§6137 Rapid capabilities program

Summary

The Secretary of Energy, through the Administrator and working with the Secretary of Defense, must run a "rapid capabilities program" to make new or modified nuclear weapons that meet military needs. The program must find and test fast design ideas, aim to get a first production unit within 5 years of starting a project, use non‑traditional methods and accepted risks to balance cost and schedule, reuse existing parts and make small runs, avoid upsetting other stockpile modernization work, and build quick‑response skill inside the nuclear security enterprise. The Administrator must set up an advisory board to advise on military and deterrence policy. The board must include these officials: the Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense for Nuclear Deterrence, Chemical and Biological Defense Policy and Programs; the Director for Strategy, Plans, and Policy of the Joint Staff; the Director of Navy Strategic Systems Programs; and the Deputy Commander of Air Force Global Strike Command. For each Presidential budget submitted under section 1105 of title 31, U.S. Code, the amounts for this program must be clearly shown in the budget justification materials as required by section 4209. Joint nuclear weapons life cycle process — the process the Secretaries of Defense and Energy use for development, production, maintenance, and retirement of nuclear weapons.