Introduction

The Department of Energy’s National Nuclear Security Administration (DOE/NNSA) had an outstanding 2016!

NNSA’s Defense Programs successfully maintained the existing nuclear weapons stockpile, made impressive progress on an unprecedented number of Life Extension Programs (LEPs), and continued to advance the science and engineering capabilities that underpin the nation’s Stockpile Stewardship Program (SSP). 

NNSA’s nonproliferation activities helped make the world a safer place by implementing multiple measures that reduce the threat of nuclear proliferation and nuclear terrorism.

Naval Reactors achieved a major milestone in the next generation of nuclear propulsion, while continuing to provide 24/7, real-time operational support to the U.S. Navy’s entire fleet of aircraft carriers and submarines, thereby ensuring America’s ability to project power across the world in defense of vital national security interests.

And, NNSA addressed long term infrastructure challenges and broke ground on construction projects that will provide high quality workspace for its high quality workforce, and serve the Nuclear Security Enterprise for decades to come.

The 2016 Year in Review report highlights these and other 2016 NNSA accomplishments, and is organized around the core missions identified in the 2015 DOE/NNSA Enterprise Strategic Vision. 

NNSA is comprised of remarkable, dedicated people who do important work each and every day at NNSA’s offices, national laboratories, and production and security sites. NNSA is proud of what they do on behalf of the Nation and is delighted to showcase their great work.

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Sustaining the Nuclear Weapons Stockpile

Although many of the warheads in America’s nuclear arsenal have exceeded their original design life, NNSA continues to maintain the safety, security, and effectiveness of the nuclear weapons stockpile through the Stockpile Stewardship Program (SSP). This effort harnesses leading edge science, engineering, high-powered computing, and advanced manufacturing to enable the Secretary of Energy and Secretary of Defense to annually certify the safety, security, and reliability of the stockpile without nuclear explosive testing.

Progressing on Life Extension Programs

NNSA is extending the life of existing U.S. nuclear warheads by replacing nuclear and nonnuclear parts or inserting new parts that use modern technologies. These efforts draw upon NNSA’s unique, state-of-the-art capabilities for research, development, testing, evaluation, and production. The scope, budgets, and schedules of the LEPs, infrastructure modernization, and the Department of Defense’s (DoD) nuclear delivery systems have been fully integrated through coordinated and tightly coupled efforts. Highlights for 2016 include:

• NNSA formally authorized the production engineering phase of the B61-12 LEP. This LEP remains on track for a first production unit in FY2020. When the LEP is finished, it will add at least 20 years to the life of the system, consolidate four models of the B61 into a single variant, and enable the retirement of the B83-1, the last megaton-class weapon in America’s nuclear arsenal. These actions will result in a 50 percent reduction in the number of nuclear gravity bombs in the stockpile and an 80 percent reduction in the amount of nuclear material used in air-delivered gravity weapons.

• NNSA completed the fourth successful qualification flight test for the W88 Alt 370 (with Conventional High Explosive refresh), along with a critical test of its arming, fuzing, and firing assembly. The program remains on budget and on schedule.
• NNSA passed the 70 percent mark in production of W76-1s to be delivered to the Navy for the submarine launched ballistic missile fleet. These warheads will add an additional 30 years of service life and will allow the United States to reduce the total quantity of the W76s in the stockpile by almost 50 percent while still meeting mission requirements.
• NNSA made significant progress on the W80-4 LEP that supports the Long Range Standoff (LRSO) program—the Air Force’s approach to replace the current Air Launch Cruise Missile (ALCM). The first production unit is on track for FY2025.

Supporting the Weapons Stockpile through Science, Technology, and Engineering

NNSA uses experimental facilities and high performance computing capabilities at its laboratories and other sites to obtain and analyze critical data for the SSP. These include the National Ignition Facility (NIF), the Dual Axis Radiographic Hydrodynamic Test Facility (DARHT), the Los Alamos Neutron Science Center (LANSCE), the Joint Actinide Shock Physics Experimental Research (JASPER) gas gun, the Z machine, and the Microsystems and Engineering Sciences Applications Facility (MESA).

