§6137 Rapid Capabilities Program

Summary

Creates a "rapid capabilities program" run by the Secretary of Energy through the Administrator, working with the Secretary of Defense, to develop new or changed nuclear weapons that meet military needs. The program must test and pick design ideas, run projects that aim to produce a first production unit within 5 years, use non‑traditional approaches and tailored risk rules to balance cost, schedule, and capability, reuse existing parts and low‑volume manufacturing, limit disruption to other stockpile modernization work, and build fast‑execution expertise across the nuclear enterprise. The Administrator must set up an advisory board with four members: 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 31 U.S.C. 1105, amounts for this program must be clearly shown in the budget justification materials as required by section 4209. The "joint nuclear weapons life cycle process" means the development, production, maintenance, and retirement process run by the Secretaries of Defense and Energy.