Department of Energy FY 2012 Congressional ... - The FIRE Place

the Nonnuclear Readiness subprogram will be substantially refocused and become more integrated with
the DSW mission to address production readiness requirements and scope associated with down-select
of technologies as a result of expected Nuclear Weapons Council Phase 6.3 approval and increased
technology maturation efforts in support of B61-12.
INTRODUCTION:
Site Description
Los Alamos National Laboratory (LANL) is located on approximately 25,000 acres, adjacent to the
town of Los Alamos, New Mexico.
The LANL is a multi-program laboratory, supporting research and a limited production mission
predominantly in national security. The laboratory also supports environmental restoration, waste
management, general science programs, homeland security, and work for others.
The site is aligned with nuclear security enterprise modernization activities which include: (1) reducing
facility square footage required for weapons activities; (2) establishing shared user facilities to more
cost-effectively manage expensive experimental computational and production capabilities; (3) ensuring
laboratory plutonium space efficiently supports interim pit manufacturing and enterprise-wide special
nuclear materials consolidation, and (4) construction of the Chemistry and Metallurgy Research
Replacement Nuclear Facility Project (CMRR-NF), and (5) demonstrating organizational leadership
required to achieve a more integrated, interdependent nuclear security enterprise.
ACTIVITIES:
Directed Stockpile Work (DSW)
The LANL is responsible for four enduring weapons systems: the B61, W76, W78, and W88; Life
Extension Programs (LEP), as well as weapon system assessments, and certification and stockpile
support. Work under Stockpile Systems and LEPs directly supports specific weapon systems. In
addition, LANL activities include the design, qualification, production support for hardware
manufacturing, surveillance and assessment of safety, reliability and performance of the bombs and
warheads, and the Production Agency for manufacturing mission assigned components for all weapon
systems. A portion of the LANL activities support the W76-1 LEP. Also, LANL is tasked with
supporting the B61 Phase 6.2/6.2A study with expected approval, completing the study, to proceed with
Phase 6.3 Development Engineering, technical maturation for future LEP, and various experimental
capabilities (including DARHT hydrotests). The LANL is also tasked with activities supporting
multiple weapon systems, including the Annual Assessment Process, the Independent Nuclear Weapon
Assessment Process, technical basis for stockpile transformation planning, Nuclear Safety Research and
Development, R&D studies, and closure of high-priority Significant Finding Investigations.
Science Campaign
As a nuclear weapons design laboratory, Los Alamos continues to have a robust science effort
supporting science-based stockpile stewardship. A large portion of that effort is reflected in the work
supported by the Science Campaign. The Science Campaign subprogram activities are:
Los Alamos National Laboratory Page 503
FY 2012 Congressional Budget