***N*** ***NSA NEWS***\
***National Nuclear Security Administration***\
***U.S. Department of Energy***\
For Immediate Release\
March 20, 2007\
Contact:  NNSA Public Affairs, (202) 586-7371  

or Steven Wyatt (865) 222-0538 (pager)

**[Final Dismantlement Work Completed on]{.underline}**

**[Two Major Nuclear Weapons Systems]{.underline}**

*NNSA's Y-12 National Security Completes Work on W56 and Two Types of
B61s*

 WASHINGTON, D.C. - - Continuing its efforts to reduce the size of the
U.S. nuclear weapons stockpile, the Department of Energy's National
Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA) announced that uranium components
from two major nuclear weapons systems formerly deployed on U.S. Air
Force missiles and aircraft have been dismantled at the Y-12 National
Security Complex in Oak Ridge, TN. 

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Y-12 workers successfully dismantled the last remaining piece of the
W56, a nuclear warhead associated with the Minuteman II Intercontinental
Ballistic Missile, and also completed the dismantling of two
modifications of the B61, a strategic nuclear bomb.

               

"The President is committed to having the smallest nuclear weapons
stockpile necessary for national security needs.  The final
dismantlement of these two types of Cold War-era weapons components
clearly demonstrates our dedication to reducing the size of the nuclear
stockpile," said Thomas P. D'Agostino, NNSA's acting administrator.

In 2004, President Bush directed that the size of the nuclear weapons
stockpile be reduced nearly 50 percent by 2012, which would result in
the smallest stockpile since the Eisenhower administration.  NNSA's work
to dismantle nuclear weapons is planned to increase by nearly 50 percent
from fiscal year 2006 to fiscal year 2007.

Because of the President's direction to reduce the stockpile, Y-12 was
faced with the difficult task of dramatically increasing its component
dismantlement rate in order to meet NNSA's overall dismantlement of
retired weapons.  By redesigning and streamlining its dismantlement
process and redefining procedures and requirements, Y­12 has
significantly increased its pace and rate of dismantlement activities.

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"These two achievements mark the first time in recent history that Y-12
has dismantled multiple nuclear weapons components in the same fiscal
year -- this is a tremendous achievement and one that Y-12 should be
proud of," said D'Agostino.  "It is important that we take apart and
safely dispose of the weapons that we don't need any more. 
Dismantlements help us to reduce security and storage costs."

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Safely dismantling nuclear weapons is a key part of NNSA's national
security mission.  The work is first performed at NNSA's Pantex Plant to
separate the high explosives from the special nuclear material.  Y-12's
role is to finish the process by dismantling the uranium components and
processing the resulting material.

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The dismantlement process includes four steps:  retiring a weapon from
active or inactive service; returning and storing it; taking it apart by
physically separating the high explosives from the special nuclear
material; and processing the resulting material and components, which
includes demilitarization, reuse, declassification, recycling, and
ultimate disposal. 

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Established by Congress in 2000, NNSA is a semi-autonomous agency within
the U.S. Department of Energy responsible for enhancing national
security through the military application of nuclear science. NNSA
maintains and enhances the safety, security, reliability and performance
of the U.S. nuclear weapons stockpile without nuclear testing; works to
reduce global danger from weapons of mass destruction; provides the U.S.
Navy with safe and effective nuclear propulsion; and responds to nuclear
and radiological emergencies in the U.S. and abroad.

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NR-02-07