U.S. GOVERNMENT PUBLISHING OFFICE

WASHINGTON : 

i 

30–563 2019

[H.A.S.C. No. 115–93] 

HEARING 

ON

NATIONAL DEFENSE AUTHORIZATION ACT 

FOR FISCAL YEAR 2019 

AND

OVERSIGHT OF PREVIOUSLY AUTHORIZED 

PROGRAMS 

BEFORE THE

COMMITTEE ON ARMED SERVICES 

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 

ONE HUNDRED FIFTEENTH CONGRESS 

SECOND SESSION 

SUBCOMMITTEE ON STRATEGIC FORCES HEARING 

ON

FISCAL YEAR 2019 BUDGET REQUEST 

FOR NUCLEAR FORCES AND ATOMIC 

ENERGY DEFENSE ACTIVITIES 

HEARING HELD 

MARCH 22, 2018 
(II) 

SUBCOMMITTEE ON STRATEGIC FORCES 

MIKE ROGERS, Alabama, Chairman 

DOUG LAMBORN, Colorado 

DUNCAN HUNTER, California 

MO BROOKS, Alabama 

JIM BRIDENSTINE, Oklahoma 

MICHAEL R. TURNER, Ohio 

MIKE COFFMAN, Colorado 

BRADLEY BYRNE, Alabama 

SAM GRAVES, Missouri 

JODY B. HICE, Georgia 

JIM COOPER, Tennessee 

SUSAN A. DAVIS, California 

RICK LARSEN, Washington 

JOHN GARAMENDI, California 

BETO O’ROURKE, Texas 

DONALD NORCROSS, New Jersey 

COLLEEN HANABUSA, Hawaii 

RO KHANNA, California 

DREW WALTER, Professional Staff Member 

LEONOR TOMERO, Counsel 

MICHAEL GANCIO, Clerk 
(III) 

C O N T E N T S 

Page 

STATEMENTS PRESENTED BY MEMBERS OF CONGRESS 

Cooper, Hon. Jim, a Representative from Tennessee, Ranking Member, Subcommittee on Strategic Forces ............................................................................ 2 

Rogers, Hon. Mike, a Representative from Alabama, Chairman, Subcommittee 

on Strategic Forces ............................................................................................... 1 

WITNESSES 

Benedict, VADM Terry, USN, Director, Navy Strategic Systems Programs ...... 5 

Gordon-Hagerty, Hon. Lisa E., Administrator, National Nuclear Security Administration .......................................................................................................... 6 

Owendoff, James, Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary for Environmental 

Management, Department of Energy ................................................................. 7 

Rand, Gen Robin, USAF, Commander, Air Force Global Strike Command ....... 4 

Rood, Hon. John C., Under Secretary of Defense for Policy, Department 

of Defense ............................................................................................................. 3 

APPENDIX 

PREPARED STATEMENTS: 

Benedict, VADM Terry ..................................................................................... 54 

Gordon-Hagerty, Hon. Lisa E. ......................................................................... 64 

Owendoff, James ............................................................................................... 77 

Rand, Gen Robin ............................................................................................... 34 

Rogers, Hon. Mike ............................................................................................ 27 

Rood, Hon. John C. ........................................................................................... 29 

DOCUMENTS SUBMITTED FOR THE RECORD: 

[There were no Documents submitted.] 

WITNESS RESPONSES TO QUESTIONS ASKED DURING THE HEARING: 

[There were no Questions submitted during the hearing.] 

QUESTIONS SUBMITTED BY MEMBERS POST HEARING: 

[There were no Questions submitted post hearing.] 

(1) 

FISCAL YEAR 2019 BUDGET REQUEST FOR NUCLEAR 

FORCES AND ATOMIC ENERGY DEFENSE ACTIVITIES 

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES, COMMITTEE ON ARMED SERVICES, SUBCOMMITTEE ON STRATEGIC FORCES, Washington, DC, Thursday, March 22, 2018. 

The subcommittee met, pursuant to call, at 9:00 a.m., in room 

2118, Rayburn House Office Building, Hon. Mike Rogers (chairman 

of the subcommittee) presiding. 

OPENING STATEMENT OF HON. MIKE ROGERS, A REPRESENTATIVE FROM ALABAMA, CHAIRMAN, SUBCOMMITTEE ON 

STRATEGIC FORCES 

Mr. ROGERS. Good morning. The subcommittee will come to 

order. 

I want to welcome you to our hearing, ‘‘The Fiscal Year 2019 

Budget Request for Nuclear Forces and Atomic Energy Defense Activities.’’ I want to thank the witnesses for being here today and 

for your service to our Nation and for the time it took to prepare 

for this. I know it takes a lot of time and energy, and we appreciate 

it. It is very helpful to us. 

As you know, we have a full witness panel today. Due to the limited time, we are going to cover the waterfront on DOD’s [Department of Defense’s] nuclear forces and all of the defense-related activities in the Department of Energy. 

Our witnesses are the Honorable John Rood, Under Secretary of 

Defense for Policy; General Robin Rand, Commander, Air Force 

Global Strike Command; Vice Admiral Terry Benedict, Director, 

Navy Strategic Systems Programs; Honorable Lisa GordonHagerty, NNSA [National Nuclear Security Administration] Administrator under the Secretary of Energy; and James Owendoff, 

Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary of Energy for the Environmental Management. 

Two months ago, the Armed Services Committee held a hearing 

in this room with Secretary of Defense Mattis on the National Defense Strategy and Nuclear Posture Review [NPR]. The Secretary 

gave us a sobering assessment of the nuclear threat environment 

that reflected that, quote, ‘‘we must look reality in the eye and see 

the world as it is, not as we wish it to be,’’ close quote. 

I am pleased to see that the 2018 NPR does exactly that. But 

back in 2010, the Obama administration’s NPR said, with misplaced hope, that, quote, ‘‘Russia is not an enemy and is increasingly a partner,’’ close quote. 

Anyone who watches the news today knows that this is not the 

case, if it ever was. 
2 

We were reminded of the reality just 3 weeks ago when President Trump—or President Putin announced that Russia is developing and fielding four new and horrific nuclear weapons. This includes a nuclear-powered cruise missile of essentially infinite range 

and a nuclear-powered underwater drone with an enormous saltthe-Earth nuclear payload. 

These Russian nuclear weapons have been in development for 

decades. Former Secretary of Defense Carter has pointed out that 

a nuclear arms race between the U.S. and Russia has been going 

on, quote, ‘‘for two decades now, but the U.S. has not been running 

the race,’’ close quote. 

Despite U.S. efforts to reduce both the number of nuclear weapons and their role in the defense strategy, Russia, China, and 

North Korea have gone in the opposite direction. Despite the U.S. 

policy to refrain from developing new nuclear capabilities, these 

countries are spiraling the other way. 

Secretary Mattis’ new NPR takes stock of the situation and prudently endorses the nuclear triad modernization program initiated 

by President Obama. This will recapitalize our existing systems, an 

effort that was put off for far too long. 

The NPR also wisely proposes two capabilities to supplement the 

program of record. These capabilities will ensure deterrence of adversaries and assurance of allies remains strong. They deserve full 

support of this committee and Congress. 

Finally, let me highlight three issues that this committee has 

spent considerable time on and that I am happy to see discussed 

at length in the NPR: Number one, the nuclear command, control, 

and communications, or NC3, system, which is old but reliable and 

must be modernized; number two, the infrastructure with NNSA 

that is literally falling apart and needs considerable attention and 

resources; and, number three, the people in uniform and civilian 

clothes across the DOD and NNSA that form the backbone of our 

deterrent. 

Nuclear deterrence is our number one priority defense mission. 

Forces, warheads, NC3, people, and infrastructure: it is all part of 

the deterrent. It is time to buckle down and get after all of it. 

Thank you again to our witnesses. I look forward to a discussion. 

With that, let me turn to our ranking member, my friend and 

colleague, for any statement that he may have. 

[The prepared statement of Mr. Rogers can be found in the Appendix on page 27.] 

STATEMENT OF HON. JIM COOPER, A REPRESENTATIVE FROM 

TENNESSEE, RANKING MEMBER, SUBCOMMITTEE ON STRATEGIC FORCES 

Mr. COOPER. Thank you so much, Mr. Chairman. And thanks to 

each one of the witnesses. 

I can’t help but note that today, on the day we vote on the fiscal 

year 2018 appropriations, we are discussing fiscal year 2019, proving, once again, that the authorization committees are almost lapping the appropriators. 

There could not be a more complex or consequential subject than 

the one that each one of you will be addressing today. It is vitally 

important that we get it right because, literally, the survival of our 
3 

Nation, and of the planet, is at stake if we get it wrong. So I thank 

each one of you for your excellence and diligence. 

I note, with appreciation, there is some good news in all this 

with increased budgets and performance, like with NNSA having 

had the number of programs come in under budget since 2011— 

that is excellent—on page 11 of your testimony. We need to see lots 

more of that because taxpayers, even in this vital area, want to see 

value received for their dollars. 

So I thank the witnesses, and I look forward to the questions. 

Most of mine will be in closed session. 

Mr. ROGERS. I thank the gentleman. 

We will ask each of the witnesses, if you could—we are going to 

be called for votes. We think it is going to be disruptive. So if you 

could summarize your opening statement in 3 minutes. Your full 

statement will be accepted into the record, without objection. 

Before we get started, I do want to take note of the fact that we 

have, as a committee, really enjoyed having General Robin Rand 

and Admiral Terry Benedict before this committee on many occasions. They are both real tributes to this country, and we thank 

you for your service. I believe this is going to be your last appearance before us, but just know we appreciate you, and we won’t be 

too tough on you today. 

But, anyway, let’s go to opening statements. We will start with 

Under Secretary Rood. You are recognized for 3 minutes. 

STATEMENT OF HON. JOHN C. ROOD, UNDER SECRETARY OF 

DEFENSE FOR POLICY, DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE 

Secretary ROOD. Thank you, Mr. Chairman. 

Chairman Rogers, Ranking Member Cooper, and members of the 

committee, thank you for the opportunity to testify before you 

today on the President’s fiscal year 2019 budget request. 

Today, the United States faces an increasingly complex global security environment in which the central challenge to our prosperity 

and security is the reemergence of long-term strategic competition 

by revisionist powers in China and Russia. While they pose separate challenges with unique attributes, both China and Russia seek 

to reshape the world order and change territorial borders. Consequently, they pose increasing security threats to us, our allies, and 

partners. 

Long-term competition with China and Russia requires increased 

U.S. and allied military investment because of the magnitude of 

the threats they pose today and the potential that these threats 

will increase in the future. We must also simultaneously strengthen our efforts to deter and counter the clear and present dangers 

posed by rogue regimes such as North Korea and Iran. 

The U.S. military remains the strongest in the world. However, 

our advantages are eroding as potential adversaries modernize and 

build up their conventional and nuclear forces. They now field a 

broad arsenal of advanced missiles, including variants that can 

reach the American homeland. As the chairman noted, earlier this 

month, Russian President Putin claimed publicly that Russia now 

possesses unprecedented new types of nuclear forces with which to 

target the United States and our allies. 
4 

Our task at the Defense Department is to ensure that the U.S. 

military advantages endure and, in combination with our other elements of national power, we are fully able to meet the increasing 

challenges to our national security. Weakness invites challenge and 

provocation. 

The 2018 Nuclear Posture Review reflects DOD’s strategic priority to maintain a safe, secure, survivable, and effective nuclear 

deterrent. 

The logic of the NPR was best articulated by Secretary Mattis 

who said, and I quote, ‘‘This review rests on a bedrock truth: nuclear weapons have and will continue to play a critical role in deterring nuclear attack and in preventing large-scale conventional 

warfare between nuclear-armed states for the foreseeable future. 

U.S. nuclear weapons not only defend our allies against conventional and nuclear threats, they also help them avoid the need to 

develop their own nuclear arsenals. This, in turn, furthers global 

security,’’ end quote. 

The 2018 NPR confirms the findings of all previous NPRs that 

the diverse capabilities of the nuclear triad provide the flexibility 

and resilience needed for deterrence. Unfortunately, each leg of the 

triad is now operating far beyond its planned service life. Consequently, we must not delay the recapitalization of the triad started 

by the previous administration. 

I would note that the U.S. commitment to nonproliferation and 

arms control remains strong and is noted in the NPR. The United 

States remains committed to all of its obligations under the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty, including Article VI. 

Mr. Chairman, let me conclude by stating that, in an increasingly complex and threatening security environment, DOD must 

sustain the capabilities needed to deter and defend against attacks 

on our homeland. Along with our allies and partners, we must ensure that we have the capabilities needed now and in the future 

to protect our people and the freedoms we so cherish and are able 

to engage potential adversaries diplomatically from a position of 

strength. 

Thank you again for the opportunity to testify. I urge the committee to support the President’s fiscal year 2019 budget request. 

[The prepared statement of Secretary Rood can be found in the 

Appendix on page 29.] 

Mr. ROGERS. Thank you. The gentleman yields back. 

The Chair now recognizes General Rand for 3 minutes. 

STATEMENT OF GEN ROBIN RAND, USAF, COMMANDER, AIR 

FORCE GLOBAL STRIKE COMMAND 

General RAND. Good morning, Chairman Rogers, Ranking Member Cooper, and distinguished members of the subcommittee. 

Thank you for allowing me to appear before you today to represent 

the men and women of Air Force Global Strike Command. 

As I conclude my third year as Commander of Air Force Global 

Strike, I have four fundamental focus areas: First, the fight tonight; next, the fight in 2030; the development of our airmen; and 

the care and feeding of our families. 

I will highlight two of these areas in these opening comments. 
5 

In our fight tonight, 2017 was an important year. As we sit here 

this morning, our airmen are gainfully employed in the missile 

fields in five States—Colorado, Nebraska, Wyoming, Montana, and 

North Dakota—pulling intercontinental ballistic missile alert 24/7. 

At the same time, we have airmen deployed in the Middle East, 

supporting CENTCOM [U.S. Central Command] and AFRICOM 

[U.S. Africa Command], fighting violent extremists. Airmen are deterring our adversaries and assuring our partners in the EUCOM 

[U.S. European Command] and PACOM [U.S. Pacific Command] 

AOR [area of responsibility], and airmen are supporting counternarcotic operations in SOUTHCOM [U.S. Southern Command] 

while we are always postured to support General Hyten’s USSTRATCOM’s [U.S. Strategic Command’s] operational plan 81–X. 

At the direction of the Commander of USSTRATCOM, in September 2017, we reorganized to establish one line of authority for 

USSTRATCOM’S air components under a single four-star commander. This reorganization has established clear lines of authority, simplifying outdated command structure for our bombers and 

our ICBM [intercontinental ballistic missile] forces. 

My position is now dual-hatted as the Commander of Air Force’s 

Strategic Air and Joint Forces Component Commander and the 

Commander of Air Force Global Strike. 

The recently activated Joint-Global Strike Operations Center, 

headquartered at Barksdale Air Force Base, enables us to focus on 

operational deterrence and global strike missions, while headquarters Global Strike Command focuses on the organized trainand-equip duties. 

Equally important as our ability to fight tonight, is our ability to 

fight in 2030. The key to Global Strike Command’s continued success will remain on our ability to modernize, sustain, and recapitalize our force. I am happy to report today that we are on a good 

path to moving forward. 

I look forward to answering your questions and providing input 

on the Ground Based Strategic Deterrent; the Long Range StandOff weapon; the B–21 Raider; the UH–1N helicopter replacement; 

infrastructure requirements; nuclear command, control, and communications systems; and other programs within the command. 

Modernization of our nuclear force is critical. It is absolutely critical. 

Mr. Chairman and subcommittee members, I want to thank you 

for your dedication to our great Nation and the opportunity to appear before the committee to highlight the important mission of Air 

Force Global Strike Command. Thank you. 

[The prepared statement of General Rand can be found in the 

Appendix on page 34.] 

Mr. ROGERS. I thank you, General Rand. 

Admiral Benedict, you are recognized for 3 minutes. 

STATEMENT OF VADM TERRY BENEDICT, USN, DIRECTOR, 

NAVY STRATEGIC SYSTEMS PROGRAMS 

Admiral BENEDICT. Thank you, sir. 

Chairman Rogers, Ranking Member Cooper, and distinguished 

members of the committee, thank you for the opportunity to be 
6 

here today and thank you for your continued support of the Navy’s 

deterrence mission. 

It has been my greatest privilege to represent the men and 

women of SSP [Strategic Systems Programs] for the last 8 years. 

My goal, as the director, has been to ensure that they are properly 

positioned to execute the mission with the same level of success 

today and tomorrow as they have done since our program’s inception in 1955. 

SSP is currently extending the Trident II D5 strategic weapon 

system to match the Ohio-class service life and to serve as the initial weapon system on the Columbia class. 

I will summarize by saying all of our life extension programs remain on track and on budget. Our life extension efforts will ensure 

an effective and credible sea-based strategic deterrent on both the 

Ohio and the Columbia class until the 2040s. 

The Navy is also taking steps to ensure a credible weapon system is available beyond 2040. In fact, the Nuclear Posture Review 

directs the Navy to, quote, ‘‘begin studies in 2020 to define a costeffective, credible, and effective SLBM, sea-launched ballistic missile, that we can deploy throughout the service life of the Columbia 

SSBN [ballistic missile submarine] through the 2080s,’’ unquote. 

In addition to our modernization efforts, our budget request supports the results of the 2018 Nuclear Posture Review. In particular, 

our budget request includes funding to begin modifying a small 

number of warheads to provide a low-yield option. This near-term 

capability is being accomplished in partnerships with the Department of Energy and my counterpart here, Administrator GordonHagerty at the NNSA. It will not increase the overall number of 

deployed ballistic warheads and will, in fact, bolster our deterrence 

posture. 

Thank you for the opportunity to testify, and I look forward to 

additional questions. 

[The prepared statement of Admiral Benedict can be found in the 

Appendix on page 54.] 

Mr. ROGERS. Thank you, Admiral. 

Ms. Gordon-Hagerty, you are recognized for 3 minutes. 

STATEMENT OF HON. LISA E. GORDON–HAGERTY, ADMINISTRATOR, NATIONAL NUCLEAR SECURITY ADMINISTRATION 

Ms. GORDON-HAGERTY. Chairman Rogers, Ranking Member Cooper, and distinguished members of the subcommittee, thank you for 

the opportunity to present the President’s fiscal year 2019 budget 

request for the Department of Energy’s National Nuclear Security 

Administration. It is a privilege to appear before you today representing the extraordinary men and women of the DOE [Department of Energy] NNSA and the vital roles we play in executing our 

national security missions. 

Since being sworn in exactly 4 weeks ago today, I have had the 

opportunity to receive in-depth briefings on NNSA’s programs and 

projects. I still have a great deal more to learn, but what I have 

seen so far has been impressive. 

NNSA has shown steady progress with the support of this subcommittee and Congress. For example, infrastructure modernization, flight testing of the B61–12, removals of highly enriched ura-
7 

nium from Ghana and Kazakhstan, and commissioning of a new 

class of nuclear-powered aircraft carrier. These are but a few examples of how NNSA has lent its world-class expertise to keeping our 

Nation safe and secure. But there is much more to be done to meet 

the challenges posed by the current geopolitical environment. 

The President’s fiscal year 2019 budget request for NNSA is $15.1 billion, providing the resources required to help ensure we 

are able to protect and keep our Nation, allies, and partners safe. 

This request also moves us forward to a deterrent that is modern, 

robust, flexible, resilient, ready, and appropriately tailored to meet 

current and future uncertainties, as outlined in the 2018 Nuclear 

Posture Review. 

The fiscal year 2019 budget clearly demonstrates the administration’s strong support for NNSA and our three enduring missions: 

maintaining the safety, security, and reliability of the U.S. nuclear 

weapon stockpile; reducing the threat of nuclear proliferation and 

nuclear terrorism around the world; and providing nuclear propulsion for the U.S. Navy’s fleet of aircraft carriers and submarines. 

These critically important missions are executed in lockstep alignment with our interagency partners, including the Department of 

Defense, with whom I am privileged to testify before you today. 

NNSA’s fiscal year 2019 budget request for the weapons activi- ties account as $11 billion, an increase of 7.6 percent over the fiscal 

year 2018 request. This funding supports the Nation’s current and 

future defense posture, including infrastructure across the enterprise. 

With the subcommittee’s support, our fiscal year 2018 NDAA 

[National Defense Authorization Act]—under the NDAA, we have 

provided additional flexibility to our infrastructure challenges by 

increasing minor construction thresholds to $20 million. Our budget request also includes $1.9 billion for the defense nuclear nonproliferation account, a 3.9 percent increase. Finally, the budget request for Naval Reactors is $1.8 billion, a 20.9 percent increase 

above the fiscal year 2018 request. 

The NNSA’s fiscal year 2019 budget request is a result of a disciplined process to prioritize funding for validated requirements as 

designated by this administration. And it sets forth the foundation 

to implement the policies of the Nuclear Posture Review and the 

National Security Strategy. 

Thank you for your continued strong support and the opportunity 

to testify before you today. I look forward to answering any questions you may have. 

[The prepared statement of Ms. Gordon-Hagerty can be found in 

the Appendix on page 64.] 

Mr. ROGERS. Thank you. 

Mr. Owendoff, you are recognized for 3 minutes. 

STATEMENT OF JAMES OWENDOFF, PRINCIPAL DEPUTY ASSISTANT SECRETARY FOR ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT, 

DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY 

Mr. OWENDOFF. Good morning, Chairman Rogers, Ranking Member Cooper, and distinguished members of the subcommittee. I am 

pleased to be here today to represent the Department of Energy’s 

Office of Environmental Management [EM] and to discuss the work 
8 

we have already successfully accomplished and what we plan to accomplish under the President’s fiscal year 2019 budget request. 

