The Reliable Replacement Warhead Program: Background and Current Developments

Abstract

Most current U.S. nuclear warheads were built in the 1970s and 1980s and are being retained longer than was planned. Yet they deteriorate and must be maintained. To correct problems, a Life Extension Program (LEP), part of a larger Stockpile Stewardship Program (SSP), replaces components. Modifying some components would require a nuclear test, but the United States has observed a test moratorium since 1992. Congress and the Administration prefer to avoid a return to testing, so LEP rebuilds these components as closely as possible to original specifications. With this approach, the Secretaries of Defense and Energy have certified stockpile safety and reliability for the past 12 years without nuclear testing. The National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA), which operates the U.S. nuclear weapons program, would develop the Reliable Replacement Warhead (RRW). For FY2005, Congress provided an unrequested $9.0 million to start RRW. The FY2006 RRW appropriation was $24.8 million, the FY2007 operating plan had $35.8 million, and the FY2008 request was $88.8 million for NNSA and $30.0 million for the Navy. The Department of Defense Appropriations Act, P.L. 110-116, included $15.0 million for the Navy for RRW. The FY2008 Consolidated Appropriations Act, P.L. 110-161, provided no NNSA funds for RRW. For FY2009, DOE requests $10.0 million for RRW. The Navy requests $23.3 million for RRW but says its request was prepared before Congress eliminated NNSA RRW funds and that the Navy funds would not be used for RRW. The House Armed Services Committee, in its report on H.R. 5658, the FY2009 defense authorization bill, recommended eliminating the Navy and NNSA RRW funds while adding funds for the Navy and NNSA for related purposes. The House defeated an amendment to add $10.0 million in NNSA RRW funds to H.R. 5658.

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Document Details

Document Type
Technical Report
Publication Date
Jul 23, 2008
Accession Number
ADA485876

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
  • Fleet Ballistic Missiles
  • Fusion Weapons
  • Insensitive Explosives
  • Law
  • Material Degradation Processes
  • Materials Laboratories
  • Materials Science
  • Materials Testing
  • National Security
  • Nuclear Materials
  • Nuclear Warheads
  • Nuclear Weapons
  • Treaties

Readers

  • Nuclear Non-Proliferation and International Security
  • Public Financial Management and Budgeting