This would not be a grave concern if we were not considering nuclear devices. Some of the materials used in our weapons, such as plutonium, enriched uranium and tritium, are radioactive materials that decay. As they decay, they can change the properties of the other thousands of parts in each system. A nuclear weapon which has undergone a change in its chemical properties is a serious danger. For the men and women in uniform who live on submarines with these devices, or who work for days with them in missile silos, this matters.
Testing is required to identify and resolve safety problems in our nuclear stockpile.
One-third of all the weapon designs put into service since 1958 have required and received tests to resolve problems. In three-quarters of these cases, the problems were identified and assessed only as a result of nuclear testing, and only could be fixed through testing. Over the years, we have made advancements in the safety of our systems. Indeed, there are six different safety features that can be included on a system to improve its safety. Of the nine warheads deployed, only one has all six features.