• NIF YouTube video by LLNL.

  In September, NIF at the Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory performed its 400th experiment of 2016, meeting the 2016 goal several weeks early and leading to a record 417 total shots for the calendar year. This record number of NIF shots represents more than a 110 percent increase from FY2014 to FY2016, allowing a greater number of High Energy Density and Inertial Confinement Fusion experiments to support SSP, as well as shots that support other national security applications and discovery science.

• The DARHT Facility completed five integrated hydrodynamic experiments during the calendar year, including three in the last three months. The experiments examined the effects of component aging and planned changes due to the LEPs.
• The Z Pulsed Power Facility at Sandia National Laboratories (the Z machine) executed an experiment in FY2016 in collaboration with Los Alamos National Laboratory (LANL) to support the B61-12 Life Extension Program certification. The resulting data will be used to characterize the material property differences between new and aged plutonium (Pu). A second Z experiment, also conducted in collaboration with LANL, used a recently developed shock ramp platform to provide Pu data at higher pressures in regimes than were previously accessible.
• JASPER at the Nevada National Security Site completed eleven experiments in FY2016, including two to validate projectile velocity and gun performance, four testing the integration of the new seven-channel pyrometer, and five experiments performed on encapsulated alpha plutonium targets.
• MESA at Sandia National Laboratories met all FY2016 nuclear weapons mission deliverables on schedule and under budget. It also received three R&D 100 Awards and a Secretary Honor Award for ultra-fast X-ray imaging.

NNSA completed the installation of the Trinity high performance computing system at LANL. Trinity is one of the most advanced computers in the world, with initially at least seven times better performance than the LANL’s former supercomputer (Cielo). When fully built out, it will have a speed of 41 PetaFLOPS.

NNSA worked with national laboratory leadership to lay out a forward-looking blueprint for the next 20 years of science-based stockpile stewardship that will ensure a responsive and agile enterprise. NNSA anticipates follow-on workshops with laboratory leadership that will build on this blueprint.

To facilitate future scientific and engineering excellence at its national laboratories and production sites, NNSA expanded university collaborations and science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) educational outreach in applied and technical research in support of technology development; Site Directed Research and Development; and direct mission specific activities by our Federal, laboratory, and contractor partners.

More information about NNSA’s Defense Programs

In March 2016, NNSA published the DOE/NNSA Fiscal Year 2017 Stockpile Stewardship and Management Plan (SSMP), detailing the agency’s enterprise plan for programs and organizations that develop and maintain the capabilities, scientific tools, and infrastructure necessary to maintain a safe, secure, and effective nuclear deterrent.

Preventing, Countering and Responding to Nuclear Threats

The United States and the international community continue to face the possibility that terrorists or rogue nations will acquire nuclear or radiological weapons. Although much has been done to secure nuclear and radiological materials, significant work remains to prevent, counter, and respond to persistent and evolving threats. NNSA works closely with U.S. Federal agencies, foreign counterparts, U.S. national laboratories, NNSA production and test sites, and the private sector organizations to accomplish its mission.

Promoting Global Nuclear Security

NNSA played a significant role in the 2016 Nuclear Security Summit in Washington, D.C. NNSA was responsible for developing and implementing many of the U.S. and international commitments associated with the Summit process, such as removals of highly enriched uranium (HEU) and plutonium and securing high-priority radiological sources overseas and within the United States. By eliminating weapons-usable nuclear material in civilian applications, NNSA and its partners helped ensure that these materials will never be used by terrorists, criminals, or rogue nations.

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In 2016, NNSA removed or confirmed the disposition of over 750 kilograms of HEU and separated plutonium from 10 countries—enough for 30 nuclear weapons—including the removal of over 500 kilograms of HEU and separated plutonium from the Fast Critical Assembly facility in Japan. As a result of NNSA’s work in 2016, Argentina, Indonesia, and Poland are now considered HEU-free. In FY2016, NNSA recovered more than 7,000 disused and unwanted radioactive sources from within the United States and across the globe. NNSA pursued further reductions in the use of HEU in civil applications by converting or verifying the shutdown of three research reactors and isotope production facilities in three countries.

