Publications Details
Surveillance of the future stockpile
Amid all the changes in the nuclear weapons complex, one intransigent fact remains: an enduring nuclear deterrent will not be possible without a continuing surveillance program to (1) find aging and other stockpile problems so that they can be fixed and (2) assure that when we do not find problems, none exist. Surveillance involves destructive or degrading tests that will exhaust planned provisions for rebuilding or replacing sample weapons in the not-too-distant future. This document discusses needed preparations for conducting surveillance in a future where production of new types of weapons is unlikely. Near-term opportunities to minimize the impact of extended surveillance are identified, and the need to maintain production capabilities is explained.