towards the gradual replacement of the stockpile.

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Document Details

Document Type
Technical Report
Publication Date
Mar 01, 2010
Accession Number
AD1019752

Entities

People

  • Christopher Lapietra

Organizations

  • Air Command and Staff College

Tags

Communities of Interest

  • Counter WMD
  • Weapons Technologies

DTIC Thesaurus Topics

  • Air Force
  • Air Force Facilities
  • Cycles
  • Explosions
  • Explosives
  • High Explosives
  • Insensitive Explosives
  • National Security
  • Nuclear Reactions
  • Nuclear Warheads
  • Nuclear Weapons
  • Production Engineering
  • Security
  • Simulations
  • Stockpiles
  • United States
  • Weapons

Readers

  • Nuclear Non-Proliferation and International Security
  • Strategic Security Studies