StratCom: Warheads ready for a trade-in

[Omaha Steve]

http://www.omaha.com/index.php?u_page=2798&u_sid=2361657

Published Sunday | April 8, 2007
StratCom: Warheads ready for a trade-in
BY TIM ELFRINK
WORLD-HERALD STAFF WRITER

Since the end of the Cold War, the United States has steadily reduced its nuclear arsenal, halted nuclear testing and stopped producing nuclear weapons.

But officials at the U.S. Strategic Command, which controls the nation's nuclear weapons from its Offutt Air Force Base headquarters, say it's time to start developing a new generation of warheads.

The estimated 6,000 nuclear warheads still in U.S. submarines, missile silos and aircraft facilities remain reliable and safely stored. But StratCom officials warn that without restarting nuclear testing, scientists aren't certain how long they can continue to give those assurances.

A new warhead, made with less hazardous materials and easier-to-test components, could ensure a reliable stockpile for years - and even lower the total number of nuclear weapons, officials say.

-- snip by Lithos --

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