The total fiscal year 2019 budget request for the EM program is $6.6 billion. Of that, $5.6 billion is for the defense environmental 

cleanup activities. The fiscal year 2019 request demonstrates the 

administration’s continued commitment to the vital mission of EM 

to address the environmental legacy of nuclear weapons production 

and government-sponsored energy research. 

DOE and EM are committed to ensuring the safety of our workforce, the public, and the environment. Safety is our top priority for 

the Office of Environmental Management and its field sites. It is 

valued above production, budget, and schedule. We are also strongly committed to a workplace where all workers—Federal and contractor—are free to speak out, voice concerns, or lodge complaints 

without fear of retaliation. 

To continue and further build upon our momentum of progress, 

we have focused on a greater sense of urgency to EM’s decisionmaking process. This approach means more emphasis on engaging 

with regulators, stakeholders, and communities in making timely 

decisions which will enhance safety, shorten schedules, increase 

transparency, and reduce costs. 

Going forward, our fiscal year 2019 request will enable us to continue making progress on those capabilities necessary to tackle 

some of our longer-term challenges while also enabling us to realize 

concrete accomplishments across the EM program. 

In closing, I am honored to be here today to represent the more 

than 20,000 men and women that carry out the Office of Environmental Management mission. Ensuring a safe work environment at 

all of our sites is our highest priority. We are committed to achieving our mission in a safe, effective, and cost-efficient manner to 

serve as good stewards of taxpayer resources. 

Thank you for the subcommittee’s support of the defense cleanup 

program and, again, for the opportunity to appear before you today. 

I look forward to answering your questions. 

[The prepared statement of Mr. Owendoff can be found in the 

Appendix on page 77.] 

Mr. ROGERS. I thank all the witnesses for those statements. 

I recognize myself for the first set of questions. 

This will be for Under Secretary Rood and General Rand. 

I understand that the NPR examined a lot of different options, 

and included in that was de-alerting our ICBMs and possibly 

adopting a no-first-use policy. 

The previous administration, at least on two occasions, considered those and rejected them. Are you concerned that the U.S. may 

mistakenly launch a nuclear strike, either in a day-to-day posture 

or defense crisis, and do you believe we should de-alert ICBMs? 

Secretary ROOD. Mr. Chairman, we have high confidence in our 

command and control capabilities for our nuclear arsenal. They 

have been the same sort of command and control procedures in the 

system that we have had for quite some time. 

With respect to your question on first use, I would note, no U.S. 

President, since the dawn of the nuclear age, has provided an assurance against the first use of nuclear weapons. The declaratory 

policy that you will see in the 2018 NPR is the same in this respect 
9 

as the 2010 NPR, produced during the Obama administration, in 

that it talks about keeping a nuclear threshold at a very high level, 

stating that the United States would only contemplate the use of 

nuclear weapons in extreme circumstances. 

Of course, the primary purpose of our nuclear force is deterrence. 

It is our nuclear deterrent force. We are not considering de-alerting 

our ICBMs and other activities like that because we don’t think it 

would further those objectives. 

With respect to first use, as I mentioned, it has not been the policy of any U.S. President, in part because we want to retain some 

ambiguity around the circumstances in which the United States 

would respond with nuclear weapons or to employ them. 

General RAND. Mr. Chairman, I can only add that I would not 

be in favor of de-alerting our nuclear ICBMs. The big feature of the 

ICBMs is its responsiveness. That is one of the features of the different legs of the triad, and we would not have that responsive capability if we de-alerted. 

Mr. ROGERS. Well, I just want everybody to remember: Our allies 

were shaken when this was openly discussed in the past, and we 

don’t need to be concerning them again with these kind of discussions. 

Administrator Gordon-Hagerty, with NNSA currently with a projected workload for weapons programs that is very heavy, some 

folks have expressed concern that the NNSA’s enterprise cannot 

successfully execute the additional work required by the NPR, 

namely the two supplemental capabilities of, one, a near-term 

modification to the W–76 to provide a lower yield option, and, two, 

a longer term effort to develop a sea-launched cruise missile. 

Your predecessor, General Klotz, said in an interview on his way 

out the door, quote: ‘‘The other great risk in the life extension programs is we have never done more than one life extension program 

at a time since the end of the Cold War. We are now doing essentially four. The point is we are working pretty much at full capacity,’’ close quote. 

What do you make of these comments? Do you believe the NNSA 

enterprise has the capacity and the capability to do additions to 

these supplemental capabilities without risking the current warhead programs, and do you think the men and women in your 

enterprise can get this done? 

Ms. GORDON-HAGERTY. Mr. Chairman, yes, I do believe we can 

get it done. And, in fact, we are working right now, as General 

Klotz correctly stated, essentially four LEPs [life extension programs], the three LEPs and the one major Alt [alteration]. 

We are not running at capacity. In fact, we are planning for a 

projected—the two additional projected opportunities. In fact, we 

are, as you well know, are working the W76–1 process right now, 

the LEP, and we are already making plans of moving as far forward as we can to support the future low-yield ballistic missile requirement as outlined in the Nuclear Posture Review. That, of 

course, we are waiting for authority and approval from the Nuclear 

Weapons Council to proceed on that. And, of course, I am a member of the Nuclear Weapons Council. So we will make sure that the 

schedule supports all of those activities. 
10 

Our biggest concern with our workload, however, is people and 

the cumbersome clearance process that it takes. We need to train 

and equip personnel in the workforce in order to execute these missions. It is a full mission workload for us, but we believe we have 

the capabilities and the capacity to do that. And with the continued 

support of this subcommittee and the full committee, we believe we 

can do so. 

It is also predicated, of course, on our decades-long future modernization and infrastructure strategy that we have. That is also 

predicated on predictable and stable funding. 

Mr. ROGERS. We want to work with you to help you on your deferred maintenance problem as well because you are going to have 

a hard time keeping those people if we don’t deal with that—or recruiting new people. 

Ms. GORDON-HAGERTY. I concur. Thank you. 

Mr. ROGERS. With that, I yield to the ranking member for any 

questions he may have. 

Mr. COOPER. Thank you, Mr. Chairman. 

As I told Mr. Owendoff before the hearing, I appreciated the 

vividness of your testimony in helping us understand the opportunities for cleanup and the accomplishments that have already occurred. 

Administrator Gordon-Hagerty, several years ago, I referred to 

the MOX [mixed oxide] program in South Carolina as a zombie earmark. And I know that you are new to your job, but I would hope 

that you and the Department of Energy would have a proposed termination date for that program in the relatively near future now 

that Congress has repeatedly given you the green light. 

It is my understanding in today’s omnibus appropriations bill, 

there will be no obstacles to terminating the program. So I hope 

that you will be able to make that a priority in your term as Administrator. 

Admiral Benedict, General Rand, I would like to echo Chairman 

Rogers’ praise for you as individuals and for your excellent careers 

and service. We will miss your testimony. I hope you are adequately warning your replacements what to expect from the subcommittee. 

The Nuclear Posture Review suggests several modifications to 

current status and has, I think, special implications for the Navy 

to have a low-yield D5, to have cruise missiles with nuclear options. 

So, Admiral Benedict, in your valedictory public comments here, 

could you tell me what that would do to change the defense posture 

of the Navy? 

Admiral BENEDICT. Thank you, Mr. Cooper. 

With regards to the low yield, if I may, we could very quickly get 

in a classified regime there. I ask that I be able to answer most 

of your specific questions in the classified session. 

I would tell you that we are beginning planning on the low-yield 

concept for the 76. That is, from our perspective, well on its way 

to support the direction out of the NPR. 

With regards to the sea-launched cruise missile, we will begin 

that effort in fiscal year 2019 with the standard analysis of alternatives on what that would actually look like, what the require-
11 

ments would be for that type of a weapon, and where it would be 

based from sea, either surface or submarine. That work will begin 

in fiscal year 2019, per the direction of the NPR. The Navy, today, 

under the direction of the CNO [Chief of Naval Operations] and the 

Assistant Secretary for Research, Development and Acquisition, are 

beginning that planning throughout the Navy, so we will be well 

situated to begin in fiscal year 2019. 

Mr. ROGERS. I thank the gentleman. 

The Chair now recognizes the gentleman from Georgia, Mr. Hice. 

Mr. HICE. Thank you, Mr. Chairman. 

Administrator Gordon-Hagerty, let me ask you, are you concerned about the increasing drone activity at NNSA labs, plants, 

and sites? 

Ms. GORDON-HAGERTY. Yes, Representative Hice. We have seen 

increased activity in UAS [unmanned aircraft system] drone activities at all of our labs, plants, and sites, and we are concerned about 

that. But thanks to this Congress, and in particular this subcommittee, we now have the resources to look at and be able to put 

together programs that will address these issues at our locations 

where special nuclear material is located. 

We are in the process of down-selecting from two pilot projects 

that we have ongoing right now so we can address this better at 

our sites. Shortly, we will be putting in counter-UAS capabilities 

at our plants, labs, and sites where we have special nuclear material, Cat I facilities. 

Mr. HICE. So the counter-UAS authority that has been granted, 

has that been implemented? 

Ms. GORDON-HAGERTY. We are in the process of down-selecting 

capabilities to do so, so we can execute those authorities. 

Mr. HICE. Do you have a timeframe on when you think that may 

be? 

Ms. GORDON-HAGERTY. In the very near term. I would be happy 

to bring the team together and provide you with a more detailed 

briefing about what our down-select activities in our pilot project 

is showing right now. 

Mr. HICE. Okay. I would appreciate that. 

When will the engineering analysis and workforce analysis for 

plutonium pit production be complete? 

Ms. GORDON-HAGERTY. We are undergoing the final draft review 

of the engineering analysis as well as the workforce analysis for 

our planned path forward for pit production for the 31 to 80 pits, 

if you will. 

Right now, we have an enduring mission, and, thanks to this 

subcommittee and the appropriations committees, we are putting 

modernization plans in place for the PF–4, where we will have our 

existing and enduring pit production capabilities at Los Alamos, 

Los Alamos being the plutonium center of excellence for our operations. That will be our enduring 30 pits per year requirements. 

As far as the engineering analysis is concerned, in the next several weeks, Under Secretary Lord and I will be receiving our final 

briefings on the final draft product, at which time I will take that 

information to the Deputy Secretary, who is the responsible party 

for selecting the best location for the engineering or for the future 

pit production requirements. We will do that within the timeframe 
12 

so that Under Secretary Lord, as the chairman of the Nuclear 

Weapons Council, can submit her report to Congress by May 11. 

Mr. HICE. I know the Savannah River Site is in consideration 

with that. I will certainly give a plug in that direction. I appreciate 

that consideration. 

So will Congress be kept up to speed on all of this? 

Ms. GORDON-HAGERTY. Yes. As soon as we are able to, we will 

make provisions to brief Members of Congress and their staff. 

Mr. HICE. Okay. Thank you very much. 

Mr. Chairman, I yield back. 

Mr. ROGERS. The gentleman yields back. 

The Chair now recognizes the gentleman from California, Mr. 

Garamendi, for 5 minutes. 

Mr. GARAMENDI. Did you say 55? 

Mr. ROGERS. No. 

Mr. GARAMENDI. I want to go to a recent incident in which it has 

been reported that Russia has hacked into our critical infrastructure systems—electrical grids, power plants, et cetera—and then 

refer you to page 21 of the Nuclear Posture Review, the last paragraph: Given the potential of significant nonnuclear strategic attacks, the United States reserves the right to make any adjustment 

in the assurance that may be warranted by the evolution and proliferation of nonnuclear strategic attack technologies and U.S. capabilities to counter that threat. 

Does a cyberattack on our power grid rise to the occasion of 

using a nuclear weapon in response? 

Mr. Rood. 

Secretary ROOD. Congressman, the threshold for U.S. nuclear use 

has been and will remain incredibly high. 

As you quoted from on page 21 of the Nuclear Posture Review, 

you will note the first sentence of our declaratory policy is the 

United States would only consider the employment of nuclear 

weapons in extreme circumstances to defend the vital interests of 

the United States, its allies, and partners. 

Mr. GARAMENDI. I did read that. 

So is the shutdown of the American power grid an extreme circumstance that would warrant the use of a nuclear weapon? 

Secretary ROOD. In the declaratory process, that is one of the 

things that we would take into account. And, remember, the key 

word being ‘‘consider’’ in extreme circumstances. 

It is really the context in which those type of attacks could occur. 

There is no automaticity. In our response, we would consider that. 

So, for instance, to your hypothetical, if an attack shut down the 

electricity grid in the United States and it was accompanied by 

other activities, that would be one of the things we would look at. 

Are we in a high-threat condition with Russia? Are there other 

forms of conventional attack underway? What is the context in 

which that is occurring? 

There is nothing in our policy that would automatically require 

a response, but we would maintain the ambiguity around exactly 

how we would respond in order to deter attacks on the United 

States, and we would consider the context in which activities were 

occurring. 
13 

Mr. GARAMENDI. Ms. Gordon-Hagerty, in answer to the previous 

question, you indicated that you intend to continue to build out the 

PF–4 facility at Los Alamos. 

Have you made a decision on your AOA [analysis of alternatives] 

as to the ultimate production location for the plutonium pits? 

Ms. GORDON-HAGERTY. Representative Garamendi, the discussion that we were having about the engineering analysis, which is 

the follow-on to the analysis of alternatives, we have down-selected 

two locations where we are now undergoing the final assessment 

to make a recommendation to the Deputy Secretary and then, ultimately, to the Nuclear Weapons Council. And that should be completed on or before—the recommendation to Congress should be 

made on or before May 11, so it is very near term. 

Mr. GARAMENDI. And so it appeared to me that, in answering the 

previous question, that you may have made a decision by the allocation of substantial sums into the Los Alamos facility, and you are 

saying that is not the case. It is still an open question. 

Ms. GORDON-HAGERTY. Well, this is a twofold process. We will 

continue to fund and support the operations at PF–4, which is 

where our enduring plutonium pit production capabilities will remain for the foreseeable future for those 1 through 30, if you will, 

pits. And then building out on that, the strategy, as required by 

the Nuclear Weapons Council, is to produce up to 80 pits by 2030. 

That is the parameters under which we are operating and finalizing the engineering analysis. 

Mr. GARAMENDI. I appreciate your answer. There is one additional question I will save, but I will state the question here: Why 

do you need 80 pits? In the classified setting, I will ask that question. 

Ms. GORDON-HAGERTY. Okay. Thank you. 

Mr. GARAMENDI. I yield back. 

Mr. ROGERS. I thank the gentleman. 

The Chair now recognizes the gentleman from Alabama, Mr. 

Byrne, for 5 minutes. 

Mr. BYRNE. Thank you, Mr. Chairman. 

General Hyten has consistently called for speeding up the process for modernizing our major nuclear programs. There is no doubt 

that our nuclear national assets require urgent attention. 

General Rand, I know you support that priority. What can we do 

to accelerate the acquisition of the Ground Based Strategic Deterrent [GBSD] and the Long Range Stand-Off [LRSO] cruise missile 

programs? 

General RAND. Thank you for the question. 

My first response would be: We need to continue the funding for 

it. We have to continue to be able to stay on time, on cost. To do 

that, we need the dollars. Any delays in this funding will certainly 

result in delayed acquisition of both those two critical systems. 

We are in a good place right now with the technology maturation 

and risk-reduction [TMRR] contracts with our two GBS contracts 

with Northrop Grumman and Boeing. It is a 3-year plan TMRR 

cycle. If we stay on track, I think we will be able to meet the requirements that we are shooting for, and that is 2030, to be fielding the GBSD. Delays of the budget would be devastating to the 

program. 
14 

I would say the same thing about our LRSO. We have two contracts right now for down-select. We will take the next 2 years to 

do this TMRR progress. If we continue to fund appropriately, we 

will stay on time. 

Mr. BYRNE. The fiscal year 2019 unfunded priorities list includes an additional $69 million and $85 million, respectively, for the 

GBSD and LRSO programs. Can you provide more insight, General, on what this additional funding would do to help accelerate 

those programs? 

General RAND. Well, I think one of the things—and to be candid 

with you: I can’t give you specifics as probably the acquisition community can. Our job in Air Force Global Strike is to help define the 

requirements. I think we have done a good job of that. 

I can tell you, any time you are going for these innovative programs that the workforce is very important, and I have to believe 

that some of those dollars will be going to building up the workforces with both the contractors that we have. 

Mr. BYRNE. Admiral, I continue to have my concern—and I know 

you have concerns—about any slippage in the Columbia program. 

We have been talking about that on the committee for a long time. 

If you would—you and I have had this discussion before—bring 

us up to date. How are we doing on Columbia, and what are the 

risks if we do have slippage in that timeline? 

Admiral BENEDICT. Sir, we remain on schedule with the Columbia. Specifically, I focus on the common missile compartment, 

which is our shared effort with the United Kingdom, since both nations have elected to continue the Trident II D5 strategic weapon 

system as the baseline. 

The first four tubes are actually—first four missile tubes, excuse 

me, are actually on what we call the rotisserie fixture up at Electric Boat. So we are beginning to receive the initial contract allocation of 17 tubes into Electric Boat. And we are on track by the end 

of this summer, early fall, to deliver the first missile tube down to 

what is called the Strategic Weapon System Ashore facility down 

in Florida, where I will use it to do environmental testing for the 

strategic weapon system. So we continue to make very good progress on that. 

I was in London last week with the United Kingdom. Their shipyard in Barrow continues to progress to their schedule and their 

program efforts. They are installing the fixtures the same as we 

have at Electric Boat in order to build the quad packs. So we remain on schedule for the submarine force. 

We need 12 boats. I think we have explained at length why we 

need 12 Columbia class for the United States. We need them so 

that we can have the first one on patrol in 2031 in order to ensure 

that we can support General Hyten and the STRATCOM requirements for strategic deterrence. 

Mr. BYRNE. I thank you for your service. I appreciate your testimony and everybody’s testimony. 

Mr. Chairman, it is clear to me that one of the things we can do 

to help them is to quit funding them by continuing resolutions, 

number one. 

Number two, we have a very important appropriations bill that 

will be before the House today that I think contains funding you 
15 

all need, to do what you need to do. So for us to do what we are 

supposed to do to help you do what you are supposed to do, I hope 

we have success with that bill today. 

I yield back. 

Mr. ROGERS. The gentleman yields back. And I hope it is successful, as well. 

The Chair now recognizes the gentleman from Texas, Mr. 

O’Rourke, for 5 minutes. 

Mr. O’ROURKE. Thank you, Mr. Chairman. 

General Rand, let me ask you a question about the Long Range 

Stand-Off, LRSO, nuclear cruise missile. Is a there a need for a 

conventional variant? 

General RAND. Sir, the conventional variant that we have today 

is called the Joint Air-to-Surface Missile Extended Range, JASSM– 

ER, vastly improved capability over our conventional air-launched 

cruise missile. That is what we now are using—I wouldn’t even say 

to bridge the gap. Frankly, we have a need for more long range 

stand-off conventionally than what we already have. And I think 

we have to balance the budget with our requirements, and taking 

on a new now conventional long range stand-off is not something 

I think should be our priority at this time. 

Mr. O’ROURKE. Just help me understand. I believe a previous 

NDAA calls for that, and tell me the plans to pursue that and develop that. 

General RAND. The NDAA, as I understand it, won’t let us retire 

the CALCM, the conventional air-launched cruise missile, until we 

have plans for, which is most unfortunate, because the CALCM is 

not a weapon of choice anymore. 

Again, I would submit—I can’t speak to the larger plans—the Air 

Force is relying for its conventional long-range strike is JASSM– 

ER. We need to pursue that, and we need to actually get more than 

we have. And I think that is where our effort should be versus trying to come up with a new avenue to get a conventional long-range 

standoff. 

Mr. O’ROURKE. Thank you. 

Mr. Chairman, I yield back. 

Mr. ROGERS. The gentleman yields back. 

The Chair now recognizes the gentleman from Colorado, Mr. 

Coffman. 

Mr. COFFMAN. Thank you, Mr. Chairman. 

I am concerned about the command and control and communications, given the threats to our satellites. 

Do you all have a growing concern about how that affects navigation, targeting, communications, in terms of the triad? 

General RAND. Yes, sir. I will start with that. 

I think that as we evolve in the contested domains that are out 

there—we have undersea, we have sea, we have land, and we have 

air—the two domains that we need to pay particular attention is 

the space domain and certainly the cyber domain. Those are very, 

very important domains to anything that I would do in Air Force 

Global Strike. 

I would tell you that those domains are becoming increasingly 

contested, and absolutely we need to be focused on that. 
16 

I won’t speak to the specifics because I am not nearly as fluent 

on the topic as my friend, General Jay Raymond, the Commander 

of Air Force Space Command, but this is a huge priority for us. I 

will tell you that cyber and cyber protection is a very big priority. 

Everything that we are doing in nuclear command, control, and 

communications are considering how are we going to operate in 

those two contested domains. 

Admiral BENEDICT. If I may, I would echo what General Rand 

said, specifically with regards to cyber. And then I would just remind this committee that the undersea leg does not rely on GPS 

[Global Positioning System], either for the missile’s performance or 

for the submarine’s position. We have other means to ensure the 

performance and accuracy of the Trident system. 

Mr. COFFMAN. Russia recently announced a new hypersonic missile, and China is pursuing similar capabilities. 

According to General Hyten, quote: ‘‘We do not have any defense 

that could deny the employment of such a weapon against us,’’ unquote. 

I wonder if you all could comment on that. 