In January 2016, the Secretary of Energy hosted Apex Gold, the first ever minister-level gathering to identify national and international actions that would be necessary to address a nuclear or radiological incident. The Netherlands’ Ministry of Foreign Affairs designed and conducted the exercise, which was held at the Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory. The interactive discussions focused on national decisions and international coordination during a simulated nuclear terrorism event. More than 40 countries and international organizations participated.

In March, the Secretary of Energy and the NNSA Principal Deputy Administrator joined other international dignitaries to celebrate the official opening of the Center of Excellence on Nuclear Security (COE) in China, a world-class venue that will provide a central site for training in all aspects of nuclear security. The Center will serve as a forum for exchanging technical information, developing training courses, and promoting technical collaborations that will enhance nuclear security in China and throughout Asia. NNSA partnered with China to provide critical technical support and training to the COE, enhancing global nuclear security in line with Nuclear Security Summit commitments.

Preventing Proliferation Worldwide

The technical expertise within the NNSA along with other DOE national laboratories played a pivotal role in support of the negotiations for the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA)—the “Iran Deal”—to ensure that the scientific underpinnings of the deal were solid. NNSA continues to play a leading role in JCPOA implementation, verifying that the complex technical parameters of the agreement are met.

NNSA continued to work to strengthen the global safeguards system through partnerships with and support to the IAEA and over 30 International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) Member States. With the IAEA, NNSA supported a dozen training courses for IAEA safeguards inspectors and staff, supported the IAEA’s Network of Analytical Laboratories, partnered to develop and transfer new safeguards technologies into the field, and supported the IAEA’s monitoring responsibilities for the JCPOA. Additionally, NNSA provided regulatory and technical support to IAEA Member States in South America, Africa, the Middle East, Eastern Europe, Central Asia, Southeast Asia, and Northeast Asia, through bilateral and regional activities to strengthen the implementation of comprehensive safeguards agreements, additional protocols, and modified small quantities protocols.

In 2016, NNSA worked to strengthen domestic and global capacity to implement export control obligations through programs that reinforce the ability of the U.S. Government and foreign partners to prevent and interdict illicit transfers of WMD-related materials, commodities, and technologies that could contribute to foreign WMD programs. To this end, NNSA performed approximately 6,000 technical reviews of U.S. export license applications and requests for dual-use commodities and provided nearly 3,000 technical analyses and support to U.S. interdiction and enforcement agencies. NNSA also help strengthen foreign partners’ export control systems, conducting 87 export control training courses and workshops in 38 countries and providing 17 domestic trainings.

NNSA supported the conclusion of a Peaceful Nuclear Cooperation Agreement (123 Agreement) with Norway, following negotiations in 2015, and negotiation of the 123 Agreement with Mexico. NNSA also concluded negotiations of Administrative Arrangements to the 123 Agreements with Vietnam and the Republic of Korea.

NNSA worked throughout the year with the Preparatory Commission for the Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty Organization (CTBTO) to help strengthen the international nuclear explosion monitoring and verification system. In October, nearly a dozen international diplomats visited the Nevada National Security Site to demonstrate SSP transparency, as well as U.S. leadership of the global nonproliferation regime. In November, NNSA partnered with the Department of State to host a Capitol Hill event showcasing the advancement of U.S. and international nuclear explosion monitoring and verification capabilities.

Throughout the year, NNSA also provided continued arms control implementation support, including for the New START, Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces Treaty, and Open Skies Treaties. In partnership with the Defense Threat Reduction Agency, NNSA completed annual monitoring visits in Russia under the terms of the U.S.-Russia Plutonium Production Reactor Agreement (PPRA) to ensure the non-military use of Russian plutonium oxide and non-operational status of shutdown Russian plutonium production reactors. NNSA also hosted Russian monitors at U.S. facilities falling under the PPRA.

