Draft2:Nuclear Weapons Council

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File:Nuclear Weapons Council.jpg
Nuclear Weapons Council members and affiliates visit Los Alamos

The Nuclear Weapons Council (NWC) operated as a joint activity of the Department of Defense and the Department of Energy. “The NWC is charged with cradle-to-grave management of the existing nuclear weapons stockpile and for planning for the future nuclear deterrent,” according to the Nuclear Matters Handbook. “The NWC develops and promulgates a number of important policy documents and provides significant information on nuclear weapons safety, security, and effectiveness to the President and Congress.”

DOE relevance

Nuclear Weapons' Life Cycle

File:Nuclear-weapons-life-cycle-fact-sheet.pdf
Nuclear Weapons' Life Cycle

Nuclear weapons are conceptually-designed, developed, produced, and maintained in the stockpile, and then retired and dismantled. This sequence of events is known as the nuclear weapons life cycle.

The Department of Energy (DOE), through the National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA) and in partnership with the Department of Defense (DOD) through the Nuclear Weapons Council, conducts activities in a joint nuclear weapons life cycle process for sustainment of the stockpile through refurbishment activities.

Membership

The membership of the Council is comprised of the following officers of those departments:

  1. Under Secretary of Defense for Acquisition, Technology, and Logistics
  2. Vice Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of StaffWikipedia Logo.png
  3. Under Secretary for Nuclear Security of the Department of Energy
  4. Under Secretary of Defense for PolicyWikipedia Logo.png
  5. Commander of the United States Strategic Command

It is defined in 10 U.S. Code § 179 - Nuclear Weapons Council and DOE O 452.6A, NUCLEAR WEAPON SURETY INTERFACE WITH THE DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE.

Mission

The Nuclear Weapons Council (Council)—which serves as the focal point of Department of Defense (DOD) and National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA) interagency activities to maintain the U.S. nuclear weapons stockpile—carries out its statutory and regulatory responsibilities in a number of ways, but faces challenges in doing so. The Council's actions to carry out its responsibilities include documenting requirements for the size and composition of the nuclear weapons stockpile and setting stockpile priorities. The Council also provides oversight of refurbishment programs through periodic program reviews and coordinates budget matters between DOD and NNSA to support the stockpile. However, the Council faces several challenges in carrying out its responsibilities. The Council's challenges include carrying out several new budget-related responsibilities, such as certifying to Congress whether the annual budget request for NNSA meets stockpile requirements; providing oversight for two more refurbishment programs than it has previously; and adjusting program priorities in response to budget pressures, such as delays and cost growth experienced by some NNSA nuclear weapons programs.

Core functions

The Council shall be responsible for the following matters:

  1. Preparing the annual Nuclear Weapons Stockpile Memorandum.
  2. Developing nuclear weapons stockpiles options and the costs of such options and alternatives.
  3. Coordinating and approving programming and budget matters pertaining to nuclear weapons programs between the Department of Defense and the Department of Energy.
  4. Identifying various options for cost-effective schedules for nuclear weapons production.
  5. Considering safety, security, and control issues for existing weapons and for proposed new weapon program starts.
  6. Ensuring that adequate consideration is given to design, performance, and cost tradeoffs for all proposed new nuclear weapons programs.
  7. Providing specific guidance regarding priorities for research on nuclear weapons and priorities among activities, including production, surveillance, research, construction, and any other programs within the National Nuclear Security Administration.
  8. Coordinating and approving activities conducted by the Department of Energy for the study, development, production, and retirement of nuclear warheads, including concept definition studies, feasibility studies, engineering development, hardware component fabrication, warhead production, and warhead retirement.
  9. Preparing comments on annual proposals for budget levels for research on nuclear weapons and transmitting those comments to the Secretary of Defense and the Secretary of Energy before the preparation of the annual budget requests by the Secretaries of those departments.
  10. Coordinating and approving the annual budget proposals of the National Nuclear Security Administration.
  11. Providing—
    • broad guidance regarding priorities for research on improved conventional weapons, and
    • comments on annual proposals for budget levels for research on improved conventional weapons, and transmitting such guidance and comments to the Secretary of Defense before the preparation of the annual budget request of the Department of Defense.

Organization

National Defense Authorization Act 2019 changes

  • The NDAA makes the USD(R&E) a member of Nuclear Weapons Council, an interagency body responsible for coordinating DOD and DOE activities relating to the management of the U.S. nuclear weapons stockpile.[1]
  • The NDAA directs the chair of the Nuclear Weapons Council and NNSA administrator establish a personnel exchange program to improve familiarity and integration among the various branches of the U.S. nuclear security enterprise. The conference report further instructs the two organizations to plan a similar program to improve the nation’s nuclear nonproliferation efforts.[1]

See the links below for more details.