General RAND. Sir, he is accurate in that. What we do have, the 

very premise of deterrence, though, is that we have some very 

strong capabilities ourselves. That is one of the strong rationales 

why we need a B–21 Raider, is to deter their even consideration 

of using a hypersonic weapon against us. That is why we need the 

three strong legs of our triad. That is why we need to have the conventional long-range stand-off capabilities that we do have. I think 

that we have to play or consider that deterrence is a big part of 

how we would respond and like why they wouldn’t want to ever use 

their hypersonics against us. 

If the question is, ‘‘Should we pursue ways to defend against it,’’ 

yes. But we have to balance that on everything else that we are 

trying to do. 

Mr. COFFMAN. Admiral, how many nuclear ballistic missile submarines does Russia currently field or have, and how old are they 

on the average? 

Admiral BENEDICT. Sir, I am going to have to take a specific look 

up on that and get back to you with the actual detailed numbers. 

I don’t have that at my fingertips here, but I will take the action. 

Mr. COFFMAN. Has Russia engaged in large-scale modernization 

of their nuclear triad, including strategic bombers or SSBNs? 

Admiral BENEDICT. Absolutely, sir. And I think that is the 

premise for why we believe so passionately that our life extension 

programs have to continue to pace, both in terms of cost and schedule, in order to ensure that we can continue to deliver our fundamental aspects of national security, which is the nuclear triad. 

Secretary ROOD. Congressman, if I could add. The intelligence 

community has produced an estimate showing that over the last 20 

years the Russians as well as the Chinese have engaged in substantial buildup in their strategic nuclear capabilities. What we 

saw President Putin announce is just the latest in a discussion of 

those. During that same period, of course, the United States has 

been going the opposite direction. 

And so they have modernized a very large number of capabilities, 

both in the strategic area and the so-called nonstrategic nuclear 
17 

weapons. These are some of the concerns in the NPR that led us 

to propose some of the adjustments in our own capabilities. 

Mr. COFFMAN. Mr. Chairman, I yield back. 

Mr. ROGERS. The gentleman yields back. 

The Chair now recognizes the gentleman from Washington, Mr. 

Larsen, for 5 minutes. 

Mr. LARSEN. Thank you, Mr. Chairman. 

Mr. Owendoff, I understand no one has asked you any questions. 

Looking at the 2018 request and 2019 request, both for the Office 

of River Protection at Hanford and for the operations office, the administration is requesting less money in 2019 compared to 2018. 

Could you try to justify this reduction in the request for the work 

at the Hanford site? 

Mr. OWENDOFF. Yes, sir. We have completed activities, both the 

vertical pipe unit removal, old burial grounds, and there is other 

work along the Columbia River that we have completed. 

Our focus, though, is for the high-level waste that is in the tanks 

and getting the low-activity waste facility up and built. The Secretary has placed a high priority on that, with a goal of having it 

operational by December of 2021, 2 years ahead of the consent decree that is in place. 

We believe that, from a priority and a risk standpoint, we are addressing the right thing, certainly on the Central Plateau, as well 

as other demolitions across the site. 

Mr. LARSEN. Moving on to WTP [Waste Treatment and Immobilization Plant Project], do you believe EM can get that entire system at Hanford operational by 2039? 

Mr. OWENDOFF. We are looking at that now, sir. As I mentioned, 

our focus is on the first of the three process nuclear facilities. 

We found that it is very difficult to try to move along on three 

at once. But we are analyzing the other two—the high-level waste 

and the pre-treatment—and over the next several months, we will 

be having information out that we will be certainly sharing with 

this subcommittee on our approach for those two facilities. 

Mr. LARSEN. That would be helpful. As you know, this predates 

me being on a committee, and I have been on the committee for 

18 years. It is described as America’s original toxic asset, the waste 

at Hanford and these other places, and we haven’t really dealt with 

it. 

We are expecting to learn something from you in the next couple 

of months. Will that include some timelines? Well, going back to 

the WTP. When do you anticipate starting treatment of low-level 

waste? 

Mr. OWENDOFF. We expect, sir, to have hot operations start the 

end of December 2021. In one way, that seems like a long ways off, 

but there is a lot of work to do. Certainly this will be the first time 

that we have brought up a nuclear facility for a low-activity waste 

class, so there could be problems. But, as I say, we and our contractor are moving forward to get it done by that date. The Secretary has established a goal for us. 

Mr. LARSEN. And do you think the dollars in the budget help you 

do that? 

Mr. OWENDOFF. Yes, sir. 

Mr. LARSEN. In the budget you proposed. 
18 

Mr. OWENDOFF. Yes, sir, we believe that it does. We will need to 

continue certainly that funding level. 

Mr. LARSEN. Can you update us on the status of the ongoing ventilation problems at tank farms that have sickened workers over 

the past few years? 

Mr. OWENDOFF. It has been difficult because of the fumes. Workers experience different things. They smell different things. We 

have a whole suite of new sensors that we are putting out in the 

tank farm. Some smell ammonia, some smell like a sweetness, and 

so it has been very, very difficult. 

What we have done is, when workers are out there, we put them 

in air packs to ensure that they have a supplemental air supply. 

It slowed the process for retrieving waste in the single shell tanks, 

but our first priority, as I mentioned in my opening, is worker safety, so that is what we are continuing. We are continuing to look 

to see if we can find what is the source of those fumes and vapors, 

sir. 

Mr. LARSEN. Thank you. Let me yield back. 

I want to apologize to the rest of the panel. I have got a million 

questions for everybody, but this is really kind of the only time of 

the year, once a year, where we get a chance to have some conversations on the record in public with the folks at EM, so I appreciate the indulgence of the rest of the panel. 

Thank you, Mr. Owendoff. 

I yield back. 

Mr. ROGERS. The Chair now recognizes the gentleman from Colorado, Mr. Lamborn, for 5 minutes. 

Mr. LAMBORN. Thank you. 

I have a short question for Ms. Gordon-Hagerty, and then I have 

another question for Secretary Rood after that. 

Administrator Gordon-Hagerty, I am very concerned that the 

United States no longer enriches uranium for national security 

purposes. Concerning the implications of that and the cost of delaying a buildout—I think the previous administration wanted a sizable delay—do you share my concerns, and will you consider speeding of this vital acquisition process? 

Ms. GORDON-HAGERTY. The National Nuclear Security Administration has a requirement to produce tritium for our national security needs. With that, it is important to us to have a domestic 

enrichment capability. 

We are currently undergoing an analysis, if you will, of two different technologies. One of the technologies is much more mature 

than the other. In fact, if you are familiar with technical readiness 

levels, one is at about a 7 or 8; the other is at about a 2 or 3. So 

we are awaiting for that second capability to be evaluated more 

specifically. 

Then once we decide on looking at those two capabilities, once 

they become a technical level 7 or 8, we will then make a determination how we are going to proceed with an enrichment capability for our United States. 

But, yes, we do agree that we do require a domestic enrichment 

capability. 

Mr. LAMBORN. Okay. Thank you. We will work with you on that. 

Thank you. 
19 

And Under Secretary Rood, it is pleasing to me to realize that 

senior-most defense officials from the Obama administration have 

reviewed and support the new Trump national posture review. 

I am going to read to you a quote from President Obama’s Under 

Secretary of Defense for Policy, Jim Miller, who was the principal 

author of the Obama administration’s 2010 NPR [Nuclear Posture 

Review], quote: ‘‘Secretary of Defense Jim Mattis’ 2018 [Nuclear] 

Posture Review offers continuity with past U.S. policy and plans, 

including those in the 2010 NPR. It deserves broad bipartisan support. Its proposal for a low-yield SLBM weapon and a new nuclear 

tipped sea-launched cruise missile are sensible responses to 

changed security conditions, especially Russia and North Korea,’’ 

unquote. 

There are also supportive quotes I won’t read for the sake of 

time, but they are from Secretary of Defense Ash Carter and 

former Deputy Secretary of Energy Liz Sherwood-Randall. 

Would you agree with me that that sounds like pretty strong 

support from prior administration officials for the current NPR? 

Secretary ROOD. I would agree with you, Congressman. 

We are gratified that, for instance, having spoken myself to 

former Secretary of Defense Ash Carter, as well as Jim Miller, 

about this, both went out of their way to praise the work that we 

had done on the Nuclear Posture Review. 

I think you are correct: The programs and policies started during 

the previous administration, during the Obama administration, 

much of that has been continued in the present NPR, such as the 

recapitalization of the nuclear triad. So it is gratifying to see that. 

And I think they see the global security environment in similar 

ways in discussing the topic with them. We have just got the hard 

work ahead of adapting to that new environment and adjusting our 

posture. 

Mr. LAMBORN. I am glad you are adapting to a new environment. 

Admiral Benedict, there is an issue that is going to be discussed 

when it comes to submarines, our nuclear power—not nuclear 

power but our nuclear warhead submarines and nuclear missile 

submarines. I think there is a thought that having a low-yield 

weapon on one or two missiles would put that submarine at risk 

if it came to the surface, fired a missile, and then tried to disappear, and it would be easier to follow. 

If we can talk about it in an open setting, doesn’t current doctrine allow for that right now for a tiny salvo? 

Admiral BENEDICT. Yes, sir, you are right. The current submarine doctrine does allow for scenarios like you discuss, and I 

would be happy to address more of the detailed specifics in the 

classified session. 

Mr. LAMBORN. So going to a small salvo is not a change of doctrine or training? 

Admiral BENEDICT. No, sir, not at all. In fact, it is currently practiced from a training perspective in the submarine force today. 

Mr. LAMBORN. Okay. Thank you very much. 

Mr. Chairman, I yield back. 

Mr. ROGERS. The gentleman yields back. 

The Chair now recognizes the gentlelady from Wyoming, Ms. 

Cheney, for 5 minutes. 
20 

Ms. CHENEY. Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Thank you for the opportunity for non-subcommittee members to attend and ask questions, as well. And thank you to all of our witnesses. 

My first question is for you, Under Secretary Rood. 

We have heard testimony from others in open session about limitations that our INF [Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces] Treaty 

obligations are placing on our research testing of hypersonic weapons. 

Could you, to the extent that you can in an open setting, address 

that and, in particular, talk about how an obstacle like that can 

rise to the level where we are getting some attention and focus on 

it, a situation where we now seem to be the only nation, anywhere 

in the world, that is, in fact, bound by obligations under the INF 

Treaty given Russian behavior? If that treaty is now also imposing 

obstacles on our ability to develop the next generation of weapons, 

how does the Department plan to respond to that? 

Secretary ROOD. Congresswoman, as you mentioned, the INF 

Treaty is between the United States and Russia. During the 

Obama administration, a little over 4 years ago, the administration 

determined the Russians were in violation of that agreement. Since 

that time, those compliance determinations have been made and 

maintained. During the Obama administration senior officials, up 

to and including President Obama, and that has continued during 

the Trump administration, with senior officials raising with their 

Russian colleagues our concerns about that and trying to persuade 

the Russians to come into compliance. 

We are now in our fifth year of that effort. 

Nonetheless, we remain a party to the INF Treaty. We are not 

violating that in the United States. As you mentioned, we take our 

obligations very seriously. We are pursuing some research and development on capabilities that would provide us some offensive capabilities in that regard that do not violate the INF Treaty. I think 

it is something we are going to have to evaluate as we go forward 

in time, but our current policy is to still try to persuade them to 

do that. 

There are times where those restrictions do limit some of our capabilities in the United States, and right now we are working within the bounds of the treaty, but it is something we evaluate going 

forward. 

Ms. CHENEY. Thank you. I just would reiterate extreme concern 

that we are in a situation where we are handcuffing ourselves, 

where we are facing adversaries who are clearly making significant 

progress that we are not making because of obligations that only 

we are now fulfilling. 

General Rand, I have a question for you. Could you just give us 

more details on the timeline on the UH–1N replacement, where 

that stands? Obviously, that is something that we are very focused 

on at F.E. Warren [Air Force Base]. 

General RAND. Yes, ma’am, so, right now, the RFP [request for 

proposal] has been released, and it is in source selection. We are 

hopeful that that source selection will come before the end of the 

summer. 

Ms. CHENEY. And if it comes before the end of the summer, what 

are we looking at in terms of if we have got an award? I think in 
21 

your testimony you mentioned June of 2018 timeframe beyond 

that. 

General RAND. As far as the actual delivery, this will be an offthe-shelf capability. We will start, obviously, delivering the first 

aircraft to our training locations, and then we haven’t finalized the 

order, but, obviously, there are 84 UH–1N replacement helicopters. 

Over 40 of those will be dedicated for Air Force Global Strike, and 

I am confident to say we will get the first 40 before we replace 

some of the other missions that we have. 

Ms. CHENEY. Thank you very much. Obviously, the concerns 

about security at the missile fields are preeminent. 

General RAND. Ma’am, and that is a fair point. I do want to tell 

you, though, we have taken excruciating details to mitigate what 

those security risks are without the new helicopter, and I will happily talk about what we have done in great detail if you would like 

either offline or in the classified session. 

Ms. CHENEY. Thank you. I appreciate that, General. 

And I yield back, Mr. Chairman. 

Mr. ROGERS. The Chair now recognizes the gentleman from Tennessee, Mr. DesJarlais, for 5 minutes. 

Dr. DESJARLAIS. Thank you, Mr. Chairman. And thank you all 

for being here. 

Administrator Gordon-Hagerty, a couple of Y–12 questions and a 

Watts Bar question for you. 

First, what is the status of NNSA’s effort to recapitalize and replace uranium capabilities at Y–12? 

Ms. GORDON-HAGERTY. Thank you for that question. In fact, we 

are having robust discussions about that right now, and I am glad 

to say that we are on schedule and on path to provide a uranium 

processing facility at a cost no more than $6.5 billion, and completion by the end of 2025. And we are on that path, and we are progressing forward with that effort. 

Dr. DESJARLAIS. So on time and on budget. 

Ms. GORDON-HAGERTY. Absolutely. 

Dr. DESJARLAIS. Very good. What about plans to recapitalize the 

lithium production at Y–12? 

Ms. GORDON-HAGERTY. As with all of our strategic materials, we 

are doing a feasibility study right now on lithium. But with all of 

our strategic materials, we pay very close attention to those important materials and how we are going to process and produce those 

products now and in the future. 

Dr. DESJARLAIS. Okay. And, finally, you touched briefly on the 

increase of tritium production. Is the continued use of TVA [Tennessee Valley Authority] in the future? 

Ms. GORDON-HAGERTY. Yes, it is, and we are working with Watts 

Bar to continue to produce—to use the TPBARs [tritium-producing 

burnable absorber rods] and irradiate them for tritium production. 

Dr. DESJARLAIS. All right. That is all I have. I yield back. Thank 

you. 

Mr. ROGERS. Okay. There being no further questions in this open 

session, we will now recess briefly as we walk to the secured session. 

[Whereupon, at 10:03 a.m., the subcommittee proceeded in closed 

session.] 

A P P E N D I X 

MARCH 22, 2018 

PREPARED STATEMENTS SUBMITTED FOR THE RECORD 

MARCH 22, 2018 

(27) 

Opening Remarks - As Prepared for Delivery 

The Honorable Mike Rogers 

Chairman, Subcommittee on Strategic Forces 

House Armed Services Committee 

Hearing on "Fiscal Year 2019 Budget Request for Nuclear Forces and Atomic 

Energy Defense Activities" 

March 22, 2018 

Good morning. The subcommittee will come to order. 

Welcome to our hearing on the "Fiscal Year 2019 Budget Request for 

Nuclear Forces and Atomic Energy Defense Activities." 

Thank you to witnesses for being here today and for your service to the 

Nation. And for your time preparing for this hearing-we greatly appreciate it. 

As usual, we have a full witness panel today. Due to limited time, we're 

going to cover the waterfront on DOD's nuclear forces and all of the defenserelated activities at the Department of Energy. Our witnesses are: 

• The Honorable John Rood 

Under Secretary of Defense for Policy 

Department of Defense 

• General Robin Rand 

Commander 

Air Force Global Strike Command 

• Vice Admiral Terry Benedict 

Director 

Navy Strategic Systems Program 

• The Honorable Lisa Gordon-Hagerty 

Administrator and Under Secretary for Nuclear Security 

National Nuclear Security Administration 

• Mr. James Owendoff 

Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary of Energy for Environmental 

Management 

Department of Energy 

Two months ago, the Armed Services Committee held a hearing in this room 

with Secretary of Defense Mattis on the National Defense Strategy and Nuclear 

Posture Review (NPR). The Secretary gave us a sobering assessment of the nuclear 

threat environment and reflected that: 

"We must look reality in the eye and see the world as it is, not as 

we wish it to be." 

I am pleased to see that the 2018 NPR does exactly that. 
28 

But back in 2010, the Obama Administration's NPR said-with misplaced 

hope-that "Russia is not an enemy and is increasingly a partner." Anyone who 

watches the news knows this is not the case today-if it ever was. 

We were reminded of reality just three weeks ago, when President Putin 

announced that Russia is developing and fielding four new-and horrific-nuclear 

weapons. This includes a nuclear-powered cruise missile of essentially-infinite 

range and a nuclear-powered underwater drone with an enormous, salt-the-earth 

nuclear payload. 

These Russian nuclear weapons have been in development for decades. 

Former Secretary of Defense Carter has pointed out that a nuclear arms race 

between the U.S. and Russia has been going on "for two decades now ... but the 

U.S. has not been running the race." 

Despite U.S. efforts to reduce both the number of nuclear weapons and their 

role in our defense strategy, Russia, China, and North Korea have gone in the 

opposite direction. Despite a U.S. policy to refrain from developing new nuclear 

capabilities, these countries are sprinting the other way. 

Secretary Mattis' new NPR takes stock of this situation and prudently 

endorses the nuclear triad modernization program initiated by President Obama. 

This will recapitalize our existing systems-an effort that was put offfor far too 

long. 

The NPR also wisely proposes two capabilities to supplement the program 

of record. These capabilities will ensure deterrence of adversaries and assurance of 

allies remains strong. They deserve the full support of this committee and 

Congress. 

Finally, let me highlight three issues that this committee has spent 

considerable time on and that I'm happy to see discussed at length in the NPR: 

(I) the nuclear command, control, and communications (NC3) system, 

which is old but reliable and must be modernized; 

(2) the infrastructure within NNSA that is literally falling apart and needs 

considerable attention and resources; and 

(3) the people in uniform and civilian clothes, across DOD and NNSA, that 

form the backbone of our deterrent. 

Nuclear deterrence is our #1 priority defense mission. Forces, warheads, 

NC3, people, and infrastructure-it's all a part of the deterrent. It's time to buckle 

down and get after all of it. 
29 

HASC-SF Hearing on President's Fiscal Year 2019 Budget Request for Nuclear Forces and 

Atomic Energy Defense Activities 

Mr. John Rood 

Under Secretary of Defense for Policy 

March 22,2018 

Chairman Rogers, Ranking Member Cooper, and distinguished Members ofthe Committee. 

Thank you for the opportunity to testily on the President's Fiscal Year 2019 Budget Request for 

Strategic Forces. 

Security Environment and Strategic Priorities 

Today, the United States faces an increasingly complex global security environment, in which 

the central challenge to our prosperity and security is the reemergence of long-term strategic 

competition by revisionist powers in China and Russia. 

While they pose separate challenges with unique attributes, both China and Russia seek to 

reshape the world order and change territorial borders. Consequently, they pose increasing 

security threats to us, our allies and partners. 

Long-term competition with China and Russia requires increased U.S and allied military 

investment because of the magnitude of the threats they pose today, and the potential that these 

threats will increase in the future. We also must simultaneously strengthen our efforts to deter 

and counter the clear and present dangers posed by rogue regimes such as North Korea and Iran. 

The U.S. military remains the strongest in the world. However, our advantages are eroding as 

potential adversaries modernize and build-up their conventional and nuclear forces. They now 

field a broad arsenal of advanced missiles, including variants that can reach the American 

homeland. For example, earlier this month, Russian President Putin claimed publicly that Russia 

now possesses unprecedented, new types of nuclear forces with which to target the United States 

and allies. 

While this picture is unsettling and clearly not what we desire, as Secretary of Defense Mattis 

has pointed out, "We must look reality in the eye and see the world as it is, not as we wish it to 

be." 

The administration has heeded this admonition in recent strategic reviews- the National Security 

Strategy, the National Defense Strategy, and the Nuclear Posture Review. They reflect a 

consistent and pragmatic assessment of the threats and uncertainties we face regarding the future 

security environment. 

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30 

Our task at the Defense Department is to ensure that U.S. military advantages endure and, in 

combination with other elements of national power, we are tully able to meet the increasing 

challenges to our national security. Weakness invites challenges and provocation, but as both 

George Washington and Thomas Jefferson observed, American strength deters war and promotes 

peace. It also assures allies and attracts new partners. 

Strengthening our alliances and attracting new partners is a critical element of retaining our 

advantages. As the National Defense Strategy points out, "Mutually beneficial alliances and 

partnerships are crucial to our strategy, providing a durable, asymmetric advantage that no 

competitor or rival can match. This approach has served the United States well, in peace and 

war." 

Nuclear Policy and Posture 

The 2018 Nuclear Posture Review (NPR) reflects DoD's strategic priority to maintain a safe, 

secure, survivable and effective nuclear deterrent. 

The logic of the NPR was best articulated by Secretary Mattis: "This review rests on a bedrock 

truth: nuclear weapons have and will continue to play a critical role in deterring nuclear attack 

and in preventing large-scale conventional warfare between nuclear-armed states for the 

foreseeable future. U.S. nuclear weapons not only defend our allies against conventional and 

nuclear threats, they also help them avoid the need to develop their own nuclear arsenals. This, 

in turn, furthers global security." 

