Nuclear Weapons: Capabilities of DOE's Limited Life Component Program to Meet Operational Needs.
Abstract
The Department of Energy (DOE) is responsible for managing the nation's nuclear weapons stockpile, including a limited life components program. That program involves the periodic replacement of four components that have useful operating lives shorter than the expected life of a nuclear weapon. If these components are not replaced within a specified time, the weapon would eventually become inoperative. The number and type of nuclear weapons to be managed by DOE for the next 11 years are established by the Production and Planning Directive. This directive is based on the Nuclear Weapons Stockpile Memorandum prepared by DOE and the Department of Defense (DOD) and signed by the President. It is used by DOE'S Albuquerque Operations Office to develop production requirements, purchase requirements, and shipping schedules for limited life components. The current directive includes information and requirements for (1) supplying limited life components for weapons in the active stockpile (weapons that are currently operational) and (2) having the capability to provide these components for weapons that are in the inactive stockpile, some of which have been designated as weapons that could be reactivated in the future. The Committee asked us to provide information on DOE'S ability to provide limited life components for nuclear weapons in the current active stockpile and the extent to which the components can be supplied to weapons reactivated from the inactive stockpile.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Mar 01, 1997
- Accession Number
- ADA323172
Entities
Organizations
- United States Government Accountability Office