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The California Reliable Replacement Warhead (RRW) team was selected to go forward with the RRW-1 Phase 2/2A program in March 2007, ending an 18-month New Mexico/California competitive design study. The team completed the requirements review stage of a rigorous phase gate process, stood up major component product realization teams, developed subsystems and components requirements, and made progress with the designs. Computer modeling and simulation have aided the RRW program. (8200, 8700, 8900, 1300, 1500, 1600) NW
The Code Management System (CMS) for Use Control is being implemented at the Pantex plant to support the B61, B83, W80, and W84 weapon systems. A concept of operations was completed in February (NNSA Level II Milestone), software and training products were provided in July, and documentation in support of the Nuclear Explosive Safety Study (NESS) was provided in September (NNSA Level II Milestone). Implementation of the CMS is scheduled for FY08. (2100, 2900, 5600, 8200, 12300) NW
Following completion of a four-year Sandia-led spin rocket motor development program, B&W Pantex is retrofitting new motors into B61-7/11s (onsite) and producing field conversion kits for the B61-3/4s. The new spin rocket has significantly higher torque output and resolves potential age-related issues of the old motors. Concurrently, B&W Pantex began replacement of the aging B61-11 secondary. The effort was an intensive multi-agency program that also included replacement and refurbishment of some Sandia structural components. (1500, 1800, 2100, 2500, 2600, 2900, 5300, 10200, 12300) NW
The QASPR (Qualification Alternatives to SPR III) experimental team developed a key capability to match radiation transients at the Sandia Ion Beam Laboratory (IBL) and the Sandia Pulsed Reactor (SPR III), demonstrating damage relationships between facilities. The QASPR goal is to qualify the transient response of electronic systems for short-pulsed fast-neutron environments without testing at a fast-burst reactor. The methodology consists of high-fidelity computational models (initially validated at SPR III), combined with testing at alternative experimental facilities such as the IBL. Testing at multiple facilities requires that the radiation damage relationship between facilities be understood. (6700, 1300, 1100) NW
Partnering with the production agencies, the W76-1/Mk4A Arming, Fuzing, and Firing Product Realization Team delivered to NNSA the first production units on schedule. Development costs for the arming and fuzing subsystem were 30 percent of a similar effort for the W88. The design includes use of commercial electronics, new battery technology, custom microelectronic circuits, and small-volume capacitors. It also includes surety devices for enhanced nuclear detonation safety and is hardened to strategic radiation levels for hostile encounters. (2100, 200, 1300, 1500, 1600, 1700, 1800, 2500, 2600, 2800, 2900, 5300, 10200, 12300) NW
The W76-1 and the W80 SS-21 programs, high-visibility activities for NNSA and key elements for W76-1 production and W80 disassembly & inspection, were led by Centers 2100 and 8200, respectively. Surety Assessment Center 12300 generated weapon response data for the assembly and disassembly operations of the W76-1 and W80 by teaming with Los Alamos and Lawrence Livermore national labs as well as Sandia organizations. This data enabled Pantex to complete hazard analysis reports that were reviewed by several complex-wide teams before final authorizations were granted. (2100, 8200, 2500, 12300) NW
Sandia invented and proof-tested a new blast-mitigation gel. The solid water-based gel has the advantages of liquid water yet is dimensionally stable and easily manufactured and deployed. The gel absorbs the energy from an explosion, reducing both the blast overpressure and dispersion of aerosols generated in the blast. These blast mitigation gels complement existing Sandia technologies and could become part of the toolbox for addressing explosive storage, transportation, and security issues. (5400, 6400, 8200, 8700, 12300) HS&D
The Engineering Sciences Center’s technical expertise, simulation capabilities, and experimental facilities was a critical partner in the W76-1/Mk4A Life Extension Program. For the first time ever, a balanced approach of advanced analytical simulations, complex physical experiments, and uncertainty-quantification calculations was used to produce a system qualification evidence package. These efforts spanned the range of mechanical and thermal insults for normal (e.g., vibration), abnormal (e.g., fire), and hostile (e.g., shock) environments. (1500, 2100) NW
Sandia continues to provide timely technical analysis to the nation’s leadership. Under a joint Sandia-STRATCOM memorandum of understanding, projects included an analysis of terrain effects on radar fuzing, mission planning analyses for bombers, consultation on nuclear command and control, advanced weapons effects studies, investigation of weather issues for reentry vehicles, and support of several STRATCOM advisory group panels. Working with NNSA and DoD, Sandia provided input for the 2007 Presidential Nuclear Weapons Stockpile Memorandum as well as an RRW strategy outline that was adopted by the Nuclear Weapons Council. (200, 500) NW
What happens if a 10,000-pound 45-year-old nuclear bomb is in a severe truck accident? It remains safe. That was the conclusion of a 2007 study supporting an NNSA Office of Secure Transportation safety basis authorization to transport the B53. The work by the Los Alamos National Laboratory-Sandia team, led by Surety Assessment Center 12300, involved the evaluation of weapon responses for 20,000 accident scenarios. Over-the-road operations were completed without incident four months after authorization. (2100, 6400, 1500, 12300) NW
Security & Use Control Assessment Dept. 12334 migrated the Virtual Deliberate Unauthorized Use Assessment Facility (VDAF) to the Weapons Integration Facility. The migration involved taking advantage of improved computing capabilities and eliminating a 16-node computer cluster needed to drive the previous facility’s projectors. The new facility is an example of Sandia partnering with private industry in the application of virtual tools to assist both the weapon design and assessment communities. VDAF is managed by Weapon Use Control Systems Dept. 2126. (2100, 12300) NW
Methodologies were developed for Quantified Margin and Uncertainty (QMU) analyses for Cycle 12 Annual Assessment. Guidance was provided for data- and model-based analyses for selected weapon components. The results were reported in the Annual Assessment Reports. System engineers, consulting with component, surveillance, and computational analysts and assessment engineers, conducted the analyses and interpreted the results. The analyses identified high- and low-margin performance variables, some trends in performance, and some data-improvement opportunities. (1200, 1400, 1500, 2100, 2500, 2600, 2700, 2900, 8200, 12300) NW