Effective deterrence is critical to our security, and in a complex and dynamic security 

environment there is no "one size tits all" deterrence strategy. The requirements for effective 

U.S. deterrence can vary greatly given the unique perceptions, goals, interests, strengths, 

strategies, and vulnerabilities of different potential adversaries. The deterrence strategy effective 

against one potential adversary may not deter another. Consequently, the 2018 NPR calls for the 

United States to tailor deterrence as necessary across a spectrum of adversaries, threats, and 

contexts. Tailoring our deterrence strategy requires a diverse set of nuclear capabilities to 

counter a spectrum of threats, and the flexibility needed to adjust our deterrent to new threats as 

they emerge over time. 

The 2018 NPR confirms the findings of all previous NPRs that the diverse capabilities of the 

nuclear triad provide the flexibility and resilience needed for deterrence. Unfortunately, each leg 

of the triad is now operating far beyond its originally-planned service life. Consequently, we 

must not delay the recapitalization of the triad initiated by the previous Administration. 

We are off to a good start. The FY20 19 budget request funds all critical Department of Defense 

(DoD) modernization requirements, helping to ensure that modern replacements will be available 

before the Nation's legacy systems reach the end of their extended service lives. The FY19 

budget request for nuclear forces is $24 billion, which includes $11 billion for nuclear force 

sustainment and operations, $7 billion for recapitalization programs (including LRSO, B-21, 

2 
31 

GBSD, and the Columbia Class SSBN), and $6 billion for Nuclear Command, Control and 

Communications (including MILS A TCOM). 

In addition, the President's budget request includes two supplemental capabilities designed to 

enhance deterrence against emerging challenges in the near- and mid-tenn. The Department 

requests $22.6M in FY19 to begin work to modifY a small number of existing submarinelaunched ballistic missile (SLBM) warheads to provide a low-yield ballistic missile option in the 

near term. We also request limited funds of$1M in FY19 to initiate an analysis of the 

performance requirements and costs to pursue a modern, nuclear-armed, sea-launched cruise 

missile (SLCM) that could be available in the mid-term. 

These proposed supplements would contribute to deterrence by raising the threshold for nuclear 

use. They would do so by denying potential adversaries confidence that their coercive threats of 

limited nuclear first use, or their actual first use can provide a useful advantage over us and our 

allies. These supplements do not, and are not, intended to mimic adversary nuclear capabilities. 

They can, nevertheless, help address the imbalance in U.S. and Russian non-strategic nuclear 

forces, and may create incentives tor Russia to return to compliance with its nuclear arms control 

commitments. 

The DoD request to recapitalize the nuclear enterprise in FY 19 is about 1.4% of the total DoD 

base budget. At its peak in 2029, recent estimates, such as those from the 2018 Nuclear Posture 

Review project the cost of recapitalizing our nuclear forces at approximately 3. 7% of the 

Department of Defense's budget. When the cost of sustainment and operations of our nuclear 

iorces is added to these recapitalization costs, it is estimated that the total cost ofthe nuclear triad 

will account for approximately 6.4% of the Department's budget, again at its peak in 2029 before 

declining. As Secretary Mattis stated, "America can afford survival." 

The U.S. commitment to nonproliferation and anl1S control remains strong. The United States 

remains committed to all of its obligations under the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty, including 

Article VI. We will continue to use arms control measures like the New Start Treaty, 

nonproliferation measures, and counter nuclear terrorism measures to advance the security of the 

United States and our allies and partners. 

Conclusion 

Mr. Chairman, let me conclude by stating that in an increasingly complex and threatening 

security environment, DoD must sustain the capabilities needed to deter and defend against 

attacks on our homeland, U.S. forces deployed abroad, allies and partners. We must make the 

investments needed to address the on-going erosion of our advantages and remain the preeminent 

military power in the world. Along with our allies and partners, we must ensure that we have the 

capabilities needed, now and in the future, to protect our people and the freedoms we cherish, 

and are able to engage potential adversaries diplomatically from a position of strength. 

3 
32 

To do so, I urge you to support the important capabilities funded in the President's FY 19 budget 

request. 

Thank you again for the opportunity to testifY. I look forward to your questions. 

4 
33 

John C. Rood 

Under Secretary of Defense for Policy 

John C. Rood serves as the Under Secretary of Defense for Policy. He assumed this position on 

January 9, 2018. In this role he serves as the principal advisor to the Secretary of Defense for 

defense policy and leads the formulation and coordination of national security policy within the 

Department of Defense. Mr. Rood oversees integration of defense polices and plans to achieve 

desired objectives. He is responsible for efforts to build partnerships and defense cooperation 

with U.S. friends and allies. 

Mr. Rood brings more than three decades of public and private sector experience to this position, 

including over 20 years of service in the U.S. Government at the Department of State, 

Department of Defense, National Security Council, Central Intelligence Agency, and as a Staff 

Member in the U.S. Senate. At the Department of State, he served as Acting Under Secretary of 

State for Anns Control and International Security, and as Assistant Secretary of State for 

International Security and Nonproliferation. Mr. Rood served in the Department of Defense as 

the Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense for Forces Policy. He served twice at the National 

Security Council where he was a Special Assistant to the President and Senior Director for 

Counterproliferation, as well as the Director of Proliferation Strategy, Counterproliferation, and 

I I om eland Defense. At the Central Intelligence Agency, he served as an analyst following 

missile programs in foreign countries. In addition, Mr. Rood worked as a Senior Policy Advisor 

to U.S. Senator Jon Kyl of Arizona. 

In the private sector, Mr. Rood was Senior Vice President of Lockheed Martin International 

where he led efforts to grow the corporation's international business. He also served as Vice 

President for Corporate Domestic Business Development at Lockheed Martin. Prior to joining 

Lockheed Martin, he was a Vice President at the Raytheon Company. 

Mr. Rood holds a Bachelor of Science in Economics from Arizona State University. 
34 

NOT FOR PUBLICATION UNTIL RELEASED BY 

!lOUSE ARMED SERVICES COMMITTEE 

SUBCOMMITTEE ON STRATEGIC FORCES 

U.S. HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 

DEPARTMENT OF THE AIR FORCE 

PRESENTATION TO THE HOUSE ARMED SERVICES COMMITTEESTRATEGIC FORCES SUBCOMMITTEE 

SUBJECT: FY19 Posture for Department of Defense Nuclear Forces 

STATEMENT OF: General Robin Rand, Commander 

Air Force Global Strike Command 

MARCH 22,2018 

NOT FOR PUBLICA TJON UNTIL RELEASED BY 

HOUSE ARMED SERVICES COMMITTEE 

SUBCOMMITTEE ON STRATEGIC FORCES 

U.S. HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
35 

Introduction 

Chairman Rogers, Ranking Member Cooper, and distinguished members of the 

committee, thank you for allowing me to come before you and represent over 34,000 

Air Force Global Strike Command (AFGSC) Total Force Airmen. It is an honor to be here 

today, and !look forward to updating you on what the command has accomplished and where we 

are going. 

Ajr Force Global Strike Command Missjon 

Air Force Global Strike Command is a war fighting command responsible for two legs of 

our nation's nuclear triad and the nation's nuclear command, control, and communications 

(NC3) capabilities while simultaneously accomplishing the conventional global strike mission. 

As long as nuclear weapons exist, the United States must deter attacks and maintain strategic 

stability, assure our allies, and hedge against an uncertain future. At AFGSC, we're especially 

focused on today's evolving world and tomorrow's emerging threats. 

The command's top priority is to ensure our nuclear arsenal is lethal, safe, and secure. 

This priority underlies every nuclear-related activity in A FGSC, and we must never fail in the 

special trust and confidence the American people have bestowed on our nuclear warriors. To 

that end, our nation's leaders must continue to support and advocate for the sustainment and 

modernization of these weapon systems. Sustaining and progressing these efforts require 

predictable, sufficient, and flexible budgets. Reinforced in the 2018 Nuclear Posture Review, the 

nuclear deterrent is at a crossroads, and there is no higher priority for national defense. We must 

concurrently modernize the nuclear triad and the infrastructure that enables its eftectiveness, and 

we require budget stability to accomplish these efforts. 

Tn 2017, AFGSC significantly reorganized at the direction of the Commander, United 

States Strategic Command (CDRUSSTRATCOM), the tirst step in a larger USSTRATCOM 

restructuring. Under the previous construct, responsibilities for the air, space, and naval strategic 

missions were spread amongst several lines of authority. The reorganization solved two issues. 

2 
36 

First, it cleaned up an outdated and confusing command structure for bomber and 

intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) forces under USSTRATCOM. Second, it allowed 

AFGSC to reshape the command and stand up a full time air component to USSTRA TCOM. 

Our nation relies on the strategic deterrence AFGSC provides every day. In order to perform 

this high priority mission, AFGSC needed an organizational structure that allows a portion of the 

command to focus on supporting day-to-day deterrence, while the rest of the command focuses 

on OT &E commitments. On September 29, 201 7, AFGSC stood up Air Forces Strategic -Air 

(AFSTRAT-Air) as the full time air component to USSTRATCOM. This gives 

CDRUSSTRA TCOM a single tour-star general responsible tor USSTRA TCOM's airmissions. 

The Joint-Global Strike Operations Center (J-GSOC) was created to handle the day-today responsibilities of the strategic deterrence mission for USSTRA TCOM's air component. 

The J-GSOC consists of the Joint Air Operations Center (JAOC) Joint Nuclear Operations 

Center (JNOC). The JAOC, already in existence, handles the conventional portion of the 

command's mission. The two nuclear task forces were combined into the JNOC, and focuses on 

the nuclear portion of the command's mission. Several additional mission teams were also 

aligned under the J-GSOC. The National Airborne Operations Center (NAOC), combined with 

AFGSC's existing responsibility for the E-4B, allows AFSTRAT, through USSTRA TCOM, to 

better organize, train, equip, and present the NAOC mission to support the President and 

Secretary of Defense. The Standoff Munitions Application Center (SMA C) was stood up to 

provide expertise in planning and targeting of Air Force standoff weapons. The Cruise Missile 

Support Activity Atlantic (CMSALANT) and Pacific (CMSAPAC) were also aligned under the 

J-GSOC, and combined with SMAC, give the J-GSOC the ability to plan and target any 

standoff weapon in support of any combatant commander. 

In addition to standing up the J-GSOC, CDRUSSTRA TCOM also designated the 

AFGSC Commander as the Joint Forces Air Component Commander (JFACC). The dual-hatted 

Commander, AFSTRAT-Air/JFACC has the ability to monitor, control, and direct all the air 

assets assigned or attached to USSTRATCOM anywhere in the world. These include the Air 

Force bomber, tanker, intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance, and ICBM forces as well as 

the USSTRA TCOM Airborne Command Post (ABNCP) and Take Charge and Move Out 

(TACAMO) missions. The JFACC also supplies a common operating picture to 
37 

CDRUSSTRATCOM that provides status and locations of all air assets. 

These warfighting authorities were immediately tested during USSTRA TCOM' s Global 

Thunder exercise, and performed well beyond expectations. We have already achieved initial 

operating capability and are on track to achieve full operational capability by July l, 2018. As 

emphasized in the 2017 National Defense Strategy (NDS), the global security environment is 

now more complex and volatile than experienced in recent memory, and inter- state strategic 

competition is now the primary concern in US national security. The AF FY 19 budget 

prioritizes a more lethal and ready force, strengthening alliances and partnerships, and 

delivering greater perforn1ance. AFGSC's bomber, ICBM forces, and NC3 systems support 

both the NOS strategy and AF priorities by deterring potential adversaries, assuring our allies 

and partners, and guaranteeing the security of our national interests through cost-effective 

modernization. If deterrence should fail, AFGSC stands ready to defeat our adversaries through 

the persistent employment oflethal combat power. 

Air Force Global Strike Command Forces 

Intercontinental Ballistic Missile Forces 

Twentieth Air Force (20 AF), one of two Numbered Air Forces in AFGSC, is responsible 

for the Minuteman Ill (MMIII) ICBM, UH-1 N helicopter forces, the Kirtland Underground 

Munitions Maintenance and Storage Complex at Kirtland Air Force Base, New Mexico, and a 

ground combat training squadron at Camp Guernsey, Wyoming. The 450 dispersed and 

hardened Launch Facilities (LFs ), are controlled, maintained, defended, and supported by 

AFGSC Airmen every single day, providing the bulk of our day-to-day nuclear alert force, and 

doing so with precision and professionalism. Our ICBM experts, the silent warriors, are 

deployed in place, and preserve strategic stability by providing the nation a credible and 

responsive deterrent in a contested environment and presenting adversaries a nearly 

insurmountable obstacle of numbers should they consider a disarming attack on the United 

States. 

Minuteman Ill 

We continue to sustain and modernize the MMllllCBM and its command, control, and 

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38 

communications systems and support equipment. To modemize our existing fleet of large 

missile maintenance vehicles, we continue moving forward on the $123M Transporter Erector 

Replacement Program (TERP) and the $201M Payload Transporter Replacement (PTR). We 

currently expect PTR to begin production in FY 19. 

The ICBM Launch Control Centers (LCC) will be equipped with modernized 

communications systems to improve and replace aging and obsolete systems. The LCC Block 

Upgrade, expected to begin full deployment in 2019, is a $96M modification effort that replaces 

multiple LCC components to include modern data storage and higher fidelity voice 

communications capabilities. A significant security upgrade to the remote visual assessment 

capability at our LFs will increase situational awareness and security. This $61M program is 

expected to begin deployment in FY19. 

In FYIS we are scheduled to conduct three operational MM!II flight tests and two 

simulated electronic launch tests that will demonstrate the operational credibility of the nuclear 

deterrent force and the AF's commitment to sustaining that capability. We conducted four 

MMIII flight tests and two simulated electronic launch tests in FY17. 

In an effort to vastly improve the nuclear capability of our ICBM force, the ICBM 

Programmed Depot Maintenance program began in FY16. The program places operational LFs 

and LCCs on an 8-year depot-level maintenance cycle. It greatly increases the effectiveness and 

lethality of our lCBMs by ensuring their sustainment is done in an engineering-based, systematic 

way. Successful prototyping of the program was accomplished in FY16, with 26 LFs and LCCs 

undergoing the maintenance. Thirty nine LFs and LCCs were completed in FY 17, and 50 are 

planned in FYIS. This program is key to ensure MMIII viability through the transition to 

Ground Based Strategic Deterrent (GBSD). 

Our effort to remove 50 ICBM boosters from their LFs as part of our effort to meet New 

Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty (START) limits is complete. The selected LFs are spread 

across all three ICBM wings and will remain fully operational and capable of receiving boosters, 

if needed. The final booster was removed in early June 2017, a full nine months ahead of the 

treaty-mandated suspense of February 2018. 

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Ground Based Str11tegic Deterrent 

The Minuteman weapon system was fielded nearly 60 years ago, yet has remained a 

cornerstone deterrence platform. ICBMs are the sole weapon system capable of rapid global 

response and impose a time-proven and unpalatable cost to attack by peer, near-peer, and 

aspiring nuclear nations. The current system, the MMlll, suffers from age-out, asset depletion, 

and numerous performance shortfalls. Simply put, it will not meet critical mission performance 

or force requirements by 2030. 

To meet these requirements, we're success tully moving forward on developing the 

GBSD. OSD/AT&L approved the GBSD Acquisition Strategy in July 2016, Milestone A was 

achieved on 23 August 20 16; on 21 August 2017, technology maturation and risk reduction 

contracts were awarded, initiating a three year acquisition risk reduction activity. When 

complete, a second cost-reducing, competitive source selection will identify a single provider 

and initiate material development efforts beginning in the 2020 timeframe. GBSD is fully 

funded at $8.08 for FY 19-23. 

We remain engaged with our Navy partners and have identified promising areas for 

intelligent commonality between GBSD systems and future Navy weapons. Additionally, we are 

collaborating with the National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA) to develop a W78 

warhead replacement program starting in 2019. The replacement warhead will use a Mk21 

aeroshell and will deploy with GBSD; the Navy will study the feasibility of using the same 

nuclear explosive package with their flight vehicle. Due to MMIII system age-out, attrition, and 

commitment requirements, the first priority is to modernize the necessary facilities, replace the 

missile, and modernize command and control (C2) systems. 

UH-JN 

AFGSC is the lead command for the Air Force's Vietnam-era fleet of 63 UH-1 N 

helicopters. The majority of these aircraft support several critical missions: security of our 

ICBM fields, transport missions in the National Capitol Region and PACOM, and critical 

Continuity of Operations. Additionally, they support Air Force survival training with rescue 

6 
40 

operations. Further, they participate in the Defense Support of Civil Authorities program and are 

frequently called upon to conduct search and rescue activities for missing or injured civilians. 

As an example, Malmstrom AFB's UH-lN Airmen have been credited with over 400 saves in 

their history. 

UH-IN Replacement 

In order to continue supporting these critical national missions and fully comply with 

Department of Defense (DoD) and United States Strategic Command (USSTRATCOM) 

requirements, the Air Force has committed $2.3B in FY 19-23 toward replacing the UH-1 N fleet, 

as the platfonn falls short of missile field operational needs-notably speed, range, endurance, 

payload, and survivability. The Air Force is pursuing a full-and-open competition to procure 84 

replacement helicopters. Vendor proposals were received in September 2017, and contract 

award is anticipated in June 2018. 

Airborne Launch Control System 

The Airborne Launch Control System (ALCS) is USSTRA TCOM's only alternate and 

survivable launch control system for the MMIII. The ALCS consists of an airborne component 

onboard 16 Navy E-6Bs and a ground component housed at all450 MMIII launch facilities. 

The current ALCS was fielded in 1987 and requires I 00% recapitalization of existing 

architecture and infrastructure as well as full replacement of specilic portions of the system. 

The ALCS Replacement program will replace and modernize the current system through 2035 

and will replace both airborne and ground components enabling integration of GBSD 

command and control requirements through smart, modular design. ALCS-R is funded to 

$657.3M in the FY19 Presidential Budget. 

Bomber Forces 

Eighth Air Force (8 AF) is responsible for the B-52H Stratotortress (B-52) bomber, the 

B-2A Spirit (B-2) bomber, and the B-1 B Lancer (B-l) bomber. Bombers provide decision 

makers the ability to demonstrate resolve through generation, dispersal, and deployment. 

Since 1991, the Air Force has conducted continuous combat operations resulting in a 

growing toll on Airmen, their readiness, and equipment. Bombers have supported operations 

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41 

through continuous rotations in United States Central Command (CENTCOM), United States 

Pacific Command (PACOM), United States Africa Command (AFRICOM), United States 

European Command (EUCOM), and United States Southern Command (SO UTI! COM) areas of 

responsibility (AORs). Bomber contributions to our national security in the Cold War, Vietnam, 

and operations DESERT STORM, ALLIED FORCE, IRAQI FREEDOM, ENDURING 

FREEDOM, and today's INHERENT RESOLVE and FREEDOM SENTINEL are well 

documented. 

At the end of DESERT STORM in 1991, the Air Force had 290 total force bombers, 17 

bomb wings, and 22 bomb squadrons. Today the number has dropped to 157 bombers, 5 bomb 

wings, and 9 bomb squadrons. That is a 46% decrease in our bomber force, a 70% decrease in 

bomb wings, and a 60% decrease in bomb squadrons. The demand signal for bombers has 

continned to increase in the last two decades, while long range airpower assets have decreased by 

46% during the same time frame. To assure our allies and partners, and to increase regional 

stability, AFGSC provides bomber forces arrayed across the globe, providing flexible, responsive 

options to combatant commanders. The deployments in support of the CENTCOM AOR and the 

Continuous Bomber Presence in the PACOM AOR send a strong signal to our allies of our 

commitment to our treaty obligations and their regional concerns. Additionally, AFGSC provides 

bomber forces to support SOUTHCOM's Joint-Interagency Task Force-South, EUCOM, and 

AFRICOM through the Joint Staffs Global Force Management process and Bomber Assurance 

and Deterrence-ordered deployments and missions. These opportunities enhance our support to 

our allies and display our resolve to potential adversaries. The core of AFGSC assurance and 

deterrence is our unwavering commitment to USSTRA TCOM and our nuclear mission. AFGSC 

must balance global force posturing with our nuclear mission, while not jeopardizing readiness 

and fleet health. Arraying bomber forces globally, to increase strategic flexibility and response 

to a changing global security environment, while doing no hann to our nuclear mission, will 

further enhance our assurance to allies and partners and posture our forces in such a manner 

where our adversaries take notice. 

B-1 

The B-1 is a highly versatile, conventional-only multi-mission weapon system that carries 

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a large payload of both guided and unguided weapons, which it can rapidly deliver in support of 

combatant commanders around the globe. Multiple wartime employments, high operations 

tempo, and harsh environment exposure have proven the aircraft's combat effectiveness, but have 

impacted aircraft availability. 

The B-1 will continue to be in service for two more decades and avionics and weapon 

upgrades are critical for it to remain a viable combatant commander tool. The Integrated Battle 

Station/Sustainment Block-16 ($152M FYI9-23) includes an upgraded Central Integrated Test 

System, Fully Integrated Data Link, Vertical Situation Display, and a flight simulator upgrades. 

These are essential capabilities and the will provide the aircrcw with a much more flexible, 

integrated cockpit. 

The stand-off weapons currently employed by the B-1 include the Joint Air-to-Surface 

Standoff Missile (JASSM), the Joint Air-to-Surface Standoff Missile-Extended Range (JASSMER), and very soon the Long Range Anti-Ship Missile (LRASM). This unmatched precision 

strike capability has guaranteed a critical role for the B-1 in assuring our allies and deterring 

potential adversaries now and into the future. 

B-52 

The B-52 may be the most universally recognized symbol of American airpower, is able 

to deliver the widest variety of nuclear and conventional weapons, and boasts the best aircraft 

availability and mission capable rates of all three bomber platforms. 

