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

Benefits
The DSW’s four subprograms make unique contributions to the Government Performance and Results
Act (GPRA) Unit Program Number 36 and to the stockpile management program: (1) LEPs;
(2) Stockpile Systems; (3) Weapons Dismantlement and Disposition; and (4) Stockpile Services:
Life Extension Program extends the lifetime of the nation’s nuclear stockpile enabling that stockpile and
the nuclear security enterprise to respond to threats of the 21st century without developing new weapon
systems. Activities including R&D and production work are required to ensure weapons continue to
meet national security requirements. LEPs not only extend the life of weapons, but provide
opportunities to enhance surety by installing enhanced safety and security features.
Stockpile Systems directly execute sustainment activities for the active stockpile specific to the
individual weapons systems (B61, W76, W78, W80, B83, W87, and W88). Sustainment activities
include: weapons-specific R&D assessment and certification activities, weapons component
qualification, limited life component exchange activities, surveillance and evaluation activities,
maintenance, feasibility and safety studies, and military liaison work. Stockpile systems contribute to
the technical basis for the NNSA’s Annual Assessment through stockpile stewardship in the absence of
nuclear testing. In addition, Stockpile Systems supports limited weapons refurbishments below the
requirements for separate reporting as a LEP, and life extension studies prior to approval of full-scale
engineering development.
Weapons Dismantlement and Disposition (WDD) activities enable the elimination of retired weapons
and weapons components thereby reducing the security and maintenance burden of legacy warheads.
WDD includes the dismantlement and disposition of retired weapons, weapons components, and
associated infrastructure. Plutonium components removed from weapons remain in storage pending
final disposition decisions (e.g., processing into oxides for the fabrication of mixed-oxide fuel). Success
of the WDD program relies heavily on the Secure Transportation Asset, DSW Production Support, and
RTBF to provide the base capabilities for all WDD activities.
Stockpile Services provides the foundation for all DSW operations that are not uniquely required by an
individual weapon system. Stockpile Services supports all weapon systems and is the foundation and
sustainment for all DSW operations to include: Production Support and R&D Support essential for
plant and laboratory critical skills, material, limited life components (LLCs), limited life component
exchanges (LLCEs), quality controls, and surveillance and evaluation activities for the nuclear stockpile;
R&D Certification and Safety efforts; Management, Technology, and Production, providing quality
engineering and plant management, technology, maintenance and/or replacement of weapons related
equipment, and production services; and Plutonium Sustainment, enabling activities to achieve and
maintain a cost-effective plutonium capability. The success of DSW in sustaining the U.S. nuclear
stockpile relies on Stockpile Services to provide base capabilities to the LEPs, Systems, and WDD.
Planning and Scheduling
The DSW program/project plans include cost, scope, and schedule for program specific work activities.
R&D and production documents contain detailed classified schedules. The Production and Planning
Directive (P&PD) delineates current stockpile maintenance, refurbishment, and life extension efforts.
These requirements are detailed more fully through individual weapons Program Control Documents
and the Master Nuclear Schedule. The P&PD is a workload planning document for the NNSA that
reflects the requirements from DoD on stockpile systems and quantities. From these DoD requirements,
Weapons Activities/
Directed Stockpile Work Page 60
FY 2012 Congressional Budget