Acronym list

  • 1-D - one-dimensional
  • 2-D - two-dimensional
  • 3-D - three-dimensional
  • 10 USC 179 - Title 10, Section 179 of the United States Code
  • ABM - anti-ballistic missiles
  • ADM - atomic demolition munition
  • AEA - Atomic Energy Act
  • AEC - Atomic Energy Commission
  • ACRR - Annular Core Research Reactor
  • AF/A10 - (Office of) Assistant Chief of Staff for Strategic Deterrence and Nuclear Integration, U.S. Air Force
  • AFB - Air Force Base
  • ALCM - air-launched cruise missile
  • Alt - alteration
  • ANWFZ - African Nuclear Weapon-Free Zone
  • ANFO - ammonium nitrate and fuel oil
  • AO - action officer
  • AoA - analysis of alternatives
  • APS - active protection system
  • AR - Active Ready
  • AS - active stockpile
  • ASC - Advanced Simulation and Computing
  • ASD (NCB) - Assistant Secretary of Defense for Nuclear, Chemical, and Biological Defense Programs
  • ATSD (AE) - Assistant to the Secretary of Defense for Atomic Energy
  • B - bomb
  • BCR - Baseline Cost Report
  • C - Confidential
  • C4I - command, control, communications, computers, and intelligence
  • CAC - Compartmented Advisory Committee
  • CANES - Comprehensive Atmospheric Nuclear Environments Standard
  • CANWFZ - Central Asian Nuclear Weapon-Free Zone
  • CAPE Cost Assessment and Program Evaluation
  • CARC Chairman’s Annual Report to Congress
  • CBR chemical, biological, and radiological
  • CBRN chemical, biological, radiological, and nuclear
  • CCD coded control device
  • CCDR Combatant Commander
  • CCMD Combatant Command
  • CDRUSSTRATCOM Commander, United States Strategic Command
  • CDS command disablement system
  • CEP circular error probable
  • cGy centi-gray
  • CJCS Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff
  • CJCSI Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Instruction
  • CME component and material evaluation
  • CMI Classified Military Evaluation
  • CNT countering nuclear threats
  • CNWDI Critical Nuclear Weapon Design Information
  • Co-60 cobalt-60
  • COMSEC Communications Security
  • CRYPTO Cryptography/Cryptographic
  • CSOG CBRN Survivability Group
  • CTBT Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty
  • CTR cooperative threat reduction
  • CUI Controlled Unclassified Information
  • D-test destructive test
  • DARHT dual axis radiographic hydrodynamic test
  • DASA Defense Atomic Support Agency
  • DASD(NM) Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense for Nuclear Matters
  • DCA dual-capable aircraft
  • DE damage expectancy
  • DGZ desired ground zero
  • DHS Department of Homeland Security
  • DNA Defense Nuclear Agency
  • DNDO Domestic Nuclear Detection Office
  • DNS Defense Nuclear Security
  • DoD Department of Defense
  • DoDD Department of Defense Directive
  • DoDI Department of Defense Instruction
  • DoDM Department of Defense Manual
  • DOE Department of Energy
  • DOE O Department of Energy Order
  • DOJ Department of Justice
  • DOS Department of State
  • DP Defense Program
  • DPF Dense Plasma Focus
  • DPG Defense Planning/Programming Guidance
  • DRAAG Design Review and Acceptance Group
  • DTRA Defense Threat Reduction Agency
  • DUU deliberate unauthorized use
  • EAM emergency action message
  • EIVR Exchange of Information by Visit and Report
  • EMP electromagnetic pulse
  • EMR electromagnetic radiation
  • ENDS enhanced nuclear detonation safety
  • EO Executive Order
  • EPA Environmental Protection Agency
  • ERDA Energy Research and Development Agency
  • ESD environment sensing device
  • FBI Federal Bureau of Investigation
  • FBM fleet ballistic missile
  • FBR fast burst reactor
  • FEMA Federal Emergency Management Agency
  • FOIA Freedom of Information Act
  • FOUO For Official Use Only
  • FPU first production unit
  • FRD Formerly Restricted Data
  • FSU former Soviet Union
  • FRP fire-resistant pit
  • FWDR Final Weapon Development Report
  • FXR flash X-ray machine
  • FY fiscal year
  • FYDP Future-Years Defense Program
  • GA gun assembly
  • GICNT Global Initiative to Combat Nuclear Terrorism
  • GLBM ground-launched ballistic missile
  • GLCM ground-launched cruise missile
  • GOC Global Operations Center
  • GOCO government-owned, contractor-operated
  • GZ ground zero
  • HE high explosive
  • HEAF High Explosives Application Facility
  • HEMP high-altitude electromagnetic pulse
  • HERMES high-energy radiation megavolt electron source
  • HEU highly enriched uranium
  • HEUMF Highly Enriched Uranium Materials Facility
  • HLG High Level Group
  • HOB height of burst
  • HRP Human Reliability Program
