Will US Go Ahead With Nuclear Subcritical Experiments?
Washington in May conducted another subcritical experiment to allegedly provide essential data on the materials used in nuclear warheads.
The US’s National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA) has published a plan for the country’s nuclear-weapon production complex for the next 25 years.
The 40-page document singles out the Nuclear Security Enterprise’s (NSE) variety of tasks and missions due to be conducted between 2025 and 2050, including:
Reestablishment of plutonium pit manufacturing at the Los Alamos National Laboratory in New Mexico (with annual production capacity of 30 pits) and Savannah River Site in South Carolina ( with a capacity of 50) to replace the capability after the closure of the Rocky Flats nuclear weapons plant in Colorado.
Modernization of uranium and lithium processing capabilities at the Y-12 National Security Complex in Tennessee.
Improvement of nuclear subcritical experiments-related diagnostics at the Nevada National Security Site “to better understand aging performance to certify the stockpile without nuclear explosive testing and collect data on nuclear materials and newly manufactured components.”
Establishment of insensitive high explosive synthesis and formulation capability at the Pantex Plant in Texas to meet capacity requirements and resilience goals.
Recapitalization of spent nuclear fuel handling and examination capabilities at the Naval Reactors Facility in Idaho.
The release of the NNSA blueprint comes amid tensions between the US and Russia over nuclear testing, with Moscow warning that it “will immediately respond in kind” if Washington moves towards resuming the tests. Russia de-ratified the Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban Treaty last year, while the US signed but never ratified the document.
