The Reliable Replacement Warhead Program: Background and Current Developments

Abstract

Most current U.S. nuclear warheads were built in the 70s and 80s and must be maintained. To correct problems, a Life Extension Program (LEP) replaces components. The LEP rebuilds these components as closely as possible to original specifications. For FY2005, Congress provided $9 million to start the Reliable Replacement Warhead (RRW) program, which trades Cold War features for features more useful now. The National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA) sees RRW as part of a plan that would also modernize the nuclear weapons complex, avoid nuclear testing, and reduce non-deployed weapons. The FY2008 request lists $88.8 million for NNSA and $30.0 million for the Navy. H.R. 1585, the FY2008 defense authorization bill, reduces NNSA request by $20 million and Navy request. H.R. 2641, the FY2008 energy-water appropriations bill, eliminated NNSA RRW funds. The Senate Armed Services Committee recommended reducing the Navy RRW request. The Senate Appropriations Committee recommended reducing the NNSA request. Several committees would keep RRW in Phase 2A (design definition and cost study) in FY2008. NNSA argues that it will become harder to certify current warheads with LEP because small changes may undermine confidence in warheads, while RRW will lead to new-design replacement warheads that will be easier to manufacture and certify without testing. Critics believe LEP and SSP can maintain the stockpile indefinitely. They worry that untested RRWs may make a return to testing more likely. Issues facing the 110th Congress include how best to maintain the nuclear stockpile, whether to continue RRW or cancel it in favor of LEP, and how RRW might link to the Comprehensive Test Ban Treaty and nuclear nonproliferation. This report provides background and tracks legislation. It will be updated often. CRS Report RL33748, Nuclear Warheads: The Reliable Replacement Warhead Program and the Life Extension Program, compares these two programs in detail.

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Document Details

Document Type
Technical Report
Publication Date
Jul 26, 2007
Accession Number
ADA471240

Entities

People

  • Jonathan E. Medalia

Organizations

  • Library of Congress

Tags

Communities of Interest

  • Counter WMD
  • Energy and Power Technologies
  • Ground and Sea Platforms
  • Weapons Technologies

DTIC Thesaurus Topics

  • Arms Control
  • Chemical Reactions
  • Environment
  • Explosives
  • Fusion Weapons
  • Insensitive Explosives
  • Interagency Coordination
  • Law
  • Material Degradation Processes
  • Materials
  • Materials Laboratories
  • Materials Processing
  • Materials Science
  • Materials Testing
  • National Security
  • Nuclear Materials
  • Nuclear Weapons

Readers

  • Defense Financial Management and Audit.
  • Nuclear Non-Proliferation and International Security
  • Software Engineering