Advancing Capabilities for Detection & Monitoring

NNSA is advancing the underlying technical capabilities that support nonproliferation and counterterrorism/incident response requirements enabling the U.S. to detect and monitor foreign nuclear weapons development activities, illicit diversion of special nuclear materials, and global nuclear detonations.

• NNSA executed the fifth and sixth underground chemical explosions at the Nevada National Security Site as part of the Source Physics Experiment test series.These tests advance U.S. capabilities to detect and discriminate “low-yield” underground nuclear explosions from the clutter of conventional explosions (such as from mining activities) and small earthquake signals.
• NNSA delivered two Global Burst Detector operational payloads to the U.S. Air Force while successfully testing the post-orbit performance of two other systems recently launched on Global Positioning System satellites. Collectively, these deliveries and tests maintain the global U.S strategic capability to monitor nuclear detonations.
• NNSA supported three university-national laboratory research consortia focused on the nonproliferation mission.The consortia produces high-quality research that is complementary to the nonproliferation research portfolio performed at the national laboratories. The consortia also exposes faculty and students to careers in national nuclear security.

Preparing for and Responding to Threats & Incidents

NNSA is the premier technical leader in preparing for, responding to, and successfully resolving nuclear and radiological accidents and incidents worldwide. NNSA provides expertise, practical tools, and technically informed policy recommendations required to advance U.S. nuclear counterterrorism and counterproliferation objectives. In 2016, NNSA successfully advanced experimental efforts to build predictive capabilities for rendering safe nuclear threat devices; executed innovative, exploratory standoff disablement activities to meet Department of Defense (DoD) operational requirements; and directly supported the National Security Council in developing and implementing nuclear counterterrorism and nuclear counterproliferation policies.

NNSA maintains the gold standard in radiological atmospheric dispersion simulations (plume models). In 2016, NNSA’s atmospheric modeling was used for several real-world events and proactive alerts.

In 2016, NNSA supported calls for assistance from and provided more than 30 analyses of unknown nuclear materials in support of the DoD; the Department of Homeland Security (Secret Service); the Department of Justice (FBI); the Department of State; and various State governments, including Ohio, Tennessee, and Pennsylvania. NNSA also provided radiation detection capabilities to more than 16 countries and assisted with radiation overexposure incidents, source recovery operations, and emergency operations center connectivity. Examples of assistance included:

• NNSA’s operational and technical expertise was used to support the U.S. Secret Service and FBI during several national security special events to ensure safety and security from nuclear and radiological threats, including the Nuclear Security Summit, the Republican and Democratic national conventions, the 2016 Olympic Games in Rio de Janeiro, and Super Bowl 50.
• NNSA partnered with the Department of State to offer three Eminent Discovery training and table top exercises. Eminent Discovery is a program to help non-nuclear international partners better understand the threats of WMD terrorism and illicit commodity trafficking and develop a response plan to safely disposition any material seized. In 2016, one of NNSA’s international partners, who had hosted an Eminent Discovery exercise in 2012, intercepted and seized smuggled radiological material, demonstrating the value of this training to reduce threats far from our shores.

NNSA is the DOE lead for technical nuclear forensics and attribution capabilities. In 2016, five national forensics exercises brought together multiple U.S. Federal agencies and State and local officials to ensure a seamless and coordinated response so that attribution (identifying the origin of nuclear material) can begin immediately in the case of an incident.

Streamlining Emergency Operations

NNSA is responsible for implementing DOE’s comprehensive Emergency Management Program that includes preparedness, readiness assurance, and coordinating core response capabilities for all-hazards events and continuity operations. In 2016, NNSA restructured its emergency management and response programs to more effectively manage and coordinate an all-hazards approach to DOE’s Emergency Preparedness and to support coordination efforts across the entire DOE complex and throughout the Federal government.

NNSA established a National Incident Management System compliant structure that receives strategic direction from the DOE Deputy Secretary’s Emergency and Incident Management Council. In 2016 it activated to support three severe weather events, no fewer than 10 National Security Special Events, as well as for internal, national, and site-specific exercises. The exercises were held at Y-12 National Security Complex in Oak Ridge, Tennessee, Idaho National Laboratory in Idaho Falls, the Nevada National Security Site, and the Waste Isolation Plant in Carlsbad, N.M.

