National Nuclear Security Administration
The National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA) is a semi-autonomous agency within the United States Department of Energy responsible for enhancing national security through the military application of nuclear science. NNSA maintains and enhances the safety, security, reliability, and performance of the U.S. nuclear weapons stockpile without nuclear testing; reduces the global danger from weapons of mass destruction; provides the U.S. Navy with safe and effective nuclear propulsion; and responds to nuclear and radiological emergencies in the United States and abroad.
NNSA is headed by an Administrator who reports directly to the Secretary of Energy, and it has four principal organizational units: Defense Programs, Naval Reactors, Office of International Safeguards, and Office of Emergency Response. NNSA also works closely with other federal agencies such as the Department of Homeland Security on counterterrorism efforts involving radiological materials outside of NNSA’s traditional purview such as “dirty bombs.”
NuclearWeaponsStockpileManagementandSafety(DefensePrograms)worliestoensurethatthenation’snuclearweaponsremainsafeandreliableandthat thenationhasthecapabilitytorespondtoachangingsecurityenvironment.This includes ensuringthestockpiledoesnotageor degradebeyonditsexpectedlifetimeand that itiscompatiblewithchanging deliverysystems(e.g.,newbombersor missiles).Italsoworkstodevelop optionsforimprovedweaponsover timeaswellasstrategiestomanage thenumberofwarheadsthroughout thenation’snuclearforce posturechanges—allwhilemeeting stringentrequirementssetbyCongress relatedtopublicsafetyandsecurity .