  • ICBM intercontinental ballistic missile
  • ICD Interface Control Document
  • IFI in-flight insertion
  • IHE insensitive high explosive
  • IND improvised nuclear device
  • INEL Idaho National Engineering Laboratory
  • INF intermediate-range nuclear forces
  • INL Idaho National Laboratory
  • IOC initial operational capability
  • IS inactive stockpile
  • ITAR International Traffic in Arms Regulations
  • ITW/AA Integrated Tactical Warning/Attack Assessment
  • JAIEG Joint Atomic Information Exchange Group
  • JCIDS Joint Capabilities Integration and Development System
  • JIPP Joint Integrated Project Plan
  • JNWPS Joint Nuclear Weapons Publications System
  • JOWOG Joint Working Group
  • JP Joint Publication
  • JRN Joint Atomic Information Exchange Group Reference Number
  • JROC Joint Requirements Oversight Council
  • JS Joint Staff
  • JSR Joint Surety Report
  • JTA joint test assembly
  • JTSMG Joint Theater Surety Management Group
  • KCRIMS Kansas City Responsive Infrastructure Manufacturing and Sourcing
  • keV kilo electron-volt
  • kg kilogram
  • kt kiloton
  • LANL Los Alamos National Laboratory
  • LANSCE Los Alamos Neutron Science Center
  • LBTS Large Blast Thermal Simulator
  • LD50 the population
  • LEP life extension program
  • LIHE light-initiated high explosive
  • LINAC linear accelerator
  • LLC limited life component
  • LLCE limited life component exchange
  • LLNL Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory
  • LTBT Limited Test Ban Treaty
  • MAD mutual assured destruction
  • MAR Major Assembly Release
  • MBS Modulus Bremsstrahlung Source
  • MC military characteristic
  • MCCS multiple-coded control switch
  • MCR Mission-Critical Report
  • MCS Mission-Critical System
  • MDA Missile Defense Agency
  • MDA mutual defense agreement
  • MFD military first destination
  • MG Mighty Guardian
  • MIL-STD Military Standard
  • MIR major impact report
  • MIRV multiple independently targetable reentry vehicle
  • MK mark
  • MLC Military Liaison Committee
  • MMIII Minuteman III
  • MOA Memorandum of Agreement
  • Mod modification
  • MOU memorandum of understanding
  • MPC&A Material Protection, Control, and Accounting
  • MT megaton
  • NACLC national agency check with local agency and credit check
  • NAOC National Airborne Operations Center
  • NASA National Aeronautics and Space Administration
  • NATO North Atlantic Treaty Organization
  • NC2 nuclear command and control
  • NC3 nuclear command, control, and communications
  • NCCS nuclear command and control system
  • NDAA National Defense Authorization Act
  • NDB nuclear depth bomb
  • NER Nuclear Enterprise Review
  • NEWS nuclear explosive and weapons surety
  • NIF National Ignition Facility
  • NIMS National Incident Management System
  • NISC Nonproliferation and International Security Center
  • NLCC National Leadership Command Capability
  • NMCC National Military Command Center
  • NMSEP New Material and Stockpile Evaluation Program
  • NNSA National Nuclear Security Administration
  • NNSS Nevada National Security Site
  • NORAD North American Aerospace Defense Command
  • NPG Nuclear Planning Group
  • NPR Nuclear Posture Review
  • NPT Treaty on the Nonproliferation of Nuclear Weapons (Nuclear Nonproliferation Treaty)
  • NRC Nuclear Regulatory Commission
  • NRF National Response Framework
  • NSC National Security Campus
  • NSC National Security Council
  • NSD National Security Directive
  • NSE Nuclear Security Enterprise
  • NSI natoinal security information
  • NSPD National Security Presidential Directive
  • NSS Nuclear Command and Control System Support Staff
  • NSTCA Nuclear Security Threat Capabilities Assessment
  • NTD nuclear threat device
  • NTNF national technical nuclear forensics
  • NTRG Nuclear Trafficking Response Group
  • NTS Nevada Test Site
  • NWC Nuclear Weapons Council
  • NWCSC Nuclear Weapons Council Standing Committee
  • NWCSSC Nuclear Weapons Council Standing and Safety Committee
  • NWCWSC Nuclear Weapons Council Weapons Safety Committee
  • NWD nuclear weapon data
  • NWDA Nuclear Weapons Deployment Authorization
  • NWPS nuclear weapons physical security
  • NWRWG Nuclear Weapons Requirements Working Group
  • NWSM Nuclear Weapons Stockpile Memorandum
  • NWSP Nuclear Weapons Stockpile Plan
  • NWSS nuclear weapon security standard
  • NWSSG Nuclear Weapon System Safety Group
  • OASD(A) Office of the Assistant Secretary of Defense for Acquisition
  • OASD(LA) Office of the Assistant Secretary of Defense for Legislative Affairs
  • OCA original classification authority