Also in 2016, NNSA’s Office of Emergency Operations updated NNSA’s continuity of operations plans, and validated these updates during the 2016 Capstone Exercise that included an interagency component, the Eagle Horizon Continuity Exercise. Together, these exercises helped the U.S. integrate previously overlapping national continuity models to ensure continuing performance of essential national and government functions in the case of a catastrophic event.

More information about NNSA’s Nonproliferation and Nuclear Threat Reduction Programs

In March 2016, NNSA delivered its report to Congress on its nonproliferation and nuclear threat reduction missions—Prevent, Counter, and Respond: A Strategic Plan to Reduce Global Nuclear Threats (FY2016–FY2020). This companion document to the SSMP informs NNSA’s planning and programs relating to preventing, countering, and responding to the threats of nuclear proliferation and nuclear terrorism around the globe.

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Powering the Nuclear Navy

As the Navy has modernized its fleet, it has added new requirements for its nuclear propulsion plants to meet current and future national defense requirements. The Naval Reactors Program is responsible for all naval nuclear propulsion work, beginning with technology development, continuing through reactor operation, and ending with reactor plant disposal. Naval Reactors ensures the safe and reliable operation of reactor plants in nuclear-powered submarines and aircraft carriers (constituting more than 45 percent of the Navy's major combatants) and fulfills the Navy's requirements for new and affordable nuclear propulsion plants that meet current and future national defense requirements, delivered on schedule and within budget.

In 2016, both reactors on the new Gerald R. Ford-class aircraft carrier achieved criticality. These reactors are the first new design aircraft carrier propulsion plants built in 40 years. The design for the Ford-class aircraft carrier reactor plant (A1B) provides a 25 percent increase in operational availability and 25 percent more reactor energy, operates with 50 percent fewer Navy personnel, and reduces total maintenance and ownership cost of each carrier by $4 billion as compared to today's aircraft carriers. This historic milestone represents the culmination of almost 20 years of dedicated and sustained effort by Naval Reactors, its laboratories, nuclear industrial base suppliers, the Navy design team, and nuclear shipbuilders.

Also in 2016, Naval Reactors advanced the Ohio-class replacement project with completed manufacturing of alternate clad fuel elements for the Technology Demonstration Core for the refueling of the Land-based (S8G) Prototype reactor. This important milestone reduces manufacturing risk for deploying new material in the Ohio-class replacement core and will enable an additional 20 years of operation, supporting the Ohio-Class Replacement research and development and nuclear operator training missions.

Naval Reactors also conducted dual transient testing on advanced fuel systems for future fleet applications at the Advanced Test Reactor in Idaho. Improvements in the testing methodology allowed Naval Reactors to obtain 300 percent more test data about reactor operations than in a standard transient test. The collected data provides critical information supporting the Columbia-class system and on a revolutionary fuel system that could support a future LEU core.

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Supporting the Nuclear Security Enterprise

The NNSA mission depends on facilities, infrastructure, and equipment for success, but the nuclear security enterprise infrastructure is aging. More than 50 percent of NNSA’s facilities are more than 40 years old, and almost 30 percent date to the Manhattan Project. NNSA is long overdue to build a smaller, safer, and more modern complex that will meet military requirements; keep the deterrent safe, secure and effective; and improve worker and public safety.

Current demands from the LEPs, along with requirements of the SSP, have increased loads on NNSA’s aging infrastructure. To accomplish its mission to sustain the nuclear deterrent over the long-term, NNSA requires reliable and modern infrastructure that provides necessary capabilities for today, allows for the opportunity to expand future capacities, and minimizes risks.

