As of 1 September 2013, the United States deployed 1688 warheads on 809 strategic delivery vehicles and 1015 deployed and non-deployed launchers. By adding the numbers of warheads not covered by New START, the United States possesses around 7400 warheads, around 2700 of which
are “retired,” awaiting dismantlement or possible reactivation. The US is estimated to have 450 Minuteman III ICBMs carrying 470 warheads with the capacity for additional warheads to be uploaded, 14 Trident missile submarines each with 24 launch tubes for the Trident D5 submarine launched ballistic missile with 1152 warheads deployed, and 113 nuclear capable strategic bombers, 20 B2s and 93 B52Hs. Of these, 60 bombers (44 B-52Hs and 16 B-2s) have been assigned nuclear roles.[1]
Missiles
Trident II (D5)
Aerojet Rocketdyne – solid and liquid propulsion systems
BAE Systems – common missile compartment, management and integration of Strategic Systems Programs’ supply Automated Data Processing (ADP) systems; material support operations; and supply system analysis
Boeing: component production and technical support services of the navigation system, test equipment and software modernization, and repair of the system; ) maintenance, repair, and rebuilding and technical services in support of the navigation subsystem
General Dynamics –guidance system lifecycle, engineering, development, and production activities
Honeywell International –producing integrated circuit components, Guidance System micro circuit wafers and Strategic Systems Programs alterations materials
Lockheed Martin – rocket propulsion systems, overall construction
Moog- launch vehicle and strategic missile controls
Northrop Grumman– Underwater Launcher System and Advanced Launcher Development Program
Orbital ATK– rocket propulsion systems
Minuteman III
Aerojet Rocketdyne– solid and liquid propulsion systems
BAE Systems – project leader, weapon system effectiveness and force development evaluation, which involves analyzing the Air Force’s Minuteman III test launches
Boeing – flight controls, secure codes, ground subsystems, weapons systems testing, guidance repair
Engility (formerly TASC): system engineering functions for upgrades and enhancements;
Finmeccanica: Transporter Erector Replacement Vehicles
Lockheed Martin– weapons, control and re-entry systems
Moog- launch vehicle and strategic missile controls
Northrop Grumman– production and maintenance, Operational Software Sustainment Program Orbital ATK– refurbishing all three solid propellant stages
Raytheon– – Minimum Essential Emergency Communication Network
Textron – converting MK 12A re-entry vehicles to the Mod 5F configuration
New : Long Range Standoff (LRSO)- only in R&D phase now. Will likely incorporate B61-12, W84 or W80-1
After modification during a life-extension programme, the warhead will be dubbed W80-4.[i]
Boeing
Lockheed Martin
Northrop Grumman
Raytheon
Nuclear Weapons Complex
LANL, LLNL
AECOM
Babcock & Wilcox-
Bechtel
University of California, (not included in DBotB)
Livermore only: Battelle and Texas A&M University
NNSS (formerly NTS)
National Security Technologies (NSTec) is a joint venture including:
Aecom
Babcock & Wilcox
CH2M Hill
Northrop Grumman– former managing partner, until 2011
y-12 facility
– NW production and refurbishment
Takeover by Consolidated Nuclear Security (CNS) as of July 2014.[ii] CNS is a Bechtel-led joint venture including Lockheed Martin, Orbital ATK, SOC, and Booz Allen Hamilton
Pantex Plant- modernisation of trident missiles
Takeover by Consolidated Nuclear Security (CNS) as of July 2014.[iii] CNS is a Bechtel-led joint venture including Lockheed Martin, Orbital ATK, SOC, and Booz Allen Hamilton
Savannah River site-
only source of tritium for US nuclear weapons
Fluor
Honeywell
Huntington Ingalls
National Security Campus
(formerly Kansas City Plant)– produces 85% of non- nuclear components for nuclear weapons, including detonator assemblies
Honeywell International – manager and operator
other
B-2 Spirit stealth bomber
(can carry nuclear or conventional ordnance)
Northrop Grumman
Air force command and control
Raytheon– command and control of nuclear armed bombers (Air force)
Rockwell Collins– ground element minimum essential emergency communications network
[1] Assuring Destruction Forever, 2014. http://www.reachingcriticalwill.org/images/documents/Publications/modernization/usa-2014.pdf, viewed 28 May 2014.
[i] Federation of American Scientists, “W80-1 Warhead Selected For New Nuclear Cruise Missile”, Website Federation of American Scientists, 10 October 2014 (fas.org/blogs/security/2014/10/w80-1_lrso/).
[ii] Consolidated Nuclear Resources, “The CNS team”, Website Consolidated Nuclear Resources (cns-llc.us/the-cns-team/), viewed May 2015.
[iii] Consolidated Nuclear Resources, “The CNS team”, Website Consolidated Nuclear Resources (cns-llc.us/the-cns-team/), viewed May 2015.