The B-52 will remain a key element of our bomber force until the 2050s and it is 

paramount that we continue to invest resources into this aircraft. B-52s are still using 1960s 

radar technology with the last major radar upgrade done in the early 1980s. The current radar on 

the B-52 will be even less effective in the future threat environment, and without an improved 

radar system, there will be increased degradation in mission effectiveness. In order to remedy 

this, the $817M FYI9-23 B-52 Radar Modernization Program now has an approved acquisition 

strategy, a Joint StatT-validated Capability Development Document, and has entered execution in 

the pre-Milestone B phase. Furthermore, B-52 training simulators arc lagging behind operational 

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aircraft capabilities. They require integration of various programs such as Combat Network 

Communications Technology (CONECT), internal weapons bay upgrade, data link capabilities, 

air refueling, and information technology refresh. Supporting the revitalization of these critical 

training tools will create high fidelity training environments and increase the readiness of B-52 

crews in support of nuclear and conventional missions. 

Additionally, the 1960-era TF-33 engines currently on the B-52 are operating on parts 

salvaged from aircraft no longer in the inventory. The supply of these parts, no longer made by 

industry, will be exhausted and leave the engines unsustainable by 2030. The Air Force is now 

funding efforts ($1.6B FY19-23) to develop and deploy replacement B-52 engines, which will 

save fuel, extend the aircraft's range, and improve reliability and sustainment. 

Today, we have 35 B-52s converted to the CONECT configuration. This modification 

moves the B-52 into the digital age for the first time, providing an on-board local area network, 

allowing the aircrew to share a common battlespace picture. This modification is installed on 

every aircraft going through regular program depot maintenance cycle. The Internal Weapons 

Bay Upgrade increases B-52 smart weapons capacity by 67%. This capability reached its initial 

operational capability milestone in May 2016 and added Joint Air-to-Surface Standoff Missile 

(JASSM) and Joint Air-to-Surface Standoff Missile-Extended Range (JASSM-ER) capability in 

October 2017. Communications remain the cornerstone of our long-range strike capability. The 

ability to launch bombers and retask and retarget them while enroute to the battlespace is a 

powerful force multiplier. We will add a critical communications node to enhance the 

operational picture with Link-16, integrating the aircraft into the warfighter's efforts. Currently, 

the B-52 is the only Com hat Air Forces platform without line-of-site Link-16. 

Finally, we have converted 29 operational and 12 stored B-52 aircraft to conventionalonly configurations. These conversions were undertaken as a part of New START obligations, 

and were completed in January 2017, a full year ahead of the treaty-mandated suspense of 

February 2018. 

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44 

B-2 

For nearly 25 years, B-2s have provided the nation with an assured penetrating bomber 

capability. The B-2's ability to penetrate enemy defenses, holding targets at risk anywhere on 

the globe, with a variety of nuclear and conventional weapons, has provided deterrence against 

our enemies and stability for our allies. The 8-2's conventional accomplishments are numerous 

and incontrovertible; the bomber provided precision attacks during the Kosovo and Iraq Wars, 

strikes on the Taliban and AI Qaeda in Afghanistan, and on forces in Libya. 

B-2 modernization efforts are addressing a nuclear command and control need by 

bringing a survivable very low frequency communication capability to the aircraft. Additionally, 

with the proliferation of anti-access/area denial threats, we are ensuring the B-2's ability to 

penetrate enemy defenses is maintained with the Defensive Management System Modernization 

program. Finally, the B-2 is upgrading to carry the 861-12 nuclear gravity weapon. This 

upgrade is currently programmed for $144M in RTD&E and is critical to ensuring the bomber 

leg of the nuclear Triad remains a visible deterrent to those who wish us harm. 

Small fleet dynamics continue to challenge our sustainment efforts primarily due to 

vanishing vendors and diminishing sources of supply. We are striving to maintain the proper 

balance of fleet modernization and sustainment while maintaining combat readiness. Lessons 

learned from the difficulty of sustaining and modernizing the B-2's small t1eet, and an everdecreasing technological advantage, are some of the drivers for the planned minimum B-21 

requirements. 

B-21 

Technology gaps between the US and potential adversaries are closing. The B-21 Raider 

will support the nuclear triad by providing an advanced and flexible deterrent capability and the 

ability to penetrate modern and future air defenses. Further, the B-21 will provide flexibility 

across a wide range of joint military operations using long range capabilities, large and mixed 

payloads, and survivability. From the outset, the B-21 has been designed to have an open 

architecture, which enables it to integrate new technology and respond to future threats. The B11 
45 

21 program is a national security imperative that will extend American air dominance and 

lethality against next generation capabilities and advanced air defense environments. 

The B-21 is fully funded in the FY19 budget submission, and initial capability is 

projected for the mid-2020s. Extensive campaign and mission level analysis will determine the 

minimum number of B-21 s required to meet combatant commander needs in the face of closing 

technology gaps and increasing threat capabilities. 

As the B-21 development progresses, the Air Force is conducting the strategic basing 

process. While B-21 tiel ding will include new construction and facility renovation, current 

bomber bases have infrastructure for operations, maintenance, munitions storage, security, and 

training. Additionally, base operating support and off-base community support are wellestablished at current bomber bases. While conducting B-21 bed down, our primary focus will 

be providing safe, secure, and lethal bomber operations in a cost-efticient manner. 

Air Launched Cruise Missile 

The AGM-86B Air Launched Cruise Missile (ALCM) is an air-to-ground, winged, 

subsonic nuclear missile delivered by the B-52. Fielded in the 1980s, the ALCM is over 30 

years old, well beyond its life expectancy, and is involved in its third life extension program 

(LEP). While the ALCM remains effective today, we must replace it due to its aging subsystems, 

the shrinking stockpile of operational missiles (546), and advances in enemy defenses. We plan 

to invest $374M in FY19-23 to continue LEPs, including critical telemetry, encryption, and 

flight termination components until the Long Range Stand-Off (LRSO) missile reaches 

operational capability in 2030. 

Conventiomtl Air Launched Cruise Missile 

The AGM-86C, Conventional Air Launched Cruise Missile (CALCM) is a conventional 

variant to the ALCM. Its only employment platform is the B-52 and unlike the ALCM, CALCM 

has not received any LEPs to maintain reliability or viability against enemy defenses. NDAA 

language prevents the service from removing this aging and obsolete weapon system from 

operational use pending the development, testing, and initial fielding of a LRSO conventional 

12 
46 

variant. The conventional long range stand-ofT capability currently resides in JASSM-ER and is 

a more survivable weapon system with low observable characteristics. JASSM-ER is capable of 

employment from the B-52 and B-1, with B-2 capability projected for FY19.1t is prudent that 

when our bomber force continues to make advancements in capability, that we divest ourselves 

of CALCM and focus our training and maintenance resources towards the usc of more capable 

weapons. 

Long Range Stand-Off Missile 

The Air Force dedicated $2. 7B in FY 19-23 for the LRSO to replace the aging ALCM. 

The ALCM has significant capability gaps that will only worsen through the next decade. The 

LRSO will be a reliable, long-range, and survivable weapon system and is absolutely an essential 

element of the nuclear triad. It will be flexible and compatible with B-52 and B-21 platforms. 

The LRSO missile will ensure the bomber force continues to hold high value targets at risk in an 

evolving threat environment, including targets deep within an area-denied environment. I cannot 

overemphasize this point: B-21 and B-52 without LRSO greatly reduces our ability to hold 

adversaries at risk, increases risk to our aircraft and aircrew members, and negatively impacts 

our ability to execute the mission. Additionally, AFGSC is synchronizing efforts with NNSA to 

fully integrate the W80-4 nuclear warhead with LRSO. This weapon will retain nuclear 

penetrating cruise missile capabilities through 2060. To meet operational, testing, and logistics 

requirements, the Air Force plans to acquire approximately I ,000 LRSO cruise missile bodies. 

This quantity will provide spares and supply sufficient non-nuclear missile bodies throughout 

ongoing flight and ground testing. The number of nuclear-armed LRSO cruise missiles (i.e., 

mated to a nuclear warhead) is expected to be equivalent to the current ALCM nuclear force. 

Milestone A for LRSO was declared in July 2016. 

B61 

The B61 family of gravity nuclear weapons supports the airborne leg of the triad and is 

the primary weapon supporting our NATO allies under extended deterrence. The B6 1 is 

currently undergoing a LEP that resulls in a smaller stockpile, reduced special nuclear material in 

the inventory, modernized safety and security features, and reduced lifecycle costs by 

consolidating four weapon versions into one version, the B6 1-12. The B61-12 includes the 

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47 

addition of a digital weapons interface and a guided tail kit assembly. AFGSC is the lead 

command for the $435M F¥19-23 861-12 Tail Kit Assembly program, a DoD-developed system 

providing reduced maintenance, reduced cost and increased sustainability. The 861-12 Tail Kit 

Assembly program is in Engineering and Manufacturing Development Phase 2 and is 

synchronized with NNSA efforts. The Tail Kit Assembly design and production processes are 

on schedule and within budget to meet the planned FY20 First Production Unit date, and support 

the lead time required for the inclusion of the Department of Energy (DoE) warhead service-life 

extension completion date of March 2020. This joint DoD and DoE endeavor allows for 

continued attainment of our strategic requirements and regional commitments. 

GBU-57 

AFGSC assumed responsibility as the lead MAJCOM for the GBU-57 Massive Ordnance 

Penetrator (MOP) in the summer of2015. The MOP is a 30,000-pound guided conventional 

bomb designed to defeat hardened and deeply buried targets and is exclusively employed from 

the B-2. It has received several upgrades and enhancements based on warfighter requirements. 

AFGSC, PACOM, and the Air Force Life Cycle Management Center Program Office are 

currently validating a requirement to expand the weapon's operational capabilities. 

Security & Infrastructure 

Nuclear security is a key function of the command's mission, and a major AFGSC 

security initiative continues to be new weapon storage facilities. These new facilities will 

consolidate nuclear maintenance, inspection, and storage into a single, modern and secure 

facility, replacing deficient 1960s-era weapon storage areas. Additionally, this initiative 

mitigates security, design, and safety deficiencies and improves our operational lethality. 

One of our growing concerns is the impact that degraded and unpredictable infrastructure 

funding is having on our missions, our Airmen, and their families. Our bases are power 

projection platfonns, and should be viewed as 3-D weapon systems. This is particularly true for 

our ICBM and B-2 bomber bases, which stand in continuous readiness to initiate global strike 

missions directly from these locations. For years, the Air Force has been forced to make 

deliberate decisions to take risk in infrastructure funding, in order to apply scarce dollars toward 

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48 

higher readiness and modernization priorities. The cumulative effect has been a steady erosion 

of our facilities and core infrastructure, and a huge growth in costs to address our exponentiallygrowing repair and replacement backlogs. As we bring new systems online such as Weapon 

Storage Facilities, the B-21 Raider, and GBSD, some of our installation infrastructure will 

receive much-need recapitalization. However, it will be several years before those systems are 

inplace, and will not address much of the infrastructure where our Airmen work and live. We are 

seeing a growing risk in facilities and infrastructure reliability, higher overall costs due to 

accelerated deterioration, and increasing potential for unexpected catastrophic, missionimpacting failure. Our innovative Airmen have, and will continue to, focus limited resources on 

"mission critical, worst tirst" facilities and infrastructure while accepting risk in the 

recapitalization of facilities with less-direct mission impact such as community and base support. 

But there is without question a link between facility condition and quality of life, as well as 

quality of service. Without your support of the FY 2019 President's Request for M!LCON and 

facility sustainment, restoration and modernization funding, we will not only continue to 

increase our risk of mission interruption or degradation, but will also be unable to adequately 

address the quality of life of our Airmen and their families. Providing a predictable, stable 

budget will not only enhance our lethality, but will go far in providing our Airmen with working 

and living environments that directly enhance their readiness. 

Nuclear Command. Control. and Communications 

Air Force nuclear command, control and communications (NC3) systems connect the 

President to senior advisors and the nuclear forces. Receiving presidential orders and converting 

them into actionable directives are critical to having a strong strategic deterrent. AFGSC is the 

Air Force's lead command for National Leadership Command Capabilities (NLCC)/NC3 which 

establishes a single focal point for the NC3 weapon system. 

AFGSC is aggressively working to maintain and sustain the NC3 weapon system. Through 

the Nuclear Enterprise Review process and a cross-MAJCOM internal Air Force study, we 

identified multiple areas that have atrophied through decades oflow prioritization. In a major 

organizational effort, AFGSC stood up the USAF NC3 Center in April20 17. The NC3 Center 

oversees interoperability, standardization, and configuration control of the Air Force's NC3 

15 
49 

weapon system, and will plan and program tor NC3 investment, sustainment, and operations. 

In its first year, the NC3 Center has taken great strides in cross-MAJCOM governance to 

ensure strong advocacy as NC3 programs compete for resources within the Air Force Corporate 

process. An outstanding example of the Air Force's increased emphasis on NC3 includes the 

$275M allocated for E-4B modernization programs, which is in the FY19 Presidential Budget for 

the FY19-23 FYDP. Additionally, the E-4B replacement program, the Survivable Airborne 

Operations Center is programmed to receive $182M to begin the eftort to replace the aircrall itself. 

For nuclear planning and execution analysis, $72.6M is allocated to complete the Mission Planning 

Application System Increment 5 program at USSTRA TCOM. The Global Aircrew Strategic 

Network Terminal Increment I program for Advanced Extremely High Frequency (AEHF) 

capability at nuclear-tasked command posts receives $246M to complete terminal procurement. 

To ensure connectivity with our B-52 tleet, $132.6M is programed to integrate the Family of 

Advanced Beyond Line of Sight Terminals onto the aircraft. The B-52 will also integrate a new 

very low frequency receiver ($175.6M), and we have allocated $73.9M to upgrade our oldest 

system, the Strategic Automated Command Control System. To ensure connectivity with our 

IC13Ms via USSTRA TCOM's only alternate and survivable launch control system for the 

MMI!l, the Airborne Launch Control System-Replacement has been funded $83M in FY 19. 

Collectively, these NC3 efforts add $1.2013 over the FYI9-23 FYDP to assure the President 

connectivity to the nation's nuclear forces. 

In addition to modernization efforts, the NC3 Center is standardizing the training of 

Airmen who operate and maintain NC3 equipment. The Center built new courseware and 

developed "hands-on" simulators for Airmen coming out of technical school to gain experience 

before arriving at operational bases. For more experienced personnel, the Center also secured 

distance learning systems to grant engineering graduate degrees through universities such as 

Harvard, Stanford, and Portland State University. Additionally, the Center has streamlined the 

reporting of communication system outages so combatant commanders receive real-time status 

and impact updates of temporary NC3 capability degradations and worked with Defense Logistics 

Agency to improve processes to provide a reliable, secure supply chain. 

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50 

Ongoing Initiatives 

Since 2014, the Air Force has applied deliberate and sustained focus to address shortfalls. 

AFGSC's ongoing efforts-spanning the full-range of personnel, management, oversight, 

mission pertonnance, training, testing, and investment-continue to produce tangible and lasting 

improvements. As this committee is well aware, the Air Force and AFGSC have undertaken 

monumental shifts build a more lethal force. 

AFGSC initiated an effort to invigorate Security Forces (SF), specifically in the critical 

function of nuclear security. This initiative focuses on increasing SF lethality and readiness by 

enhancing leadership, proficiency, and effectiveness of personnel guarding our strategic 

deterrence capabilities. Changes have included increasing manning, especially in supervisory 

positions, increasing training cadre, investing in SF leadership through focused professional 

development, and implementing a Missile Security Operating Concept. This squadron 

deployment model, implemented across all three ICBM wings, optimizes core skill presentation 

in the field, keeps leadership with their Airmen, and provides stable, work-rest- train cycles. 

While the command has achieved early success with this program, we still have improvements 

to make in modernizing equipment and infrastructure, and decreasing position vacancies. 

Finally, Secretary Wilson directed a follow-on review, led by AFGSC, which is expected to 

result in external recommendations for cross-cutting improvements to Air Force Security Forces 

that will enhance the nuclear mission by providing world-class security forces with world-class 

equipment. 

In 2017, we stood up an Independent Strategic Assessment Group (ISAG), comprised of 

forn1er DoD leaders. The !SAG conducted a deep dive into numerous key areas, including current 

management structure and practices of the Nuclear Enterprise, and how AFGSC can field a more 

lethal force. The assessments produced nearly 50 action items the command is tackling so we can 

more effectively accomplish our deterrence and global strike missions. Going forward into this 

year, I've asked the group to look into additional key areas and provide recommendations. We will 

continue using this independent look to help shape innovation, change, and improvement 

throughout the command. 

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51 

Prjoritjes 

My priorities remain the same and are relatively simple. They guide every decision I make. 

They are Mission, Airmen, and Families ... rooted in our Air Force Core Values and reinforced by 

our rich heritage. We exist to serve the nation by providing strategic deterrence and global strike; 

we are ready to fight tonight, and are planning for the fight in 2030. The Airmen in this command 

make this possible and I have charged my staff to emphasize professional development and provide 

more opportunities for every rank. l truly believe that while we recruit Airmen, we retain families, 

which is why one of my initiatives is a new focus on quality oflife. I declared 2017 the Year of the 

Family in AFGSC. We stood up the Human Weapon System Team to identify ways we can 

improve where our Airmen live, learn, and receive medical care. We will continue to build upon 

this and other initiatives throughout 2018. 

Conclusion 

Although we account for less than one percent of the overall federal budget, AFGSC forces 

represent two-thirds of the nation's nuclear triad and oversee approximately 75% of the nation's 

NC3 systems. This is especially profound when considering these forces deliver U.S. national 

security 24 hours a day, 365 days a year, while also providing joint commanders rapid global 

combat airpower. AFGSC will continue to seek innovative, cost-saving measures to ensure our 

weapon systems are operating as efficiently and effectively as possible; however, as stated in the 

NDS, we cannot expect success fighting tomorrow's conflicts with yesterday's weapons. 

Modernization is mandatory. Great power competition has reemerged. AFGSC is 

operating a bomber force averaging over 40 years of age; operating ICBMs with 1960s 

infrastructure; and utilizing 1960s-era weapon storage areas. We cannot afford to delay 

modernization initiatives. The best way to avoid unthinkable conflict is to deter our adversaries 

and be prepared to fight with modern and reliable forces. Any American weakness emboldens 

competitors to subvert the rules-based international order and challenge the alliance and 

partnership network that underpins it. We cannot continue to do what the nation requires without 

a stable budget; the American people and our allies are counting on congressional action to fund 

our nuclear enterprise modernization efforts. 

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52 

General Robin Rand 

Gen. Robin Rand is Commander, Air Force Global Strike Command and Commander, Air 

Forces Strategic- Air, U.S. Strategic Command, Barksdale Air Force Base, Louisiana. AFGSC 

provides strategic deterrence, global strike and combat support to USSTRATCOM and other 

geographic combatant commands. The command is comprised of more than 33,700 professionals 

operating at two numbered Air Forces; eleven active-duty, Air National Guard, and Air Force 

Reserve wings; the Joint Global Strike Operations Center; and the Nuclear Command, Control 

and Communications Center. Weapons systems assigned to AFGSC include all U.S. Air Force 

Intercontinental Ballistic Missiles and bomber aircraft; UH-1 N helicopters, E-4B National 

Airborne Operations Center aircraft, and the remaining U.S. Air Force NC3 weapons system. 

General Rand entered the Air Force in 1974 and graduated from the U.S. Air Force Academy in 

1979. He's had multiple flying assignments; air liaison officer duty with the U.S. Arn1y; and staff 

tours on the Joint Staff, Office of the Secretary of Defense, and Air Staff. His previous 

commands include the 36th Fighter Squadron, USAF Weapons School, 8th Fighter Wing, 56th 

Fighter Wing, 332nd Air Expeditionary Wing, 12th Air Force (Air Forces Southern), and Air 

Education and Training Command. 

General Rand is a command pilot with over 5,100 flying hours, including more than 480 combat 

hours. 

EDUCATION 

1979 Bachelor of Science degree in aviation science, U.S. Air Force Academy, Colorado Springs, Colo. 

1983 Squadron Officer School, Maxwell AFB, Ala. 

1986 Air Command and Staff College, by seminar 

1988 Master of Science degree in aeronautical science, Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University, Fla. 

1990 U.S. Air Foree Fighter Weapons Instructor Course, Nellis AFB, Nev. 

1998 Master of Arts degree in national security policy, Naval War College, Newport, R.I. 

2010 Joint Flag Officer Warfighter Course, Maxwell AFB, Ala. 

2012 Pinnacle Course, National Defense University, Fort Lesley J. McNair, Washington, D.C. 

ASSIGNMENTS 

I. July 1979- July 1980, student, undergraduate pilot training, Williams AFB, Ariz. 

2. August 1980- December 1980, T-37 Pilot, pilot instructor training, Randolph AFB, Texas 

3. January 1981 -May 1984, T-37lnstructor Pilot, 82nd Flying Training Wing, Williams AFB, Ariz. 

4. May 1984- July 1984, AT-38 Pilot, fighter lead-in training, Holloman AFB, N.M. 

5. August 1984- January 1985, F-16 Pilot, F-16 training, 63rd Tactical Fighter Squadron, MacDill AFB, 

Fla. 

6. January 1985- December 1986, F-16 Pilot, 612th Tactical Fighter Squadron, Torrejon Air Base, Spain 

7. December 1986- June 1988, Air Liaison Officer, 3rd Brigade, Is! Armor Division, Bamberg, West 

Germany 

8. July 1988- October 1988, F-16 Pilot, F-16 training, 3 lith Tactical Fighter Squadron, Luke AFB, Ariz. 

9. October 1988- December 1989, F-16 Flight Examiner, 432nd Tactical Fighter Wing, Misawa AB, 

Japan 

I 0. January 1990- April 1990, F-16 Pilot, USAF Fighter Weapons Instructor Course, Nellis AFB, Nev. 