Making Progress on Infrastructure Improvements

To achieve this objective, NNSA in 2016:

• Broke ground on a new Administrative Services Complex (ASC) at the Pantex Plant near Amarillo, Texas that will constructed by a private developer using third-party financing. When completed in 2018, the facility will allow us to consolidate administrative functions from more than 35 legacy facilities at the Pantex site into one modern, energy efficient facility. More than 1,000 employees will relocate from aging facilities that are costly to operate and do not meet modern standards.
• Completed 90 percent of the construction on the High Explosives Pressing Facility (HEPF) at the Pantex Plant. The new HEPF will greatly reduce the movement of high explosives at Pantex, increasing plant safety and aiding production.
• Broke ground on the Construction Support Building for the Uranium Processing Facility (UPF) project at the Y-12 National Security Complex in Oak Ridge, Tennessee. When complete, the Construction Support Building will be the first permanent structure on the UPF Project and the first building at Y-12 with a LEED Gold Certification.
• Completed a 10,000 square foot expansion at the Kansas City National Security Campus, adding low-humidity manufacturing capacity for the assembly and testing of electronic components. This expansion will allow NNSA to achieve production goals of the B61-12 LEP, W88 ALT 370, and W87 AFA.
• Continued with the engineering and design of a new NNSA administrative services building in Albuquerque, New Mexico. This new facility will provide modern and efficient office space for 1,200 employees who support a wide variety of NNSA programs and offices.

Major investments are also currently under way to address other critical capabilities, including the Chemistry and Metallurgy Research (CMR) building at LANL. In addition to these specific projects, NNSA achieved the Secretary of Energy’s goal of halting the growth in deferred maintenance at NNSA’s facilities, completed more than 30 additional recapitalization projects, and implemented procedures to enable public-private partnerships.

NNSA is improving its infrastructure planning and management tools to prioritize and address infrastructure deficiencies and to meet current and future capability requirements.

Achieving Excellence in Acquisition and Project Management

NNSA executes more than 2,000 contract actions valued at $11 billion annually, and awards over 281 new procurements per year. In FY2016, NNSA managed a $5 billion project portfolio. Using newly developed acquisition strategies, NNSA is putting the right contracts in place from the start, appropriately sharing risk between the government and its contractors, and building on a culture of accountability.  To this end, NNSA and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) signed a Program Management Plan in July 2016 to continue the successful NNSA/USACE partnership and establish a consistent framework in the collaborative and safe execution of NNSA’s capital asset projects to keep them on schedule and within budget.

In February 2016, NNSA’s Supply Chain Management Center (SCMC) hosted an event for current and potential small business partners in New Mexico about how local small businesses can engage with NNSA and broader DOE opportunities. The SCMC pools spending across the Nuclear Security Enterprise on commodity purchases such as office supplies, commercial software, travel and safety glasses and has enabled more than $200 million in cost savings at NNSA sites through strategic sourcing initiatives.

Innovating Security Management

NNSA’s missions require that it protect its facilities, special nuclear materials, employees, networks, and information with an enterprise-wide program that deploys layers of physical security technology, safeguards and security personnel, and sophisticated cyber security systems.

In FY2016, NNSA began implementing its first-ever security roadmap, formalizing a strategic approach to an effective and efficient field security program and the revitalization and recapitalization of security infrastructure. The roadmap establishes goals for continual improvement and sustainment of the security workforce. It is intended to develop a lively security culture throughout NNSA, improve communication and collaboration to identify and meet evolving threats.

Working with Center for Security Technology, Analysis, Response, and Testing (CSTART), NNSA completed development of a comprehensive 10-year plan for an enduring, time-phased security infrastructure and technology refresh and replacement process that will provide confidence in the viability of our security systems and the capability to develop more effective plans for maintenance and replacement costs with greater standardization.

Investing in Human Capital

NNSA continues to recruit and hire a diverse and inclusive workforce.  And NNSA is becoming a world-class learning organization by significantly increasing funding employee continuing education and professional development. These efforts have had a positive impact. In September 2016, NNSA reached its highest staffing levels in two years (1,618 employees).  And for the second year in a row, NNSA made significant gains in its rankings in the Best Places to Work in the Federal Government report, an independent analysis of federal workers job satisfaction published by the Partnership for Public Service. In 2016, NNSA improved its score in the Best Places to Work by nearly 12 points.