NNSA Weapons Program Receives $8.23 Billion in Bill, Down $83 Million From Request
Todd Jacobson
NS&D Monitor
12/12/2014
A feasibility study for refurbishing the cruise missile warhead will go forward in Fiscal Year 2015, according to funding legislation released this week by House and Senate appropriators. The $9.4 million study represents a sliver of the overall funding for the National Nuclear Security Administration in the catch-all spending package, but the decision to include money for the study represents a victory for Republicans, who pushed for the funding against the objections of Senate Democrats. The Senate Energy and Water Appropriations Subcommittee zeroed out funding for the study earlier this year in its version of the bill while the Republican-controlled House fully funded the request for the study. The massive bill, which funds most government agencies, was passed by the House Dec. 11 and is expected to be passed by the Senate today. A Continuing Resolution passed in September expired Dec. 11, but a two-day CR was passed that keeps the government running to give the Senate time to pass the bill.
Sen. Dianne Feinstein (D-Calif.), the chair of the Senate Energy and Water panel, spearheaded opposition to the cruise missile warhead study, arguing this summer that it would not be prudent to fund the study until the Air Force commits to moving forward on the replacement and establishes requirements. She said the delay would not impact the performance or reliability of the current warhead, the W80. “The Air Force has no funding budgeted in the out-years to build a cruise missile warhead and before NNSA proceeds with the design of this weapon at a minimum there should be clear military requirements and the Air Force should identify needed resources,” she said.
‘We Cannot Afford to Delay’ Cruise Missile Warhead
She was opposed by Sen. John Hoeven (R-N.D.), who argued against delaying the study. Air Force officials this summer also said the service was committed to the replacement. “Senator Hoeven believes the air-launched cruise missile is a critical part of our nuclear deterrent, and we cannot afford to delay work to extend the life of both the missile and the W80 warhead inside of it,” a spokesperson for Hoeven told NS&D Monitor. “The committee worked hard to include funding for the warhead study in FY15, and we hope we can find ways to accelerate this program as we move to the FY16 budget cycle.”
Last week, House and Senate authorizers agreed to accelerate the cruise missile warhead refurbishment program, moving up the planned completion of a First Production Unit for the warhead from 2027 to 2025. The provision was part of the Fiscal Year 2015 Defense Authorization Act that was passed by the House last week and was nearing passage by the Senate this week. The completion of the FPU had been delayed earlier this year because of budget concerns.
Reflecting concerns about the potential cost of the refurbishment, the funding legislation called on the NNSA to provide a required report on the military requirements and preliminary cost and schedule estimates for the refurbishment project when it begins a design definition and cost study.
Bill Largely Matches NNSA Weapons Funding Request
Overall, the bill provides $8.23 billion for the NNSA’s weapons program, an $83 million cut from the Administration’s $8.31 billion request but a $450 million increase over the $7.78 billion provided in FY 2014. The bill also rescinded the use of $45.1 million in prior-year balances from FY 2013 and FY 2014. In its version of the bill, the House provided $8.2 billion for the NNSA’s weapons account, while Senate appropriators matched the Administration’s $8.31 billion funding request.
The bill fully funds the Administration’s $643 million request for work on the B61 refurbishment, $259.2 million request for work on the W76 refurbishment, and its $165.4 million request for work on the W88 Alt 370. It also directs the NNSA to work with the Nuclear Weapons Council and the Air Force and Navy to revise the procedures for warhead refurbishment efforts that involve integrated Air Force and Navy systems “to better define joint military requirements and to ensure that Air Force and Navy programs and resources are appropriately aligned,” the report accompanying the bill said.
The bill also provides $35.7 million for work to sustain Los Alamos National Laboratory’s plutonium capabilities after the cancellation and of the Chemistry and Metallurgy Research Replacement-Nuclear Facility and fully funds the Administration’s $335 million request for work on the Uranium Processing Facility, while lifting a restriction on the use of construction funds on UPF prior to the 90 percent design threshold.
Dismantlement Work Gets a Boost
Dismantlement work, down $24.3 million from FY 2014 in the President’s request, received a $20 million boost in the funding bill to $50 million. The restoration of the funds is expected to help the Pantex Plant accelerate the pace of dismantlement and will provide funds for Y-12, Pantex and Los Alamos to disposition nuclear and non-nuclear components, according to a Congressional aide. The bill also provides $21 million for the design of new radiography capabilities at the Nevada National Security Site’s U1a facility, which the House had opposed.
Maintenance and repair of facilities and infrastructure recapitalization also enjoyed a boost in the bill. The Administration requested $205 million for maintenance and repair of facilities in FY 2015, but the funding bill adds $22 million. It adds another $15.3 million over the $209.3 million request for infrastructure recapitalization. The funding increase was designed to “start to deal with the $3.5 billion maintenance backlog and maintaining a trend,” a Congressional aide told NS&D Monitor. The NNSA also must provide a 10-year strategic plan to Congress within 120 days of the bill’s passage on reducing the weapons complex’s deferred maintenance backlog below FY 2014 levels and disposing of unneeded facilities.
NIF Funding Matched, but ‘Level of Confidence’ Report Requested in 90 Days
The bill fully funds the NNSA’s Inertial Confinement Fusion Ignition and High Yield campaign, providing $512.9 million, and matches the NNSA’s $329 million request for the National Ignition Facility. The bill, however, directs the NNSA to provide a report within 90 days of the bill’s passage an assessment on whether the likelihood of achieving ignition at NIF has increased since December of 2012 and the NNSA’s “level of confidence” in achieving ignition by December 2015.
$97.2 Million Provided for ACP Cold Standby
The bill also provides $97.2 million for to keep the American Centrifuge Project in cold standby and continue analyzing the nation’s enriched uranium and tritium needs. Instead of a provision in the House-passed version of the bill that required an analysis of process technologies, the legislation requires an accounting of nuclear materials available to meet defense needs and a cost-benefit analysis of domestic uranium enrichment options. It also prohibits FY 2015 funds from being used to build any centrifuges. “The Department is directed to conduct an interagency bottoms-up reevaluation of the active and reserve tritium stockpile requirements and provide a certification from the Nuclear Weapons Council,” lawmakers wrote. “It’s basically status quo as they complete their analysis and make their decision,” one Congressional aide told NS&D Monitor.
USEC, now known as Centrus, concluded a two-year research, development and deployment cost-share program with the Department of Energy in May. Though that program was successful in meeting milestones to prove the viability of the American Centrifuge technology, given current market conditions USEC is not able to commercialize the plant and has filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy. Under the terms of the program, DOE was able to take over management of the technology and launch a new research and technology program under Oak Ridge National Laboratory management.