11. April 1990- July 1992, F -16 Weapons Officer, 13th Fighter Squadron; and Weapons and Tactics 

Flight Commander, 432nd Operations Support Squadron, Misawa AB, Japan 

12. August 1992- September 1994, F-16 Operations Officer, USAF Weapons School, Nellis AFB, Nev. 

13. September 1994- July 1995, Operations Officer, 36th Fighter Squadron, Osan AB, South Korea 

14. July 1995- July 1997, Commander, 36th Fighter Squadron, Osan AB, South Korea 

15. Augnst 1997- June 1998, student, Naval War College, Newport, R.I. 

16. June 1998- May 2000, Policy Planner, Directorate for Strategic Plans and Policy (J5), Joint Staff, the 

Pentagon, Arlington, Va. 

l 7. May 2000- March 2001, Deputy Commander, 56th Operations Group, Luke AFB, Ariz. 
53 

18. April2001- April2003, Commandant, USAF Weapons School, Nellis AFB, Nev. 

19. May 2003- May 2004, Commander, 8th Fighter Wing, Kunsan AB, South Korea 

20 June 2004- June 2006, Commander, 56th Fighter Wing, Luke AFB, Ariz. 

21. June 2006- July 2007, Commander, 332nd Air Expeditionary Wing, Balad AB, Iraq 

22. August 2007- August 2009, Principal Director for Middle East Policy, Office of the Secretary of 

Defense, the Pentagon, Arlington, Va. 

23. August 2009- October 2010, Director, Legislative Liaison Office of the Secretary of the Air Force, 

the Pentagon, Arlington, Va. 

24. October 2010- November 2011 Special Assistant to the Vice Chief of Staff, Headquarters Air Force, 

the Pentagon, Arlington, Va. 

25. December 2011 -September 2013, Commander, 12th Air Force, Air Combat Command, and 

Commander, Air Forces Southern, U.S. Southern Command, Davis-Monthan AFB, Ariz. 

26. October 2013- Jul20 15, Commander, Air Education and Training Command, Joint Base San 

Antonio-Randolph. 

27. July 2015- September 2017, Commander, Air Force Global Strike Command, Barksdale AFB, La. 

28. September 2017- present, Commander, Air Force Global Strike Command, and Commander, Air 

Forces Strategic- Air, U.S. Strategic Command, Barksdale AFB, La. 

SUMMARY OF JOINT ASSIGNMENTS 

1. June 1998- May 2000, policy planner, Directorate for Strategic Plans and Policy (J5), Joint Staff; the 

Pentagon, Arlington, Va., as a lieutenant colonel 

2. July 2006- July 2007, Commander, 332nd Air Expeditionary Wing, Balad AB, Iraq, as a brigadier 

general 

3. August 2007- August 2009, Principal Director for Middle East Policy, Office of the Secretary of 

Defense, the Pentagon, Arlington, Va., as a brigadier general and major general 

4. December 201 I- September 2013, Commander, Air Forces Southern, U.S. Southern Command, DavisMonthan AFB, Ariz., as a lieutenant general 

5. September 2017 -present, Commander, Air Forces Strategic- Air, U.S. Strategic Command, Barksdale 

AFB, La., as a general 

FLIGHT INFORMATION 

Rating: command pilot 

Flight hours: More than 5,100 

Aircraft flown: Various, but primarily F-16 

MAJOR A WARDS AND DECORA TfONS 

Distinguished Service Medal with two oak leaf clusters 

Defense Superior Service Medal 

Legion of Merit with two oak leaf clusters 

Bronze Star Medal 

Air Medal with four oak leaf clusters 

Korea Defense Service Medal 

Iraq Campaign Medal with two bronze stars 

Republic of Korea Order ofNational Security Merit (Samil Medal) 

Colombian Air Force Cross of Aeronautical Merit (Grand Cross) 

Brazilian Air Force Order of Aeronautical Merit (Grand Officer) 

EFFECTIVE DATES OF PROMOTION 

Second Lieutenant May 3 0, 1979 

First Lieutenant May 30, 1981 

Captain May 30, 1983 

Major July I, 1990 

Lieutenant Colonel February 1, 1995 

Colonel February I, 200 l 

Brigadier General January I, 2006 

Major General June I, 2009 

Lieutenant General December I, 2011 

General October 10, 2013 
54 

NOT FOR PUBLICATION UNTIL RELEASED BY 

THE HOUSE ARMED SERVICES COMMITTEE 

STRATEGIC FORCES SUBCOMMITTEE 

STATEMENT 

OF 

VICE ADMIRAL TERRY BENEDICT, USN 

DIRECTOR, STRATEGIC SYSTEMS PROGRAMS 

BEFORE THE 

SUBCOMMITTEE ON STRATEGIC FORCES 

OF THE 

HOUSE ARMED SERVICES COMMITTEE 

ON 

NUCLEAR FORCES 

22 MARCH 2018 

NOT FOR PUBLICATION UNTIL RELEASED BY 

THE HOUSE ARMED SERVICES COMMITTEE 

STRATEGIC FORCES SUBCOMMITTEE 
55 

Introduction 

Chairman Rogers, Ranking Member Cooper, distinguished Members of the 

subcommittee, thank you for this opportunity to discuss the sea-based leg of the triad. It 

is an honor to testify before you this morning representing the Navy's Strategic Systems 

Programs (SSP). 

The nation's nuclear triad of intercontinental ballistic missiles, strategic bombers, 

and submarine launched ballistic missiles (SLBM) is essential to our ability to deter 

major warfare with adversaries and assure our allies. Each leg provides unique attributes 

and provides an effective hedge. The 2018 Nuclear Posture Review reaffirms that the 

nuclear triad is the bedrock of our ability to deter aggression, assure our allies, and hedge 

against an uncertain future. It also reaftlrms the need to recapitalize each component of 

the triad. 

The Navy provides the most survivable leg of the triad with our OHIO Class 

ballistic missile submarines (SSBNs) and the Trident II (D5) strategic weapon system 

(SWS) they carry. SLBMs are responsible for a significant majority of the nation's 

operationally deployed nuclear warheads. The Chief of Naval Operations (CNO) has 

made clear the priority the Navy places on the maintenance and modernization of the 

undersea leg of the triad, saying it "is foundational to our survival as a Nation." 

SSP's mission is to design, develop, produce, support, and ensure the safety and 

security of the Trident II (D5) S WS. The men and women of SSP and our industry 

partners remain dedicated to supporting the mission of our Sailors on strategic deten-ent 

patrol and our Marines, Sailors, and Coast Guardsmen who stand watch, ensuring the 

security of the weapons we are entrusted with by this nation. 

Our Fiscal Year (FY) 2019 budget request provides the required funding to 

support the program of record for the Trident II (D5) SWS. To sustain this capability, I 

am focusing on my top priorities: Safety and Security; the Trident II (D5) SWS Life 

Extension Program; Trident II (D5) SWS Long-Term Sustainment; the COLUMBIA 
56 

Class Program; the Solid Rocket Motor Industrial Base; and my Navy Nuclear 

Deterrence Mission Oversight responsibility. 

The men and women of SSP and their predecessors have provided unwavering 

and single mission-focused support to the sea-based leg of the triad for over six decades. 

As an organization, SSP is facing a bow wave of critical work, as most recently 

evidenced by the 2018 Nuclear Posture Review. The organization must be prepared to 

sustain and modernize a credible and effective strategic weapon system to support our 

ballistic missile submarines and our strategic deterrent mission until the 2080s. It has 

been my highest honor to represent the men and women of SSP for the past eight years, 

and my goal, as the Director, is to ensure they are properly positioned to execute the 

mission with the same level of success today and tomorrow as they have done since our 

program's inception in 1955. 

Safety and Security 

The first priority, and the most important, is the safety and security of the Navy's 

nuclear weapons. Accordingly, Navy leadership delegated and defined SSP's role as the 

program manager and technical authority for the Navy's nuclear weapons. 

At its most basic level, this priority is the physical security of one of our Nation's 

most valuable assets. Our Marines and Navy Master at Anns Sailors provide an effective 

and integrated elite security force at our two Strategic Weapons Facilities within their 

area of operations to include the Limited Area, Convoy Route, and the Waterfront 

Restricted Areas in Kings Bay, Georgia, and Bangor, Washington. U.S. Coast Guard 

Maritime Force Protection Units have been commissioned at both facilities to protect our 

ballistic missile submarines. Together, the Navy, Marine Corps, and Coast Guard team 

form the foundation of our security program, while headquarters' staff ensures that 

nuclear weapons-capable activities comply with safety and security standards. 

We thank the Congress for the authorities provided in the FY 2017 National 

Defense Authorization Act allowing the Services to use technological means to counter 

unmanned aerial systems (UAS) at our installations. This authority has enabled us to 

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57 

deploy systems that give our security forces a greater ability to identify, track, and defeat 

unauthorized small UAS. 

The Navy and SSP maintain a culture of self-assessment in order to ensure safety 

and security. This is accomplished through formal biennial self-assessments, periodic 

technical evaluations, formal inspections, and continuous on-site monitoring and 

reporting at the Strategic Weapons Facilities and on submarines. We also strive to 

maintain a culture of excellence to achieve the highest standards of performance and 

integrity for personnel supporting the strategic deterrent mission and continue to focus on 

the custody and accountability of the assets entrusted to the Navy. SSP's number one 

priority is to maintain a safe and secure strategic deterrent. 

DS Life Extension Program 

The Trident II (D5) SWS has been deployed on the OHIO Class ballistic missile 

submarines for nearly three decades and is planned to be deployed more than 50 years. 

This is well beyond its original design life of 25 years and more than double the historical 

service life of any previous sea-based strategic deterrent system. As a result, SSP is 

extending the life of the Trident U (D5) SWS to match the OHIO Class submarine service 

life and to serve as the initial SWS for the COLUMBIA Class SSBN. This is being 

accomplished through an update to all the Trident II (D5) SWS subsystems: launcher, 

navigation, fire control, guidance, missile, and reentry. Our life extension of missile and 

guidance flight hardware components is designed to meet the same form, fit, and function 

of the original system, maintain the deployed system as one homogeneous population, 

control costs, and sustain the demonstrated performance of the system. 

The Navy's D5 life extension program remains on track. In 2017, the Navy 

deployed 24 life-extended missiles to the Fleet and remains on track to complete 

deployment by FY 2024. Later this year, we will begin the Commander Evaluation Test 

(CET) program on life-extended missiles to measure the performance and capability of 

the system against the demonstrated performance. 

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Another major initiative to ensure the continued sustainment of our SWS is the SSP 

Shipboard Systems Integration (SSI) Program, which manages obsolescence and 

modernizes SWS shipboard systems through the use of open architecture design and 

commercial otf-the-shclfhardware and software. The SSI Program refreshes shipboard 

electronics hardware and upgrades software, which will extend service life, enable more 

efficient and affordable future maintenance of the S WS, and ensure we continue to 

provide the highest level of nuclear weapons safety and security for our deployed SSBNs 

while meeting U.S. Strategic Command (STRATCOM) requirements. Twelve 

installations were completed in 2017; and two have been completed so far this year with 

an additional twelve planned. 

The Navy also works in partnership with the Department of Energy's National 

Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA) to sustain our reentry systems. The Trident TI 

(D5) is capable of carrying two types of warheads, the W76 and the W88. Both warheads 

are being refurbished. Deliveries of life-extended W76 warheads to the Navy are over 85 

percent complete and on track to finish by the end ofFY 2019. The W88 major alteration 

program remains on track to support a first production unit in calendar year 2019 with 

production scheduled to complete in FY 2024. 

In accordance with the Nuclear Posture Review, the Navy's FY 2019 budget 

request supports two near-term additional efforts. The budget request supports 

investigating the feasibility of fielding the nuclear explosive package from the Air 

Force's W78 warhead replacement in a Navy reentry body. It also includes funding to 

begin efforts to modify a small number of SLBM warheads to provide a low-yield option. 

The Nuclear Posture Review directed that the modification to the existing warheads will 

not increase the overall number of deployed ballistic missile warheads. This near-term 

capability will bolster our deterrence posture by helping ensure that no adversary 

perceives an advantage through the use of limited nuclear escalation. 

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Trident II (D5) SWS Long-Term Sustainment 

The Trident II (D5) SWS continues to demonstrate itself as a credible deterrent and 

exceeds operational requirements established more than 30 years ago. Our life extension 

efforts will ensure an effective and credible SWS on both the OHIO Class and 

COLUMBIA Class SSBNs until the 2040s. The Navy is also beginning an approach to 

maintain a credible and effective SWS beyond 2040, leveraging the work that is being 

done today to extend the life of the Trident Il (05) SWS as well as investigating 

opportunities to innovate, such as through the application of model-based engineering. In 

fact, the Nuclear Posture Review directs that the Navy "begin studies in 2020 to define a 

cost-efJective, credible, and effective SLBM that we can deploy throughout the service 

life of the COLUMBIA SSBN." 

SSP has a history of more than 60 years of developing, producing, and supporting 

SWSs to support the undersea leg of the triad. We have optimized our SWS by applying 

lessons learned from six generations of missiles and wi11 continue to do so until the 

2080s. 

COLUMBIA Class Program 

The Navy's highest priority acquisition program is the COLUMBIA Class Program, 

which replaces the existing OHIO Class submarines. The continued assurance of our seabased strategic deterrent requires a credible SWS, as well as the development of the next 

class of ballistic missile submarines. The Navy is taking the necessary steps to ensure the 

COLUMBIA SSBN is designed, built, delivered, and tested on time with the right 

capabilities at an affordable cost. 

To lower development costs and leverage the proven reliability of the Trident II 

(05) SWS, the COLUMBIA SSBN will enter service with the life-extended Trident ll 

(05) SWS. Life-extended missiles will be shared with the OHIO Class submarines until 

their retirement. Maintaining a common SWS during the transition to the COLUMBIA 

Class is beneficial from a cost, performance, and risk reduction standpoint. 

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A critical component of the COLUMBIA Class program is the development of a 

Common Missile Compartment (CMC) with the United Kingdom. The U.S. and the UK, 

one of our closest allies, have maintained a shared commitment to nuclear deterrence 

through the Polaris Sales Agreement since 1963. Today, the Trident II (D5) SWS is 

shared with the UK. Like the U.S. Navy, the UK is recapitalizing her four Vanguard 

Class submarines with the Dreadnought Class. The CMC will allow the life extended 

Trident I1 (D5) SWS to be deployed on the COLUMBIA and the UK Dreadnought Class 

SSBNs. It will also support production of two new classes ofSSBNs in both the U.S. and 

UK build yards. We have begun construction of missile tubes to support building the 

U.S. prototype Quad-pack module, the SWS- Ashore (SWS Ashore) integration test site, 

and the UK's tirst Dreadnought SSBN. 

To manage and mitigate technical risk to both the U.S. and UK programs, SSP is 

leading the development of the S WS Ashore integration test site at Cape Canaveral, 

Florida. This is a joint etiort with the Navy and the state of Florida investing in the 

redevelopment of a Polaris site to conduct integration testing and verification for 

COLUMBIA and UK Dreadnought programs. We reached a programmatic milestone 

last year when test bay one, which will be used to test the Missile Service Unit first 

article, achieved initial operational capability. In 2019, test bay two will achieve initial 

operational capability for verifying and validating the SWS support systems for the 

COLUMBIA and UK Dreadnought programs. 

To mitigate the risk in the restart of launcher system production, SSP developed a 

surface launch test facility at the Naval Air Warfare Center Weapons Division, China 

Lake, California. This facility will prove that the launcher industrial base can replicate 

the performance of the OHIO Class Trident II (D5) launcher system. Last year, we started 

launching refurbished Trident II (05) test shapes originally used in the 1980s. Ten 

evaluation launches were conducted in 2017 and we have conducted four of sixteen 

planned this year. 

The OHIO Class SSBNs will begin decommissioning in the late 2020s and the 

COLUMBIA Class must be ready to start patrols in FY 2031 to maintain a minimum 

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operational force of l 0 SSBNs. The Navy has already extended the OHIO Class service 

life from 30 years to 42 years and there is no engineering margin left. Recapitalizing our 

SSBNs is a significant investment and something that happens every other generation, 

making it critically important that we do it right. Any delay has the potential to impact 

not only our ability to meet operational requirements, but also the UK's ability to 

maintain a continuous at sea deterrent. 

Solid Rocket Motor Industrial Base 

The defense and aerospace industrial base- in particular the solid rocket motor 

industry and its sub-tier supplier base- remains an important priority. While the Navy is 

maintaining a continuous production capability of rocket motors, the demand from both 

National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) and the Air Force has 

precipitously declined. This deeline has resulted in higher costs for the Navy and has put 

an entire specialized industry at risk. Though future Air Force modernization will 

provide some much needed relief beginning in the mid-2020s, our Nation cannot afford 

to lose this capability. 

While the efforts of our industry partners and others have created short-tenn cost 

relict: the long-tenn support of the solid rocket motor industry, including its sub-tier 

supplier base, and maintenance of critical skills remains an issue that must be addressed. 

For example, we are concerned with ensured access to and affordability of certain critical 

solid rocket motor constituents, such as ammonium perchlorate. At SSP, we will 

continue to work with our industry partners, the Department of Defense, senior NASA 

leadership, Air Force, and Congress to do everything we can to ensure this vital national 

security industry asset is preserved. 

Navy Nuclear Deterrence Oversight Responsibility 

In 2014, the CNO directed establishment of a centralized Navy oversight 

authority for nuclear force readiness. As the Director of SSP, I have been assigned 

accountability, responsibility, and authority to serve as the single Flag Officer to monitor 

performance and conduct end-to-end assessments of the Navy Nuclear Deterrence 

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Mission (NNDM) clements and report issues to the NNDM Oversight Council and the 

CNO. As the NNDM regulatory lead, 1 am tasked with developing, coordinating, and 

implementing policies approved by the CNO, and conducting end-to-end assessments of 

the Navy's nuclear weapons and nuclear weapons systems and personnel, including 

Nuclear Command, Control, and Communications (NC3), for safe, reliable, and effective 

execution of the NNDM. In October of 2017, I submitted the second annual end-to-end 

assessment report to the CNO, and I assessed that the NNDM execution was effective 

and sustainable with some areas for improvement. 

Conclusion 

SSP ensures a safe, secure, and effective strategic deterrent and focuses on the 

custody and accountability of the nuclear assets entrusted to the Navy. Sustaining the 

sea-based strategic deterrent capability is a vital national security requirement. Our 

nation's sea-based deterrent has been a critical component of our national security since 

the 1950s and must continue to assure our allies and deter potential adversaries well into 

the future. l am privileged to represent this unique organization as we work to serve the 

best interests of our great Nation. I thank the committee for the opportunity to speak with 

you about the sea-based leg of the triad and the vital role it plays in our national security. 

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Vice Admiral Terry J. Benedict 

Director, Strategic Systems Programs 

Vice Adm. Benedict is assigned as director of the Navy's Strategic Systems Programs (SSP). His 

previous flag assignment was as program executive officer for Integrated Warfare Systems, Office of the 

Assistant Secretary of the Navy (Research, Development and Acquisition) in Washington, D.C. 

Benedict transferred to the engineering duty officer community in 1985 then reported to SSP in 1988 as 

a lieutenant. He bas bad nine previous billets within SSP in numerous technical branches including a 

field tour at the Missile Manufacturing Facility and as the deputy director/technical director. 

Benedict also had three tours in Naval Sea Systems Command as a systems engineer, as the executive 

assistant to the commander and Program Executive Office Integrated Warfare Systems (PEO IWS). 

He graduated from the U.S. Naval Academy in 1982 with a bachelor's degree and holds a Master of 

Science in engineering science and a Master of Business Administration. He is a graduate of the 

Advanced Program Management Course at the Defense Acquisition University, the Executive 

Leadership Course at Carnegie Mellon, and is a certified project management professional. 

Benedict assumed command as the 13th director of Strategic Systems Programs May 7, 2010 and was 

promoted to Vice Admiral May, 28 2013. 
64 

Statement of Lisa E. Gordan-Hagerty 

Administrator 

National Nuclear Security Administration 

U.S. Department of Energy 

on the 

Fiscal Year 2019 President's Budget Request 

Before the 

Subcommittee on Strategic Forces 

House Committee on Armed Services 

March 22, 2018 

Chairman Rogers, Ranking Member Cooper, and Members of the Subcommittee, thank you for 

the opportunity to present the President's Fiscal Year (FY) 2019 budget request for the 

Department of Energy's (DOE) National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA). NNSA deeply 

appreciates the Committee's strong support for the nuclear security mission and for the 

extraordinary people and organizations that are responsible for its execution. 

The President's FY 2019 budget request for NNSA is $1S.1 billion, an increase of $1.2 billion or 

8.3% over the FY 2018 request. The request represents approximately SO% of DOE's total 

budget. This budget request demonstrates the Administration's strong support for NNSA and 

reinforces the recently released Nuclear Posture Review (NPR) and National Security Strategy 

(NSS). We will continue to work with the Department of Defense (DoD) to determine the 

resources, time, and funding required to address policies laid out in the NPR, including the 

potential low yield ballistic missile warhead, sea launched cruise missile, and B83-1 gravity 

bomb. We live in an evolving international security environment that is more complex and 

demanding than any since the end of the Cold War, which necessitates a national commitment 

to maintain modern and effective nuclear forces and infrastructure. To remain effective, 

however, recapitalizing our Cold War legacy nuclear forces is critical. 