  • OCR Ohio-class replacement
  • ODASD(NM) Office of the Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense for Nuclear Matters
  • ODNI Office of the Director for National Intelligence
  • OSD Office of the Secretary of Defense
  • OUO Official Use Only
  • PA probability of arrival
  • PAL permissive action link
  • PD probability of damage
  • PDD Presidential Decision Directive
  • PLS pre-launch survivability
  • PNET Peaceful Nuclear Explosions Treaty
  • PNI Presidential Nuclear Initiative
  • POG Project Officers Group
  • PPD Presidential Policy Directive
  • PPE personal protective equipment
  • PPI process prove-in
  • PRP Personnel Reilability Program
  • PRS Plasma Radiation Source
  • psi pounds per square inch
  • PTP probability to penetrate
  • Pu-239 plutonium-239
  • Pub. L. Public Law
  • PWDR Preliminary Weapon Development Report
  • PX Pantex Plant
  • QA quality assurance
  • QART Quality Assurance and Reliability Testing
  • QDR Quadrennial Defense Review
  • RB reentry body
  • RD radius of damage
  • RD Restricted Data
  • RDD radiological dispersal device
  • RED radiological exposure device
  • ROPA Report on Platform Assessments
  • ROSA Report on Stockpile Assessments
  • RPD Requirements and Planning Document
  • RS readiness state
  • RTG radioisotope thermoelectric generator
  • RV reentry vehicle
  • S Secret
  • SALT I Strategic Arms Limitation Talks
  • SALT II Strategic Arms Limitation Treaty
  • SASC Senate Armed Services Committee
  • SCI Sensitive Compartmented Information
  • SCT Stockpile Confidence Test
  • SD Statutory Determination
  • SEP Stockpile Evaluation Plan
  • SFI significant finding investigation
  • SHAPE Supreme Headquarters Allied Powers Europe
  • SLBM submarine-launched ballistic missile
  • SLCM sea-launched cruise missile
  • SNL Sandia National Laboratories
  • SNM special nuclear material
  • SORT Strategic Offensive Reductions Treaty
  • SREMP source-region electromagnetic pulse
  • SRS Savannah River Site
  • SSBI single scope background investigation
  • SSBN ship, submersible, ballistic, nuclear (ballistic missile submarine)
  • SSGN conventionally armed nuclear-powered submarine
  • SSMP Stockpile Stewardship Management Plan
  • SSNS Satellite System Nuclear Survivability
  • SSP Stockpile Stewardship Plan
  • SSP Strategic Systems Program
  • START Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty
  • STS stockpile-to-target sequence
  • TA-55 LANL plutonium facility technical area
  • TACAMO take charge and move out
  • TCC Transformation Coordinating Committee
  • TCG-NAS-2 Joint DOE/DoD Topical Classification Guide for Nuclear Assembly Systems, March 1997
  • TNF technical nuclear forensics
  • TNFI Transclassified Foreign Nuclear Information
  • TNT trinitrotoluene
  • TREE transient radiation effects on electronics
  • TRS thermal radiation source
  • TS Top Secret
  • TSSG trajectory-sensing signal generator
  • TTBT Threshold Test Ban Treaty
  • TTP tactics, techniques, and procedures
  • U Unclassified
  • U-235 uranium-235
  • U-238 uranium-238
  • UCNI Unclassified Controlled Nuclear Information
  • UHF Ultra High Frequency
  • UGT underground nuclear test
  • UPF Uranium Processing Facility
  • UQS unique signal
  • USANCA U.S. Army Nuclear and Combating Weapons of Mass Destruction Agency
  • USD(AT&L) Under Secretary of Defense for Acquisition, Technology, and Logistics
  • USD(C) Under Secretary of Defense, Comptroller
  • USD(P) Under Secretary of Defense for Policy
  • USEUCOM United States European Command
  • USSOCOM United States Special Operations Command
  • USSTRATCOM United States Strategic Command
  • VCJCS Vice Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff
  • VHF Very High Frequency
  • W warhead
  • WDCR Weapon Design and Cost Report
  • WESC  Weapon Effects Strategic Committee
  • WETL Weapons Evaluation Test Laboratory
  • WMD weapons of mass destruction
  • WR war reserve
  • WRD&T Weapons Research, Development, and Testing
  • WS3 weapon storage and security system (United States) weapon security and survivability system (NATO)
  • WSMR White Sands Missile Range
  • WSR - weapon system reliability
  • WSSC  - Warhead Science Steering Committee
  • WSV - weapon storage vault

Related Links

External links

References

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 "Trump Signs National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2019" (in en). 2018-08-17. https://www.aip.org/fyi/2018/trump-signs-national-defense-authorization-act-fiscal-year-2019. 
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