SRS nuclear war boosters – contractors & NNSA deep staters – sweating bullets over lack of $R$ Plutonium Bomb Plant being affirmed by key House subcommittee
The US House Subcommittee on Strategic Forces (of the Armed Services Committee) today sent a strong signal that the $R$ Plutonium Bomb Plant has weak support. And, the pit issue is being set up to be canceled when the cost and schedule goes the way of the MOX debacle. See this mark-up language passed through the subcommittee today, June 2 – opps, no mention of a second pit plant at SRS (which has never been mandated by law):
H.R. 6395—FY21 NATIONAL DEFENSE
“The committee is concerned that the requirements levied on the nuclear complex to meet warhead and responsive infrastructure are significant and are driving tight schedules and increasing costs for the complex. The National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA) is responsible for four concurrent warhead life extension programs, the W93, and reaching a production of 30 pits per year by 2026 and no fewer than 80 pits per year by 2030 to ensure the viability of the strategic nuclear deterrent. The Administration is growing supporting workforce to become a production-oriented organization and undertaking major recapitalization of the complex’s infrastructure. These requirements have significant costs, and the Nation cannot afford delays and additional risks to the executability of ongoing programs.”
“Mark-up” document linked here: https://armedservices.house.gov/_cache/files/0/c/0c1c6534-cfcc-4e8c-b315-eb9f3e250f1b/F7A5F64F21AFACB5E1A67E1D1551C570.fy21-ndaa-str-subcommittee-mark.pdf