NNSA's enduring missions remain vital to the national security of the United States: maintaining 

the safety, security, reliability, and effectiveness of the nuclear weapons stockpile; reducing the 

threat of nuclear proliferation and nuclear terrorism around the world; and providing nuclear 

propulsion for the U.S. Navy's fleet of aircraft carriers and submarines. The President's FY 2019 

budget request is reflective of this Administration's strong support for NNSA and ensures that 

U.S. nuclear forces are modern, robust, flexible, resilient, ready, and appropriately tailored to 

deter 21st-century threats and reassure America's allies. 

Attracting, training, and retaining a skilled and experienced workforce is critical to NNSA's 

ability to accomplish its diverse missions. NNSA's dedicated and highly talented cadre of 

Federal employees and Management and Operating (M&O) contract partners must be 

supported with the tools necessary to support the complex and challenging responsibilities 

found only within NNSA's nuclear security enterprise. NNSA's infrastructure is in a brittle state 

that requires significant and sustained investments over the coming decade to correct. There is 

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no margin for further delay in modernizing NNSA's scientific, technical, and engineering 

capabilities, and recapitalizing our infrastructure needed to produce strategic materials and 

components for U.S. nuclear weapons. 

The FY 2019 budget request also reflects the close partnerships between NNSA and other 

federal departments and agencies. NNSA collaborates with DoD to meet military requirements, 

support the Nation's nuclear deterrent, and modernize the nuclear security enterprise. NNSA 

also partners with a range of federal agencies, to prevent, counter, and respond to nuclear 

proliferation and nuclear terrorism. 

NNSA is mindful of its obligation to be responsible stewards of the resources entrusted by 

Congress and the American taxpayers. Our FY 2019 budget request is the result of a disciplined 

process to prioritize funding for validated requirements as designated by the Administration 

and sets the foundation to implement policies from the NPR and NSS. 

Weapons Activities Appropriation 

The FY 2019 budget request for the Weapons Activities account is $11.0 billion, an increase of 

$777.7 million or 7.6% over FY 2018 request levels. Nuclear deterrence remains the bedrock of 

America's national security. Given the criticality of effective U.S. nuclear deterrence to the 

safety of the American people, allies, and partners, there is no doubt that NNSA's sustainment 

and replacement program should be regarded as both necessary and affordable. The programs 

funded in this account support the Nation's current and future defense posture and the 

associated nationwide infrastructure of science, technology, and engineering capabilities. 

The Weapons Activities account supports the maintenance and refurbishment of nuclear 

weapons to maintain safety, security, and reliability; investments in scientific, engineering, and 

manufacturing capabilities to certify the enduring nuclear weapons stockpile; and the 

fabrication of nuclear weapon components. This account also includes investments in 

enterprise-wide infrastructure sustainment activities, physical and cybersecurity activities, and 

the secure transportation of nuclear materials. 

Maintaining the Stockpile 

This year, the work of the science-based Stockpile Stewardship Program again supported the 

Secretaries of Energy and Defense in certifying to the President for the 22nd consecutive year, 

that the U.S. nuclear weapons stockpile remains safe, secure, and reliable without the need for 

nuclear explosive testing. This remarkable scientific achievement is made possible through the 

work accomplished by NNSA's world-class scientists, engineers, and technicians, and through 

investments in state-of-the-art diagnostic tools, high performance computing platforms, and 

modern facilities. 

For Directed Stockpile Work {DSW), the FY 2019 budget request is $4.7 billion, an increase of 

$689.0 million or 17.3% over the FY 2018 request. Included within this request is funding to 

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support the life extension programs (LEPs) for the W76, B61, and W80, and a major alteration 

of the W88; and advance the ground based strategic deterrent, by one year to 2019, and 

investigate feasibility of interoperable aspects for other types of warheads. These LEPs are 

aligned with the needs outlined in the NPR and with the approved Nuclear Weapons Council 

strategic plan. 

• W76-1 LEP: The $113.9 million requested forthe W76-1 LEP directly supports the seabased leg of the nuclear triad by extending the service life of the original W76-0 

warhead. With continued funding, the W76-1 LEP will remain on schedule and on 

budget to complete production in FY 2019. 

• 861-12 LEP: NNSA continues to make progress on the B61-12 LEP that will consolidate 

four variants of the B61 gravity bomb. This LEP will meet military requirements for 

reliability, service-life, field maintenance, safety, and use control while also addressing 

multiple components nearing end of life in this oldest nuclear weapon in the stockpile. 

With the $794.0 million requested, NNSA will remain on schedule to deliver the First 

Production Unit (FPU) ofthe B61-12 in FY 2020. NNSA is responsible for refurbishing the 

nuclear explosives package and updating the electronics for this weapon. The Air Force 

will provide the tail kit assembly under a separate acquisition program. When fielded, 

the B61-12 gravity bomb will support both Air Force long-range nuclear-capable 

bombers and dual-capable fighter aircraft and bolster central deterrence for the United 

States while also providing extended deterrence to America's allies and partners. 

• WBB Alteration 370 Program: Currently in the Production Engineering Phase (Phase 

6.4), the W88 Alt 370 is on schedule, with FPU planned in December 2019. The budget 

request for this program, which also supports the sea-based leg of the nuclear triad, is 

$304.3 million in FY 2019. 

• WB0-4 LEP: The current air-launched cruise missile delivers a W80 warhead first 

deployed in 1982. Both the missile and the warhead are well past planned end of life 

and are exhibiting aging issues. To maintain this vital deterrent capability, NNSA 

requests $654.8 million in FY 2019, an increase of $255.7 million or 64.1% over the FY 

2018 request to extend the W80 warhead, through the W80-4 LEP, for use in the Air 

Force's Long Range Stand-Off (LRSO) cruise missile. This funding supports a significant 

increase in program activity through the Design Definition and Cost Study Phase on a 

timeline consistent with the DoD's LRSO missile platform modernization schedule. 

• Interoperable Warhead 1 {IW1}: The IW1 program will replace one of the oldest 

warheads in the stockpile, and provide improved warhead security, safety, and use 

control. To replace the Air Force employed W78 warhead, NNSA is requesting $53.0 

million to support the scheduled restart of the feasibility study and design options work 

suspended in 2014. Technology development efforts are focused on supporting the 

W78 warhead replacement and investigate the feasibility of interoperable aspects for 

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other types of warheads. To reduce risk, investments will initially be made against 

technologies that are less than technology readiness level 5. 

Within DSW, the FY 2019 budget request includes $619.5 million for Stockpile Systems. This 

program sustains the stockpile in accordance with the Nuclear Weapon Stockpile Plan by 

producing and replacing limited-life components such as neutron generators and gas transfer 

systems; conducting maintenance, surveillance, and evaluations to assess weapon reliability; 

detecting and anticipating potential weapon issues; and compiling and analyzing information 

during the Annual Assessment process. 

The DSW also requests $1.1 billion for Stockpile Services to support the modernization of 

capabilities to improve efficiency of manufacturing operations to meet future requirements. 

The Stockpile Services request supports all DSW operations by funding programmatic and 

infrastructure management, and maintaining the core competencies and technologies essential 

for reliable and operable stewardship capabilities. 

Strategic Materials are key for the safety, security, and effectiveness of the Nation's nuclear 

deterrent and are used for addressing national security concerns such as nuclear 

nonproliferation and counterterrorism missions. The requested funding is necessary to 

maintain NNSA's ability to produce the nuclear and other strategic materials associated with 

nuclear weapons as well as refurbish and manufacture components made from these materials. 

The program includes Uranium Sustainment, Plutonium Sustainment, Tritium Sustainment, 

Domestic Uranium Enrichment (DUE), and other strategic materials, such as lithium. 

• Strategic Materials Sustainment: The $218.8 million for the Strategic Materials 

Sustainment program will develop and implement strategies to maintain the technical 

base for strategic materials in support of NNSA's nuclear weapons, non-proliferation, 

and naval reactors activities at NNSA's eight sites. 

• Uranium Sustainment: Funding for Uranium Sustainment supports the program to 

maintain existing enriched uranium capabilities through enhanced equipment 

maintenance while preparing to phase out mission dependency on Building 9212, a 

Manhattan Project-era production facility at the Y-12 National Security Complex (Y-12) 

in Oak Ridge, Tennessee. The funding request of $87.2 million will assist NNSA in 

sustaining uranium manufacturing capabilities while accelerating planning and 

execution of the Building 9212 Exit Strategy to reduce risks associated with transitioning 

enriched uranium capabilities to the Uranium Processing Facility (UPF) that is under 

construction. 

• Plutonium Sustainment: The $361.3 million requested for Plutonium Sustainment 

supports continued progress to meet pit production requirements. The requested 

funding increase would support efforts to begin the long term plan to develop a 

capability to produce no fewer than 80 W87-like war reserve pits per year by 2030, as 

directed in the NPR. 

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• Tritium Sustainment: The FY 2019 budget request of $205.3 million will support the 

Nation's capacity to provide the tritium necessary for national security requirements. 

Tritium will be produced by irradiating Tritium Producing Burnable Absorber Rods in 

designated Tennessee Valley Authority nuclear power plants and by recovering and 

recycling tritium from gas transfer systems returned from the stockpile at the SRS 

Tritium Extraction Facility. 

• Lithium Sustainment: The FY 2019 budget request establishes a separate Lithium 

Sustainment Program of $29.1 million that supports a Lithium Bridging Strategy to 

maintain the production of the nation's enriched lithium supply in support of the 

nuclear security mission, DOE's Office of Science, and DHS. 

• Domestic Uranium Enrichment: The DUE program, with a request of $100.7 million in FY 

2019, will continue efforts to make available when needed the necessary supplies of 

enriched uranium for a variety of national security needs. 

For Research, Development, Test, and Evaluation (RDT&E), the FY 2019 budget request is $2.0 

billion, a decrease of $33.0 million or 1.6% below the FY 2018 request. 

Increases for the Science Program ($564.9 million) provide additional funding to support 

subcritical experiments for pit reuse and advanced diagnostics for subcritical hydrodynamic 

integrated weapons experiments that produce key data for stockpile certifications. 

The Engineering Program ($211.4 million) sustains NNSA's capability for creating and maturing 

advanced toolsets and technologies to improve weapon surety and support annual stockpile 

assessments. 

The Inertial Confinement Fusion Ignition and High Yield Program in FY 2019 ($418.9 million) will 

continue to build upon prior accomplishments. These efforts continue to provide key data to 

reduce uncertainty in calculations of nuclear weapons performance and improve the predictive 

capability of science and engineering models in high-pressure, high-energy, high-density 

regimes. 

The RDT&E request for FY 2019 includes $703.4 million for the Advanced Simulation and 

Computing (ASC) Program, and continues NNSA's program of collaboration with DOE's Office of 

Science to implement DOE's Exascale Computing Initiative. NNSA's ASC Program will support 

stockpile stewardship by developing and deploying predictive simulation capabilities for nuclear 

weapons systems. NNSA is taking major steps in high-performance computing by deploying 

increasingly powerful computational capabilities at both Los Alamos National Laboratory (LANL) 

and Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory. 

The Secure Transportation Asset (STA) program provides safe, secure movement of nuclear 

weapons, special nuclear material, and weapon components to meet projected DOE, DoD, and 

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other customer requirements. The Office of Secure Transportation has an elite workforce 

performing sensitive and demanding work; agents are among the most highly trained and 

dedicated national security personnel operating within the United States. The FY 2019 budget 

request of $278.6 million continues our efforts to modernize and replace the existing fleet of 

transporters and efforts to hire and train an additional40 agents. The FY 2019 funding also 

supports the Safeguards Transporter (SGT) risk reduction initiatives to extend the life of the SGT 

to meet the STA mission capacity. 

NNSA's Office of Defense Programs also maintains the vitality of the broader nuclear security 

enterprise that supports other agencies' nuclear missions. An important aspect of this effort is 

investment in Laboratory, Site and Plant Directed Research and Development. As confirmed by 

independent reviews, this type of defense research and development investment provides 

basic research funding to foster innovation and to attract and retain scientific and technical 

talent and is critical to the long-term sustainment of our national laboratories. 

Improving Safety, Operations, and Infrastructure 

NNSA's diverse national security missions are dependent upon the safety and reliability of its 

infrastructure. More than half of NNSA's facilities are over 40 years old, and roughly 30% date 

back to the Manhattan Project era. If left unaddressed, the condition and age of NNSA's 

infrastructure will put NNSA's missions, the safety of its workforce, the public, and the 

environment at risk. As reaffirmed in the NPR, "An effective, responsive, and resilient nuclear 

weapons infrastructure is essential to the U.S. capacity to adapt flexibly to shifting 

requirements. Such an infrastructure offers tangible evidence to both allies and potential 

adversaries of U.S. nuclear weapons capabilities and can help to deter, assure, hedge against 

adverse developments, and discourage adversary interest in arms competition." The FY 2019 

budget request for Infrastructure and Operations is $3.0 billion, an increase of $199.6 million or 

7.1% above the FY 2018 request. The FY 2018 National Defense Authorization Act provided 

NNSA and its M&O partners with additional flexibility to address the challenges of modernizing 

the enterprise by increasing the minor construction threshold to $20 million. This reform 

supports efforts to address deferred maintenance through recapitalization projects that 

improve the condition and extend the design life of structures, capabilities, and systems to 

meet NNSA's nuclear weapons and nonproliferation program needs. 

The FY 2019 budget request for Infrastructure and Operations includes $1.1 billion for Line Item 

Construction projects. The requested amount provides the remaining funding of $48.0 million 

for the Albuquerque Facility, supports UPF at Y-12 ($703.0 million), and continues the 

Chemistry and Metallurgy Research Replacement project at LANL ($235.1 million). The FY 2019 

budget also includes $19.0 million in funding to begin the first steps toward the construction of 

a new lithium production facility and $6 million for the 138kV Power Transmission System 

Replacement project to replace and upgrade the current power transmission system for the 

Mission Corridor at NNSS. Delivering these projects on budget and schedule is contingent upon 

stable and predictable funding profiles, and the President's budget request being supported. 

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Many of NNSA's excess process-contaminated facilities will ultimately be transferred to DOE's 

Office of Environmental Management for disposition. In the interim, NNSA is focusing on 

reducing risks where possible. For example, NNSA has made critical investments to stabilize 

high-risk process contaminated facilities until ultimate disposition, including at Y-12's Alpha 5 

and Beta 4 facilities. NNSA also remains committed to reducing the risk of non-process 

contaminated facilities by dispositioning facilities where possible. In late 2017, NNSA, with the 

support of Congress, completed the transfer to a private developer of over 200 acres of the 

aging Bannister Federal Complex in Kansas City, Missouri, eliminating $300 million of repair 

needs. 

Later this spring, completion of the Pantex Drummond Office Building (formerly known as the 

Administrative Support Complex) at the Pantex Plant outside of Amarillo, Texas will allow NNSA 

to move nearly 1,000 employees into a modern, energy efficient workspace. After completion 

of the Pantex Drummond Office building NNSA will also be able to dispose of dilapidated, 

1950s-era buildings and eliminate approximately $20 million in deferred maintenance. 

Defense Nuclear Security's (DNS) FY 2019 budget request is $690.6 million, an increase of $3.7 

million or 0.5% over the FY 2018 Request. To execute its enterprise security program, DNS 

provides funding to the sites for: protective forces, physical security systems, information 

security and technical security, personnel security, nuclear material control and accountability, 

and security program operations and planning. The request manages risk among important, 

competing demands of the physical security infrastructure and includes planning and 

conceptual design funds for a series of future projects to sustain and recapitalize the Perimeter 

Intrusion Detection and Assessment Systems at the Pantex Plant and Y-12. Preliminary 

estimates are included within the recently completed 10-year Physical Security Systems Refresh 

Plan. Future budget requests will reflect refined and detailed funding requirements. 

Information Technology and Cybersecurity enable every element of NNSA's missions. The FY 

2019 budget request is $221.2 million, an increase of $34.4 million, or 18.4% over the FY 2018 

request. The cybersecurity program continuously monitors enterprise wireless and security 

technologies to meet a wide range of security challenges. The requested funding increase will 

be used to continue working toward a comprehensive information technology and 

cybersecurity program to deliver secure crucial information assets. The funding will continue to 

mature the cybersecurity infrastructure, comprising almost 100 sensors and over 70 data 

acquisition servers located across the nation. 

Defense Nuclear Nonproliferation Appropriation 

The FY 2019 budget request for the Defense Nuclear Nonproliferation account is $1.9 billion, an 

increase of $69.5 million or 3.9% above the FY 2018 request. Defense Nuclear Nonproliferation 

account activities address the entire nuclear threat spectrum by helping to prevent the 

proliferation of nuclear weapons, counter the threat of nuclear terrorism, and respond to 

nuclear and radiological incidents around the world. The FY 2019 budget request funds two 

program mission areas under the Defense Nuclear Nonproliferation account: the Defense 

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Nuclear Nonproliferation (DNN) Program and the Nuclear Counterterrorism and Incident 

Response (NCTIR) Program. 

Nonproliferation Efforts 

The Office of Defense Nuclear Nonproliferation works with international partners to remove or 

eliminate vulnerable nuclear material; improve global nuclear security through multilateral and 

bilateral technical exchanges and training workshops; help prevent the illicit trafficking of 

nuclear and radioactive materials; secure domestic and international civilian buildings 

containing high-priority radioactive material; provide technical reviews of U.S. export license 

applications; conduct export control training sessions for U.S. enforcement agencies and 

international partners; strengthen the International Atomic Energy Agency's ability to detect 

and deter nuclear proliferation; advance U.S. capabilities to monitor arms control treaties and 

detect foreign nuclear programs; and maintain organizational readiness to respond to and 

mitigate radiological or nuclear incidents worldwide. 

The Material Management and Minimization (M3) program provides an integrated approach to 

addressing the risk posed by nuclear materials. The FY 2019 budget request is $332.1 million. 

The request supports the conversion or shut-down of research reactors and isotope production 

facilities that use highly enriched uranium (HEU) and acceleration of new, non HEU-based 

molybdenum-99 production facilities in the United States, which recently contributed to the 

approval of the first Food and Drug Administration-approved U.S.-origin technology to produce 

the medical isotope. Additionally, the request for M3 supports the removal and disposal of 

weapons usable nuclear material and continues the transition to the dilute and dispose strategy 

for surplus plutonium disposition, including the completion of the independent validation of 

lifecycle cost estimate and schedule for the dilute and dispose strategy. 

The Global Material Security program works with partner nations to increase the security of 

vulnerable nuclear and radioactive materials and improve ability to deter, detect, and 

investigate illicit trafficking of these materials. The FY 2019 budget request for this program is 

$337.1 million and includes efforts to secure the most at-risk radioactive material in U.S. highthreat urban areas by 2020. 

The Nonproliferation and Arms Control program develops and implements programs to 

strengthen international nuclear safeguards; control the spread of nuclear and dual-use 

material, equipment, technology and expertise; verify nuclear reductions and compliance with 

nonproliferation and arms control treaties and agreements; and address enduring and 

emerging proliferation challenges requiring the development of innovative policies and 

approached. The FY 2019 budget request for this program is $129.7 million. This increase 

serves to improve the deployment readiness of U.S. nuclear disablement and dismantlement 

verification teams and to enhance export control dual-use license and interdiction technical 

reviews. 

The Defense Nuclear Nonproliferation Research and Development program supports innovative 

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unilateral and multilateral technical capabilities to detect, identify, and characterize foreign 

nuclear weapons programs, illicit diversion of special nuclear material, and nuclear detonations 

worldwide. The FY 2019 budget request for this program is $456.1 million. 

Nonproliferation Construction consolidates construction costs for DNN projects. The FY 2019 

budget request is $279.0 million. As in FY 2018, the Administration proposes termination 

activities for the Mixed Oxide (MOX) Fuel Fabrication Facility project and continuing to pursue 

the dilute and dispose option to fulfill the United States' commitment to dispose of 34 metric 

tons of plutonium. The $220.0 million for the MOX Facility will be used to continue terminating 

the project and to achieve an orderly and safe closure. The scope and costs will be refined in 

subsequent budget requests when the termination plan for the MOX project is approved. The 

request also includes $59.0 million for the Surplus Plutonium Disposition project to support the 

dilute and dispose strategy. 

Nuclear Counterterrorism and Incident Response (NCTIR/ 

The FY 2019 budget request for NCTIR is $319.2 million, an increase of $41.8 million or 15.1% 

over the FY 2018 request. NNSA's Counterterrorism and Counterproliferation (CTCP) program 

is part of broader U.S. Government efforts to assess the threat of nuclear terrorism and develop 

technical countermeasures. The scientific knowledge generated by this program underpins the 

technical expertise for disabling potential nuclear threat devices, including improvised nuclear 

devices, supports and informs U.S. nuclear security policy, and guides nuclear counterterrorism 

and counterproliferation efforts, including interagency nuclear forensics and contingency 

planning. 

The Counterterrorism and Counterproliferation program provides a flexible, efficient, and 

effective response capability for any nuclear/radiological incident in the United States or 

abroad by applying the unique technical expertise across NNSA's nuclear security enterprise. 

Appropriately trained personnel and specialized technical equipment are ready to deploy to 

provide an integrated response for radiological search, render safe, and consequence 

management for nuclear/radiological emergencies, national exercises, and security operations 

for large National Security Special Events. 

The CTCP program maintains an operational nuclear forensics capability for pre-detonation 

device disassembly and examination, provides operational support for post-detonation 

assessment, and coordinates the analysis of special nuclear materials. Readiness is maintained 

to deploy device disposition and device assessment teams, conduct laboratory operations in 

support of analysis of bulk actinide forensics, and to deploy subject matter expertise and 

operational capabilities in support of ground sample collections that contribute to conclusions 

in support of attribution. 

