Book Description

The Undersecretary of Defense for Acquisition, Technology, and Logistics (USD (AT & L)) requested that the Defense Science Board form a Task Force to assess current and future nuclear capabilities. Specifically, the Task Force terms of reference (TOR) are: " Assess the current plan for sustaining the nuclear weapons stockpile and make recommendations to provide for relevant future capabilities." Assess progress towards the goal of an integrated new triad of strike capabilities (nuclear, advanced conventional, and non-kinetic) within the new triad of strike, defense, and infrastructure." Examine the DoD role in defining needs in the nuclear weapons stockpile and recommend changes in institutional arrangements to ensure an appropriate DoD role." Examine a wide range of alternative institutional arrangements that could provide for more efficient management of the nuclear enterprise." Examine plans to transform the nuclear weapons production complex to provide a capability to respond promptly to changes in the threat environment with new designs or designs using previously tested nuclear components." Examine approaches to replacing weapons in the stockpile, over time, with weapons that are simpler to manufacture and that can be sustained with a smaller, less complex, less expensive design, development, certification and production enterprise.