Nuclear Weapons Staff To Be Cut

Saying the U.S. nuclear weapons complex is too big and costly, National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA) Administrator Thomas D'Agostino announced last week that over the next decade, the complex's size will be reduced by 30% and staff cut by 20 to 30%, mostly through retirements. D'Agostino stressed that the weapons budget will decline, as will the number of nuclear weapons, and the complex will be consolidated and made more efficient. No sites will be closed, he noted while presenting a more detailed sketch of facility transformation plans, similar to staff plans presented a month ago (C&EN, Nov. 19, page 12). The transformation plan will be presented to the public formally in January, kicking off a lengthy public review. The White House also announced that its plan to reduce the U.S. nuclear weapons stockpile by 50% in 2012 was ahead of schedule and another 15% of these weapons will be removed from active service by 2012. The White House estimates that by 2012 the stockpile will be 25% of what it was at the end of the Cold War. Numbers are classified, but the stockpile would be reduced to about 5,000 weapons. Rep. Ellen O. Tauscher (D-Calif.) announced future congressional hearings on the proposal, emphasizing that the weapons labs must continue to deliver the "best science" and "attract and retain the world's top experts."