NNSA's Aerial Measuring System (AMS) provides airborne remote sensing in the event of a 

nuclear or radiological accident or incident within the continental United States, as well as in 

support of high-visibility national security events. 

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The AMS fleet consists of three B200 fixed-wing aircraft with an average age of 33 years and 

two Bell412 helicopters with an average age of 24 years. The age of the current aircraft leads 

to unscheduled downtime resulting in reduced mission availability. A recently concluded 

Analysis of Alternatives on the AMS aircraft determined that recapitalization of the aging 

aircraft fleet is necessary to continue to provide Federal, state, and local officials with rapid 

radiological information following an accident or incident. The FY 2019 budget requests $32.5 

million as part of a two-year replacement process for the five aircraft. 

The equipment used by NNSA's emergency response teams is aging, resulting in increasing 

maintenance costs and increasing risks to the emergency response mission. This budget 

includes funding for incremental recapitalization of incident response equipment consistent 

with lifecycle planning to maintain operational readiness. This budget also includes funding for 

state-of-the-art, secure, deployable communications systems that are interoperable with the 

Federal Bureau of Investigation and DoD mission partners that will help provide decision 

makers with real-time technical recommendations to mitigate nuclear terrorist threats. 

The Emergency Operations program's FY 2019 budget request includes $36 million under NCTIR 

to support NNSA's Office of Emergency Operations. This funding will support NNSA's all hazard 

emergency response capabilities, such as providing incident management training and exercise 

planning, and managing the Emergency Communications Network capability for the 

Department. 

Naval Reactors Appropriation 

Advancing Naval Nuclear Propulsion 

Nuclear propulsion for the U.S. Navy's nuclear-powered fleet is critical to the security of the 

United States and its allies as well as the security of global sea lanes. NNSA's Naval Reactors 

Program remains at the forefront of technological developments in naval nuclear propulsion by 

advancing new technologies and improvements in naval reactor performance. This 

preeminence provides the U.S. Navy with a commanding edge in naval warfighting capabilities. 

The Naval Reactors FY 2019 budget request is $1.8 billion, an increase of $308.9 million or 

20.9% above the FY 2018 request. In addition to supporting today's operational fleet, the 

requested funding is the foundation for Naval Reactors to deliver tomorrow's fleet and recruit 

and retain a highly-skilled workforce. One of Naval Reactors' three national priority projects, 

continuing design and development of the reactor plant for the COLUMBIA-Class submarine, 

featuring a life-of-ship core and electric drive, will replace the current OHIO-Class fleet and 

provide required deterrence capabilities for decades. The project to refuel a Research and 

Training Reactor in New York will facilitate COLUMBIA-Class reactor development efforts to 

provide 20 more years of live reactor-based training for fleet operators. Funding will also be 

used to support construction of a new spent fuel handling facility in Idaho that will facilitate 

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long term, reliable processing and packaging of spent nuclear fuel from aircraft carriers and 

submarines. 

Naval Reactors has requested funding in FY 2019 to support these projects and fund necessary 

reactor technology development, equipment, construction, maintenance, and modernization of 

critical infrastructure and facilities. By employing a small but high-performing technical base, 

the teams at Bettis Atomic Power Laboratory in Pittsburgh, Knolls Atomic Power Laboratory and 

Kesselring Site in greater Albany, and the spent nuclear fuel facilities in Idaho can perform the 

research and development, analysis, engineering, and testing needed to support today's fleet at 

sea and develop future nuclear-powered warships. The laboratories also perform the technical 

evaluations that enable Naval Reactors to thoroughly assess emergent issues and deliver timely 

responses to provide nuclear safety and maximize operational flexibility. 

NNSA Federal Salaries and Expenses Appropriation 

The NNSA Federal Salaries and Expenses FY 2019 budget request is $422.5 million, an increase 

of $3.9 million or 0.9% over the FY 2018 request. The FY 2019 budget request provides funding 

for 1, 715 full-time equivalents for the effective program and project management and 

appropriate oversight of the nuclear security enterprise. Since 2010, NNSA's program funding 

has increased 50%, while staffing has decreased 10%. NNSA has partnered with the Office of 

Personnel Management to develop a staffing analysis, now in its second phase, of a Human 

Capital Management Plan that assesses current personnel levels compared to mission needs. 

The results of the staffing analysis will be used to inform future recommendations on 

appropriate staff size and provide the type and number of scientists, engineers, project 

managers, foreign affairs specialists, and support staff needed to accomplish the mission. Part 

of the evaluation includes a review of current staff skill sets and areas where skills are needed 

for project and program management, applicable oversight, and day to day operations of the 

nuclear security enterprise. 

Thanks to the support of Congress, NNSA received a 10-year extension to continue to use the 

Demonstration Project personnel system. The pay for performance personnel system provides 

an important tool to retain and attract top talent for NNSA's national security missions. With 

the pay to perform personnel system, we are able to compete for personnel with other highly 

technical federal and private organizations, motivate and retain high-performing employees, 

and deal with poor performers. NNSA uses the Demonstration Project in conjunction with the 

Excepted Service hiring authorities to hire key personnel for the current and next generation 

workforce with critical nuclear security expertise. 

Management & Performance 

Since 2011, NNSA has delivered approximately $1.4 billion in projects, a significant portion of 

NNSAs total project portfolio, 8% under original budget. This past February, the High Explosive 

Pressing Facility at Pantex achieved CD-4 and was completed $25 million under the approved 

baseline. We are committed to encouraging competition and increasing the universe of 

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qualified contractors by streamlining major acquisition processes. NNSA will continue to focus 

on delivering timely, best-value acquisition solutions for all programs and projects, by using a 

tailored approach to contract structures and incentives that is appropriate for the special 

missions and risks at each site. The Office of Acquisition and Project Management continues to 

lead improvements in contract and project management practices; provide clear lines of 

authority and accountability for program and project managers; improve cost and schedule 

performance; and ensure Federal Project Directors and Contracting Officers with the 

appropriate skill mix and professional certifications are managing NNSA's work. 

Conclusion 

NNSA's diverse and enduring national security missions are crucial to the security of the United 

States, the defense of its allies and partners, and global stability. The U.S. nuclear deterrent has 

and will continue to remain the cornerstone of America's national security, and NNSA has 

unique responsibilities to maintain and certify the continued safety, security, reliability, and 

effectiveness of that nuclear deterrent. 

Nuclear nonproliferation and nuclear counterterrorism activities are essential to promoting the 

peaceful use of nuclear energy and preventing malicious use of nuclear and radiological 

materials and technology around the world. Providing naval nuclear propulsion to the U.S. 

Navy is crucial to the United States to defend interests abroad and protect the world's 

commercial shipping lanes. Each of these critical missions depends upon NNSA's capabilities, 

facilities, infrastructure, and world-class workforce. 

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Lisa E. Gordon-Hagerty 

Under Secretary for Nuclear Security and NNSA Administrator 

Lisa E. Gordon-Hagerty serves as the Under Secretary for Nuclear Security of the U.S. 

Department of Energy (DOE) and Administrator of the National Nuclear Security 

Administration. She was confirmed by the U.S. Senate on February 15, 2018. With more than 

30 years of national security experience, Ms. Gordon-Hagerty is responsible for the management 

and operations ofNNSA in support of President Trump's and Secretary Perry's nuclear security 

agenda. 

Ms. Gordon-Ilagerty served previously in several U.S. Government leadership positions, 

including as the Director of Combating Terrorism, National Security Council staff, directing 

overseas crisis and consequence management and responsible for coordinating the U.S. 

Government's activities to deter, disrupt, prevent, and respond fully to conventional, biological, 

chemical, nuclear or radiological WMD attacks, through research and development, special 

operations, intelligence, and exercises/contingency planning. She also served at DOE as the 

Director, Office of Emergency, Defense Programs, administering and directing the Nation's 

technical nuclear emergency response programs and assets utilized in response to nuclear 

ten·orism, radiological accidents, nuclear weapons accidents and major radiological emergencies 

worldwide, and as Acting Director, Office of Weapons Surety. Ms. Gordon-Hagerty was a 

professional staff member on the U.S. House of Representatives Committee on Energy and 

Commerce, providing technical support to Committee Members on issues related to DOE 

national security issues. She began her professional career as a health physicist at DOE's 

Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory. 

Prior to joining the Trump Administration, Ms. Gordon-Hagerty was president of Tier Tech 

International, Inc., a Service Disabled Veteran Owned Small Business providing professional 

expertise to combating weapons of mass destruction terrorism worldwide. She was also 

president and CEO of LEG, Inc., a consulting firm focusing on national security issues. Ms. 

Gordon-Hage1ty served as the Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer of USEC, 

Inc. 

Ms. Gordon-Hagerty holds a Master of Public Health degree in Health Physics and a Bachelor of 

Science, both from the University of Michigan. 
77 

Written Statement of James Owendoff 

Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary for Environmental Management 

Before the 

Subcommittee on Strategic Forces 

Committee on Armed Services 

U.S. House of Representatives 

March 22, 2018 

Thank you for the opportunity to appear before you today to represent the Department of 

Energy's (DOE) Ofiice of Environmental Management (EM). I would like to provide you with 

an overview of the EM program, key accomplishments during the past year and what we plan to 

accomplish under the President's $6,601,366,000 Fiscal Year (FY) 2019 budget request, which 

includes $5,630,217,000 in Defense Environmental Cleanup. This request demoustrates the 

Administration's continued commitment to the vital mission of EM to address the environmental 

legacy of nuclear weapons production and government-sponsored nuclear energy research. 

Overview of the EM Mission 

The federal government's nuclear weapons production programs have made significant 

contributions to our nation's defense for decades- helping end World War II and the Cold War. 

In addition, government-sponsored nuclear energy research also made significant contributions 

to domestic energy growth and prosperity. The legacy of these programs is a massive amount of 

radioactive and chemical waste and contaminated facilities at sites across the country. It is the 

mission of DOE's Office of Environmental Management to clean up or remediate this legacy 

waste. 

This legacy includes 90 million gallons of radioactive liquid waste stored in aging underground 

tanks. That's enough to completely fill the Capitol Rotunda nearly I 0 times. 

This legacy also includes five thousand contaminated facilities, 700,000 tons of depleted 

uranium, mil lions of cubic meters of contaminated soil, billions of gallons of contaminated 

water, used nuclear fuel and other nuclear materials. 

EM must execute its mission as safely, efficiently and cost-effectively as possible. This involves 

constructing new infrastructure like waste storage facilities and waste treatment plants. This 

mission also involves the management and retrieval of liquid tank waste as well as the 

decommissioning and demolition of deteriorating facilities that ultimately reduce maintenance 

and monitoring costs. 

The nature and length of the EM mission, coupled with the sheer technological complexity of 

cleanup means that we will always face challenges- some anticipated and others unexpected. 

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These obstacles certainly watTant our careful attention, but EM also has a proven ability to 

achieve tangible results. 

When the program began in 1989, EM was responsible for a total of I 07 sites covering 3, I 00 

square miles. That's an area larger than Rhode Island and Delaware combined. During early 

years, work focused on characterizing waste. Since then, EM's accomplishments have included 

I) cleanup and closure of major sites in Colorado, Ohio, Missouri and Florida; 2) 

decommissioning of a gaseous diffusion enrichment plant in Tennessee; 3) vitrification of more 

than 4,000 canisters of high-level waste in South Carolina; and ) removal of all the plutonium 

metal and oxides !rom Washington state. 

Today, EM has 16 sites remaining, with an active cleanup footprint of less than 300 square 

miles. These 16 sites are home to some of our toughest and most complex challenges. 

The best value does not mean taking short cuts and it docs not always mean choosing the 

cheapest option. Jt means getting the job done as safely, efficiently and cost-effectively as 

possible. It requires a sustainable, risk-infom1ed approach centered on reducing the greatest 

amount of risk with the resources available, while maximizing opportunities to shorten schedules 

and lower litecycle costs. 

That is why we have focused on a greater sense of urgency to EM's decision-making process. 

This approach means more emphasis on engaging with regulators, stakeholders, and 

communities in making timely decisions which will enhance safety, shorten schedules, increase 

transparency, and reduce costs- achieving the best value for all taxpayers, while at the same 

time, protecting our workers, members of the public in the communities surrounding our sites, 

and the environment. 

EM's first priority is worker safety, as well as protection of the public health and the 

environment. These are essential components of our cleanup objectives. EM will continue to 

discharge its responsibilities by conducting cleanup within a "Sate Performance of Work" 

culture that integrates protection of the environmental, safety, and protection of worker and 

public health into all work activities. 

The December spread of contamination that occurred during demolition activities at the 

Plutonium Finishing Plant at the Hanford site demonstrate the continued need to ensure a safe 

working environment at all of our sites. We will continue to engage with the worklorce at 

Hanford and our other EM sites to solicit their input and ideas to further strengthen our safety 

performance. 

EM Cleanup Objectives and Priorities 

Taking many variables into account, such as risk reduction and compliance agreements, EM has 

the following priorities: 

Radioactive tank waste stabilization, treatment, and disposal; 

Used nuclear fuel receipt, storage, and disposition; 

Special nuclear material consolidation, stabilization, and disposition; 

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Transuranic and mixed/low-level waste treatment and disposal; 

Soil and groundwater remediation; and, 

Excess facilities deactivation and decommissioning. 

In particular, the FY 2019 budget request will allow EM to: 

• Ramp up efforts to address the largest environmental risk at the Savannah River Site---

radioactive tank waste. 

• Implement key infrastructure improvements at the Waste Isolation Pilot Plant (WIPP), 

integral to the cleanup activities at a number of EM sites. 

• Complete design and begin site preparations for the Oak Ridge Mercury Treatment 

Facility, which will help address mercury contamination at the site and aid in the eventual 

deactivation and decommissioning (D&D) of aging facilities at the Y-12 National 

Security Complex. 

Key Recent Accomplishments 

While some cleanup projects will extend decades, stable steady progress is being made right 

now. In 2017, the EM workforce achieved the resumption oftransuranic waste shipments to 

WIPP, enabling continued cleanup progress at several sites across the country. 

At Savannah River, workers successfully completed construction of the latest Saltstone Disposal 

Unit, which is integral to the tank waste cleanup mission, ahead of schedule and under budget. 

We also completed cleanup activities at Hanford's 618-10 burial ground; demolition of one of 

the last remaining buildings at the Separations Process Research Unit in New York state; and the 

safe treatment ofremediated nitrate salt drums at the Los Alamos National Laboratory. At the 

Portsmouth site, we are continuing work to deactivate the former enrichment plant's massive 

process buildings to prepare them for eventual demolition. And at the Paducah site, we have 

optimized a system to control and mitigate the migration of groundwater contamination on the 

east side ofthe site ahead of schedule and under budget. 

Our successes have been recognized by the Project Management Institute (PM!). Our work to 

complete waste retrieval activities at the A Y-1 02 double-shell tank at Hanford was awarded 

PMI's Project of the Year award. In addition, PMI also issued awards for efforts to upgrade a 

ventilation system at one ofllanford's tank farms and for work to close one ofthe underground 

waste tanks at the Savannah River Site. We are proud that the PM! chose to recognize the 

important work underway to address one of our largest environmental challenges radioactive 

tank waste. These awards are a recognition of the dedicated and talented workforce we have at 

the Hanford and Savannah River sites, and across the entire EM program, and illustrate how the 

EM program is working to serve as a good steward of taxpayer resources. We are committed to 

building upon this cleanup momentum. 

Highlights of the FY 2019 Budget Request 

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The FY 2019 budget request for EM is $6,601,366,000, which includes $5,630,217,000 lor 

defense environmental cleanup activities, $218,400,000 for non-defense environmental cleanup 

activities, and $752,749,000 for Uranium Enrichment Decontamination and Decommissioning 

Fund cleanup activities. This request is the highest for the EM program in a decade, and is an 

increase of $93,031,000 from the FY 2018 request, which was also a record request. 

EM's FY 2019 request provides resources to make progress on cleanup activities across the 

complex, including tackling the largest environmental challenge at the Savannah River Siteradioactive tank waste; and executing key infrastructure improvements at WIPP, integral to the 

cleanup activities at a number of EM sites. 

At Savannah River, the request will enable DOE to significantly increase production of canisters 

of vitrified high-level waste at the Defense Waste Processing Facility, as well as support planned 

operation rates for the Salt Waste Processing Facility, and continued construction progress for 

Saltstone Disposal Units. As a result, Savannah River will be able to significantly build on its 

record of successfully emptying and closing underground waste tanks. The WIPP request will 

have wide-ranging benefits across the EM program, with the planned infrastructure 

improvements at WIPP intended to enable increased transuranic (TRU) waste shipments from 

other EM sites. 

We will continue to advance those portions of the Hanford Waste Treatment and Immobilization 

Plant necessary to initiate tank waste treatment through the Direct Feed Low Activity Waste 

(DFLA W) approach; and complete design and launch site preparations for the Oak Ridge 

Mercury Treatment Facility, which will help address mercury contamination at the site and aid in 

the eventual D&D of deteriorating facilities at theY -12 National Security Complex. We also will 

complete targeted buried waste exhumation at the Idaho site and continue with preparations to 

transfer cesium and strontium capsules at Hanford from wet storage to a safer dry storage 

configuration; and implement of an interim measure to address chromium groundwater 

contamination at the Los Alamos National Laboratory. 

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Budget Authority and Planned Accomplishments by Site 

Office of River Protection, Washington (Dollars in Thousands) 

Key Accomplishments Planned for FY 2019 

• Continue construction, startup and commissioning activities for the Low Activity Waste 

(LAW) Facility, Analytical Laboratory, Effluent Management Facility, and Balance of 

Facilities to complete hot commissioning of the LAW Facility by December 31, 2023., per 

the 2016 Amended Consent Decree; 

• Continue design activities for the Low Activity Waste Pretreatment System (LA WPS); 

• Pursue a complementary pretreatment capability using tank-side cesium removal equipment 

to provide initial feed by December 2023 per the 2016 Amended Consent Decree; and 

• Continue retrieval of single-shell tanks in A/ AX Farm. 

Richland Operations Office, Washington (Dollars in Thousands) 

Key Accomplishments Planned for FY 2019 

• Continue cesium and strontium capsules activities to move capsules currently stored at the 

Waste Storage Encapsulation Facility to dry storage; 

• Continue waste site remediation and groundwater treatment; and 

• Continue focus on canyon and waste site risk mitigation. 

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Savannah River Site, South Carolina (Dollars in Thousands) 

Key Accomplishments Planned for FY 2019 

• Package 135 to 175 canisters of vitrified high-level waste at the Defense Waste Processing 

Facility; 

• Support start-up activities for the Salt Waste Processing Facility; 

• Continue construction ofSaltstone Disposal Unit #7, #8, #9; 

• Operate Actinide Removal Process and Modular Caustic Side Solvent Extraction lJnit and 

Tank Closure Cesium Removal system to process 200,000 gallons of salt solution; 

• Complete D Area Ash Project including closure of the 488-1 D Ash Basin and the Coal Pile 

Runoff Basin; 

• Continue to receive foreign research reactor and domestic research reactor used nuclear fuel 

for safe storage and management; and 

• Disposition used nuclear fuel in H-Canyon by processing. 

Idaho National Laboratory, Idaho (Dollars in Thousands) 

Kev Accomplishments Planned for FY 2019 

• Continue commissioning and startup of the Integrated Waste Treatment Unit; 

• Characterize, repackage and certify contact-handled transuranic waste for shipment to 

the Waste Isolation Pilot Plant; 

• Complete exhumation of targeted buried waste at the ninth and final retrieval area; and 

• Transfer Experimental Breeder Reactor-!I and Advanced Test Reactor used (used) 

nuclear fuel from wet to dry storage. 

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Oak Ridge Site, Tennessee (Dollars in Thousands) 

Key Accomplishments Planned for FY 2019 

• Complete design and begins site preparation of the Outfa11200 Mercury Treatment Facility; 

• Continue demolition of remaining facilities at East Tennessee Technology Park; 

• Continue modifications to Building 2026 to support processing ofU-233 material; and 

• Initiate design for a new On-Site Waste Disposal Facility. 

Carlsbad Field Office, New Mexico (Dollars in Thousands) 

Key Accomplishments Planned tor FY 2019 

• Continue waste emplacement activities, increasing transuranic waste shipments to ten per 

week; 

• Address major repair or replacement of critical infrastructure; and 

• Continue work on the Safely Significant Confinement Ventilation System. 

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Los Alamos National Laboratory, New Mexico (Dollars in Thousands) 

Key Accomplishments Planned for FY 2019 

• Continue execution ofNew Mexico Environment Depmiment approved ground water 

remedies for the high explosives (RDx) plume in Canon de Valle; and 

• Continue activities for chromium plume investigation through modeling, hydrology studies, 

installation of extraction and injection wells, and interim measure activities progressing 

towards an approved corrective measure evaluation. 

Nevada National Security Site, Nevada (Dollars in Thousands) 

Key Accomplishments Planned for FY 2019 

• Continue soil and groundwater remediation activities; and 

• Continue safe disposal operations for low-level and mixed low-level radioactive waste. 

Conclusion 

I am honored to be here today representing the more than 20,000 men and women that cany out 

our Office of Environmental Management mission. Ensuring a safe work environment at all of 

our sites is our highest priority. We are committed to achieving our mission in a safe, effective 

and cost-et1icient manner to serve as good stewards of taxpayer resources. 

At the end of the day, EM progress means safer, cleaner sites in the communities that hosted 

defense nuclear activities for decades. This kind of progress is not possible without our 

workforce, Members of Congress, regulators, cleanup community leaders and other partners. 

Thank you again for the opportunity to appear betore you today and I look forward to your 

questions. 

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