LLNL gets RRW

The National Nuclear Security Administration has selected a nuclear warhead design for the reliable replacement warhead (RRW) from Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory in California over a design from Los Alamos National Laboratory in New Mexico. Sandia National Laboratories in New Mexico will work on the nonnuclear aspects of the new weapon with LLNL scientists.

Although scientists from both LLNL and LANL will be involved in the development of the RRW if Congress approves the project, NNSA acting director Thomas D’Agostino said the LLNL design was selected because it “had a robust test pedigree. It is more tied to past [nuclear] test data, and that was the gold standard.” (See Physics Today, February 2007, page 24 .)

The RRW is intended to replace some of the W-76 warheads currently on the US Navy’s submarine-launched intercontinental ballistic missiles. Congress authorized research on an RRW program three years ago but mandated that no new nuclear testing would be allowed.

Although the new LLNL design relied heavily on existing underground test data from the 1980s, the LANL design was described by D’Agostino as “more transformational.” Several of the “highly innovative” aspects of the LANL design, primarily involving safety and security, may eventually be introduced into the LLNL design process, he said.

NNSA officials said they would take 8 to 12 months to “define the cost and scope” of the project. It is currently funded at about $25 million, and the Bush administration is requesting $88 million in its fiscal year 2008 budget. The RRW program is expected to face stiff opposition in the Democratic Congress.