An Enduring Nuclear Stockpile: New Bomb Plants New Bomb Plans Big Bucks

An Enduring Nuclear An Enduring Nuclear Stockpile: Stockpile: New Bomb PlantsNew Bomb Plants

New Bomb PlansNew Bomb PlansBig BucksBig Bucks

Jay CoghlanExecutive Director, Nuclear Watch New MexicoJuly 3, 2010

Please visit www.nukewatch.org for this presentation and much more on the Los Alamos National Laboratory, nuclear weapons policies and the research and production complex.

The ProductsThe Products

The ResultsThe Results

Badger, Nevada Test Site,April 15, 1953, 23 kilotons

Crossroads-Baker,Bikini Atoll,July 23, 1946,23 kilotons

Almost 20 years after the end of the Cold War, the Almost 20 years after the end of the Cold War, the Nuclear Weapons Complex continues to cost over Nuclear Weapons Complex continues to cost over $6 billion/year.$6 billion/year.

How the Complex How the Complex WorksWorks

President Obama Prague President Obama Prague SpeechSpeech

April 5, 2009 -"I state clearly and with conviction America's commitment to seek the peace and security of a world without nuclear weapons. This goal will not be reached quickly -- perhaps not in my lifetime. It will take patience and persistence. But now we, too, must ignore the voices who tell us that the world cannot change."

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New STARTNew STARTStrategic Arms Reduction Strategic Arms Reduction TreatyTreaty

Biden’s SpeechBiden’s Speech“… our budget proposals

reflect some of the key priorities, including increased funding for our nuclear complex, a commitment to sustain our heavy bombers and land- and sea-based missile capabilities, under a new START agreement.”

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The Cost of Nuclear The Cost of Nuclear WeaponsWeapons

•The U. S. Dept. of Energy’s National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA) spends more than $6 billion annually on nuclear weapons research and production.

• Annual Spending is now planned to increase to $9 billion/year by 2018

• Defense Dept. spends an estimated $30 billion annually on force structure and delivery systems.

• In all, the U.S. has spent an estimated $5.8 trillion on nuclear weapons, or $21,000 per living American. (Source: Cost of U.S. Nuclear Weapons, Steve Schwartz, October 2008)

With these new facilities, the US will spend $9 billion and expand its current annual nuclear warhead production capacity from 20 to 80 per year.

Uranium Processing Facility Uranium Processing Facility (UPF)(UPF)Oak Ridge, Tennessee Oak Ridge, Tennessee

Estimated to cost up to $3.5 billion

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New Kansas City Plant New Kansas City Plant MissouriMissouri

Will cost taxpayers $1.2 billion through convoluted “private” financing scheme

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Kansas City Will Own a Kansas City Will Own a Federal Nuclear Federal Nuclear Weapons PlantWeapons PlantKansas City will own a new federal nuclear

weapons production plant. What about schools, hospitals? What about clean up and green jobs at the old Plant?

Private development of a nuclear weapons plant circumvents congressional oversight.

It also costs taxpayers more - - $1.2 billion in lease and maintenance payments over 20 years for a $730 million building, after which the government still doesn’t own it.

Chemistry and Metallurgy Chemistry and Metallurgy Research Replacement Research Replacement - Nuclear Facility (CMRR-NF)- Nuclear Facility (CMRR-NF)Los Alamos, NMLos Alamos, NM

Current estimates are $4 billion

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LANL Efforts to Expand LANL Efforts to Expand Plutonium OperationsPlutonium Operations• Chemistry and Metallurgy Research

Replacement Facility at LANL which would directly support pit production and other plutonium programs -$4 bn.

• Past and planned upgrades to the existing pit production facility ~$300 million

• Radioactive Liquid Waste Treatment Facility Upgrade

• ????

New Production New Production Facilities Facilities Are Not NeededAre Not Needed• The workload of these new plants was

originally predicated on new-design Reliable Replacement Warheads (RRWs) and massive Life Extension Programs (LEPs).

• Congress and the President have rejected RRWs.

• Current Capability is 20 new warheads per year, but new plants will boost that to 80 per year.

• 100’s of existing weapons are “refurbished” in LEPs each year.

What Makes Up a What Makes Up a Nuclear Weapon?Nuclear Weapon?

Extending the Lifetimes Extending the Lifetimes of Nuclear Weaponsof Nuclear Weapons

• Life Extension Program (LEP) for the W76 warhead is ongoing ~$4 billion.

• LEP study & LEP for B61 bomb ~$4.9 billion

• LEP study & LEP for W78 ICBM warhead ~$4.9 billion

• LEPs are projected to extend a weapon’s usable life by 30 to 60 years

2010 2010 Nuclear Posture Review Nuclear Posture Review (NPR) (NPR)

“The United States will not develop new nuclear warheads. Life Extension Programs will use only nuclear components based on previously tested designs, and will not support new military missions or provide for new military capabilities.”

JASONJASONLifetime Extension Program Lifetime Extension Program (LEP)(LEP)ReportReport

Lifetimes of today's nuclear warheads could be extended for decades, with no

anticipated loss in confidence, by using approaches similar to those employed in

LEPs to date.

JASONJASONLifetime Extension Program Lifetime Extension Program (LEP)(LEP)ReportReport

Found no evidence that accumulation of changes incurred from aging and LEPs have increased risk to certification of today’s deployed nuclear warheads.

Ongoing Limited Life Component Ongoing Limited Life Component Exchange Activities Exchange Activities

Many age-related changes affecting various nuclear warhead components are predictable and well understood. These components are replaced periodically throughout the lifetime of the weapon.

W76 LEP Creates a Weapon W76 LEP Creates a Weapon with New Military with New Military CharacteristicsCharacteristicsNew Arming Fusing & Firing system being produced now at the Kansas City Plant is believed to endow the warhead with a selectable height of burst.

Nuclear Weapons Nuclear Weapons Budgets Estimated to Budgets Estimated to Rise to 2030Rise to 2030

““Curatorship” Approach is Curatorship” Approach is NeededNeeded

As we head towards zero warheads, NNSA should prioritize nuts-and-bolts surveillance.

After all, if one truly wanted to maintain a vintage 1950 automobile today, well beyond its design life, the greatest need would be for excellent mechanics, not a new automobile design team.

Please Get ActivePlease Get ActiveWhy Bother? Because:

• The nuclear weaponeers want to build up their bomb production complex, not clean it up. But the nuclear weapons industry is (hopefully) a dying business.

•Real security: clean up to protect public health and the environment; prioritization of funds for the greatest public good (schools, hospitals, infrastructure); local green, sustainable economic development; nuclear weapons nonproliferation leading to abolition.

•Hassle your congressional delegation, make your opinions known, write letters to the editor, support your local organizations.

•Protest groundbreaking of the new Kansas City Plant. Sign up at http://ca.groups.yahoo.com/group/kcnukeswatch

• Democracy is a muscle. Use it or lose it! “DON’T MOURN, ORGANIZE!!!”