Energy Department officials informed Congress that the United States is constructing its first new nuclear warhead in 40 years, opting to proceed without nuclear testing.

According to testimony given to the Senate by Energy Secretary Jennifer Granholm and NNSA Administrator Jill Hruby, the W93 warhead is intended for use on submarine-launched ballistic missiles. The construction is funded by a $19.8 billion allocation requested by the National Nuclear Security Agency (NNSA) for weapons in fiscal 2025.

In a prepared testimony presented to the Senate Armed Services Committee, the two officials confirmed that the W93 has been undergoing early feasibility and design phases at Los Alamos National Laboratory since May 2022. They asserted that the project is progressing as planned and is expected to commence production in the mid-2030s.

The Pentagon has identified nuclear forces modernisation as its primary focus, with the Navy's nuclear-missile submarines regarded as the cornerstone of U.S. strategic nuclear forces, which also encompass ICBMs and bombers.

According to information posted on its website, the NNSA indicated that the W93 "will enable the U.S. to remain abreast of future adversary threats." All nuclear components will utilise designs that are presently deployed and have undergone previous testing.

The W93 will incorporate modern technologies, including insensitive high explosives for triggering, as stated by the NNSA. Additionally, it will feature enhanced safety, security, and flexibility to tackle forthcoming threats.

As per the reports, the warhead is anticipated to be lighter than the existing W76 and W88 warheads, enabling greater missile ranges. The nuclear missile submarine forces are slated to be reduced from 14 Ohio-class submarines to 12 Columbia-class missile boats.

According to the testimony of the two officials, the department is also undertaking modernisation efforts for five warhead types, namely the B61-12 life extension programme, the B61-13, the W88, W87, and W80 warheads, with a funding request of $2.84 billion.

The B61 is a nuclear gravity bomb utilised by aircraft, with plans for the newer variant to be constructed by 2025. However, the Biden administration did not include funds for the new submarine-launched cruise missile-nuclear, known as SLCM-N, in the current budget. The officials attributed this omission to the timing of last year's defense authorization enactment.

Ms. Hruby stated in a committee hearing that the SLCM-N is expected to be equipped with the W80 warhead. This warhead will also be deployed on the Air Force's new air-launched, long-range missile.

The development of the nuclear cruise missile was mandated by Congress despite opposition from the administration. The NNSA officials affirmed their commitment to collaborate with the Pentagon and Congress to adhere to the legislation.

Ms. Granholm and Ms. Hruby stated that the Pentagon-Energy Nuclear Weapons Council has expedited the development of the W93 warhead without the need for new underground nuclear testing.

The warhead designation "W93" represents the latest attempt at a new design, following the cancellation of the W89 and W92. Despite the Senate's rejection of the proposed Nuclear Test Ban Treaty in 1999, the U.S. maintains a nuclear testing moratorium. The W93 aims to enhance the operational effectiveness of the U.S. ballistic missile submarine force.

Image source: Daily Mail