Modernization Archives - Page 2 of 2

Faulty Radioactive Liquid Waste Valves Raise Crucial Plutonium Pit Production and Safety Board Issues

Scott KovacMay 31, 2019June 3, 2019DNFSB, DOE, Modernization, Pit Production, Plutonium, Plutonium Pit Production

There should be no expanded pit production until nuclear safety is fully assured by an independent, unrestricted Safety Board, and our congressional delegation should be the first to demand that.

LANL Continues to Have Serious Nuclear Safety Management Issues

Scott KovacApril 30, 2019May 6, 2019DOE, Los Alamos Nat'l Lab., Modernization, Nuclear Safety, Nuclear Weapons, Pit Production, Plutonium, Plutonium Pit Production

A new report illustrates why planned expanded plutonium pit production for new nuclear weapons at the Los Alamos Lab has a high probability of failure.

NNSA’s pet ‘Interoperable Warhead’ is DEAD

Scott KovacFebruary 1, 2019February 1, 2019DOE, Modernization, NNSA, Nuclear Forces, Nuclear Weapons

U.S. W78 warheads inside MK12A re-entry vehicles on a LGM-30 Minuteman III bus next to the shroud.

The study in question came about because Marylia Kelley, of Tri-Valley CARES, and NukeWatch’s Director, Jay Coghlan, suggested to congressional staff that it be done. But they wanted to ask independent scientists (the JASONs) to do it – instead just NNSA did it. And NNSA dodged the central congressional requirement to compare the benefits and costs of the Interoperable Warhead vs a “conventional” life extension program for the Air Force’s W78 ICBM warhead. NNSA simply said a conventional life extension program would not meet military requirements and therefore summarily dismissed it (no further explanation). Marylia and Jay had the opportunity to discuss this with the relevant congressional staffer who said this ain’t over.