Nuclear Weapons: NNSA Needs to Incorporate Additional Management Controls Over its Microelectronics Activities

Abstract

Microelectronics used in nuclear weapons must function in environments with extremely high radiation levels. The National Nuclear Security Administration's only source for producing these specialized microelectronics are aging facilities at Sandia National Labs. NNSA is starting a $1 billion, 20-year effort to upgrade and sustain Sandia's existing facilities and nuclear capabilities. NNSA has appointed a coordinator to lead this effort, but hasn't fully developed a thorough set of controls for managing the cost, schedule, and associated risk. We recommended they develop such plans to effectively carry out planned microelectronics activities.

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Document Details

Document Type
Technical Report
Publication Date
Jun 09, 2020
Accession Number
AD1156500

Entities

People

  • Allison B. Bawden

Organizations

  • United States Government Accountability Office

Tags

Communities of Interest

  • Advanced Electronics
  • Counter WMD
  • Weapons Technologies

DTIC Thesaurus Topics

  • Accountability
  • Acquisition
  • Air Force
  • Ballistic Missiles
  • Best Practices
  • Congress
  • Directives
  • Engineering
  • Governments
  • Intercontinental Ballistic Missiles
  • Military Operations
  • Nuclear Weapons
  • Organizational Structure
  • Program Management
  • Project Management
  • United States Government
  • Weapons

Fields of Study

  • Physics

Readers

  • Defense Technology Research and Development.
  • Integrated Circuit Design and Technology.
  • Nuclear Non-Proliferation and International Security

Technology Areas

  • Microelectronics