The National Nuclear Security Administration's Enhanced Surveillance Campaign
April 14, 2004
minute read time
April 14, 2004
The National Nuclear Security Administration's Enhanced Surveillance Campaign
The goal if the National Nuclear Security Administration's (NNSA) Enhanced Surveillance Campaign to provide advance warning of manufacturing and aging defects that could affect the nuclear weapons stockpile. Operating as intended, enhanced surveillance allows NNSA to refurbish weapons before safety, reliability, or performance is imparied. The program involves investigating changes in the atomic properties of weapons materials and anticipaing the impact such changes will have on weapon performance. The tools, methods, and technologies are designed to assist in making stockpile life-extension decisions, determining when of if a new pit facility should be buillt, and annually certifying the stockpile to the President. If this campaign does not succeed, NNSA may not be prepared to repair a weapon system that has experienced an age-related defect.