Nuclear Weapons: Key Nuclear Weapons Component Issues Are Unresolved
RCED-99-1
Published: Nov 09, 1998. Publicly Released: Dec 10, 1998.
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Highlights
Pursuant to a congressional request, GAO provided information on the Department of Energy's (DOE) efforts to manufacture war reserve nuclear weapon triggers, or pits, at its Los Alamos National Laboratory, focusing on: (1) DOE's plans and schedules for reestablishing the manufacturing of pits at Los Alamos; (2) the costs associated with these efforts; and (3) unresolved issues regarding the manufacturing of pits between the Department of Defense (DOD) and DOE.
Recommendations
Recommendations for Executive Action
| Agency Affected | Recommendation | Status |
|---|---|---|
| Department of Defense | In order for DOE to have the necessary information for making pit-production capacity decisions, the Secretary of Defense should provide DOE with DOD's views on the pit-manufacturing capacity needed to maintain the stockpile. This should be done so that DOE can use this information as part of its reevaluation of the stockpile's long-term capacity needs. While GAO understands that DOD cannot yet provide detailed requirements, DOE can be provided with the findings of the preliminary analyses of various DOD organizations. |
Closed – Implemented
DOE and DOD are working together to determine the required pit manufacturing capacity. In spring 1999, both DOD and DOE provided Congress with a report on the overall strategy for determining a larger manufacturing capacity. The specific findings of this report are classified.
|
| Department of Energy | In order to ensure that the pit-manufacturing mission at Los Alamos supports the nuclear stockpile in a cost-effective and timely manner, the Secretary of Energy should reevaluate existing plans for the pit-manufacturing mission in light of the issues raised by DOD officials regarding the capacity planned by DOE. |
Closed – Implemented
DOE and DOD are working together to determine the required pit manufacturing capacity. In spring 1999, both DOD and DOE provided Congress with a report on the overall strategy for determining a larger manufacturing capacity. However, a specific capacity level was not established. The specific findings of this report are classified.
|
| Department of Energy | In order to ensure that the pit-manufacturing mission at Los Alamos supports the nuclear stockpile in a cost-effective and timely manner, the Secretary of Energy should expedite the development of the integrated cost and schedule control system at Los Alamos. This needs to be done as soon as possible to help ensure that the mission is achieved within cost and on time. |
Closed – Implemented
An integrated plan has been developed. The plan will include a schedule that will track planning and schedule milestones for the pit manufacturing mission. Furthermore, DOE has rebaselined the entire project and incorporated the new baseline into the integrated plan. This effort has been completed as of August 2003.
|
| Department of Energy | In order to ensure that the pit-manufacturing mission at Los Alamos supports the nuclear stockpile in a cost-effective and timely manner, the Secretary of Energy should conduct independent cost estimates for the entire pit-manufacturing mission. This can be done either for the mission as a whole or for those individual mission elements that have not had independent estimates. |
Closed – Implemented
DOE concurs with the recommendation. Once a new integrated plan is available for the pit manufacturing mission and new baseline costs are being developed, DOE will, as part of this exercise, conduct an independent cost estimate.
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Atomic energy defense activitiesCost controlCost effectiveness analysisDefense capabilitiesDefense contingency planningInteragency relationsNuclear weaponsNuclear weapons plantsNuclear weapons testingWeapons systems