Senior NNSA leaders highlight enterprise achievements and preview priorities at Nuclear Deterrence Summit

WASHINGTON – Jill Hruby, Administrator of the U.S. Department of Energy's National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA) and Under Secretary for Nuclear Security, delivered a keynote speech at the Nuclear Deterrence Summit on Feb. 1. She discussed current and emerging challenges in the global landscape, highlighted achievements and progress NNSA has made across its diverse mission areas, and looked ahead to plans for the coming year.

“The global nuclear landscape is not only more dangerous but also more dynamic than it has been in some time,” Administrator Hruby said. “Concurrent with the challenges in nuclear deterrence, nonproliferation and counterterrorism, and naval propulsion, we need to revitalize our old infrastructure and keep pace with emerging technologies.”

“This past year alone, NNSA has delivered more than 200 modernized weapons to the Department of Defense. There should be no doubt in anyone’s minds – NNSA is modernizing our stockpile both on-schedule and at pace.”

The annual event features representatives from industry and government experts, including Congress, the Nuclear Security Enterprise, and the Department of Defense.

In remarks on Jan. 31, Dr. Marvin Adams, NNSA Deputy Administrator for Defense Programs, highlighted important progress on stockpile modernization; production modernization; science infrastructure for design, certification, and assessment; and transportation.

“NNSA is applying the enterprise’s unique capabilities to meet current and future challenges within a deteriorating global security landscape. It should be clear from the accomplishments discussed this week that we are making strides towards a resilient and responsive Nuclear Security Enterprise to sustain an effective deterrent into the future while maintaining the safe and secure stockpile of today,” Adams said.

In a panel discussion on Feb. 1, Corey Hinderstein, NNSA’s Deputy Administrator for Defense Nuclear Nonproliferation, discussed the future of nuclear arms control and the agency’s role in it. She spoke alongside Mallory Stewart, Assistant Secretary for the Bureau of Arms Control, Deterrence & Stability at the Department of State, and Pranay Vaddi, Special Assistant to President & Senior Director for Arms Control, Disarmament, and Nonproliferation at the National Security Council.

“The United States is committed to nuclear arms control, but we know it’s not in a good place right now,” Hinderstein said. “NNSA is ready to bring technical expertise and innovation in verification methods to the table once the diplomats and our counterparts have shown interest in moving forward, with strategic guidance from the White House and in consultation with Congress.”

Administrator Hruby announced several anticipated contracting actions across the Nuclear Security Enterprise, including at the Savannah River Site, Y-12 National Security Complex, Kansas City National Security Campus, and Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory. With these actions, she said, “the Enterprise will be best positioned to deliver, the workforce will be focused, and the [Management & Operating] partners will have time to plan.”

Other NNSA leadership participating in the Summit include Jim McConnell, Ahmad al-Daouk, Summer Jones, John Evans, and Dr. Steve Binkley.