About | HeinOnline Law Journal Library | HeinOnline Law Journal Library | HeinOnline
LOG IN
LOG IN

GAO-12-577R 1 (2012-05-04)

handle is hein.gao/gaobacgan0001 and id is 1 raw text is: Accountability * integrity * Reliability United States Government Accountability Office Washington, DC 20548 May 4, 2012 Congressional Committees Subject: Nuclear Weapons: Evaluation of Report on Feasibility of Increasing Air Transportation of Nuclear Weapons, Components, and Materials Transporting nuclear weapons, components, and materials represents a safety and security risk. House Report 110-652, which accompanied the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2009 (Pub. L. No. 110-417), directed the National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA)1 and the Air Force to conduct a feasibility study on increasing the use of aircraft to transport nuclear weapons, components, and materials and to report back to Congress by December 31, 2008.2 In turn, House Report 112-78, which accompanied the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2012 (Pub. L. No. 112-81), directed us to conduct an independent evaluation of the air transportation study (ATS) jointly issued by the Administrator of NNSA and the Secretary of the Air Force in September 2009.3 The conclusions of the 2009 ATS report supported maintaining the current balance of air and ground transportation of nuclear weapons.4 We provided a classified briefing of our preliminary observations to staff of the Subcommittee on Strategic Forces, Committee on Armed Services, House of Representatives, on February 2, 2012. On March 13, 2012, we provided classified briefing slides to the House Armed Services Committee. This report provides information on whether (1) acceptable methodologies were used in the ATS report to develop nuclear weapons transportation options that considered safety, security, and operational requirements, (2) acceptable methodologies were used in the report to develop cost estimates for nuclear weapons transportation options identified in the report, and (3) recent changes to 1NNSA, a semi-autonomous agency within the Department of Energy, is responsible for the management and security of the nation's nuclear weapons programs. 2 NNSA and the Air Force were directed to conduct the study in coordination with the joint Department of Defense/Department of Energy Nuclear Weapons Council. 3Specifically, GAO was directed to submit a report of our independent evaluation to the congressional defense committees. 4NNSA and the Air Force, Report to Congress on the Feasibility of Increasing Air Transportation of Nuclear Weapons, Components, and Materials, Sept. 3, 2009. GAO-1 2-577R Nuclear Weapons

What Is HeinOnline?

HeinOnline is a subscription-based resource containing thousands of academic and legal journals from inception; complete coverage of government documents such as U.S. Statutes at Large, U.S. Code, Federal Register, Code of Federal Regulations, U.S. Reports, and much more. Documents are image-based, fully searchable PDFs with the authority of print combined with the accessibility of a user-friendly and powerful database. For more information, request a quote or trial for your organization below.



Contact us for annual subscription options:

Contact Us

Already a HeinOnline Subscriber?

Log In

profiles profiles most