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{{Short description|United States federal government agency}}
{{Short description|United States federal government agency}}
{{Distinguish|National Nuclear Safety Administration}}
{{Organization  
{{Organization  
|OrganizationName= National Nuclear Security Administration
|OrganizationName= National Nuclear Security Administration
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The '''National Nuclear Security Administration''' ('''NNSA''') is a United States federal agency responsible for safeguarding national security through the military application of [[Nuclear physics|nuclear science]]. NNSA maintains and enhances the [[Stockpile stewardship|safety, security, and effectiveness]] of the U.S. [[nuclear weapon]]s stockpile; works to [[Nuclear proliferation|reduce the global danger]] from [[Weapon of mass destruction|weapons of mass destruction]]; provides the [[United States Navy]] with safe and effective [[Nuclear marine propulsion|nuclear propulsion]]; and responds to nuclear and radiological emergencies in the United States and abroad.<ref>{{Cite web |title=National Nuclear Security Administration |url=https://www.energy.gov/nnsa/national-nuclear-security-administration |access-date=2024-08-22 |website=Energy.gov |language=en}}</ref>
The '''National Nuclear Security Administration''' ('''NNSA''') is a United States federal agency responsible for safeguarding national security through the military application of [[Nuclear physics|nuclear science]]. NNSA maintains and enhances the [[Stockpile stewardship|safety, security, and effectiveness]] of the U.S. [[nuclear weapon]]s stockpile; works to [[Nuclear proliferation|reduce the global danger]] from [[Weapon of mass destruction|weapons of mass destruction]]; provides the [[United States Navy]] with safe and effective [[Nuclear marine propulsion|nuclear propulsion]]; and responds to nuclear and radiological emergencies in the United States and abroad.<ref>{{Cite web |title=National Nuclear Security Administration |url=https://www.energy.gov/nnsa/national-nuclear-security-administration |access-date=2024-08-22 |website=Energy.gov |language=en}}</ref>


Established by the [[United States Congress]] in 2000, NNSA is a semiautonomous agency within the [[United States Department of Energy]]. The current Administrator is [[Jill Hruby]].<ref name="NNSA Hruby Bio">{{cite web |url=https://www.energy.gov/nnsa/person/jill-hruby |title=Jill Hruby }}</ref>
Established by the [[United States Congress]] in 2000, NNSA is a semiautonomous agency within the [[United States Department of Energy]].  


== History ==
== History ==
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One of NNSA's primary missions is to maintain the safety, security and effectiveness of the United States' nuclear weapons stockpile.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.energy.gov/nnsa/missions/maintaining-stockpile|title=Maintaining the Stockpile|access-date=14 June 2018|archive-date=June 15, 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180615011556/https://www.energy.gov/nnsa/missions/maintaining-stockpile|url-status=dead}}</ref> After the [[Cold War]], the U.S. voluntarily ended [[underground nuclear testing]]. NNSA maintains the existing [[Nuclear strategy|nuclear deterrent]] through the use of science experiments, engineering audits and high-tech simulations at its three [[United States Department of Energy national laboratories|national laboratories]]: [[Los Alamos National Laboratory]], [[Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory]], and [[Sandia National Laboratories]]. It also creates new weapons programs as required by the [[United States Department of Defense]].<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.energy.gov/nnsa/w93mk7-acquisition-fact-sheet|title=W93/Mk7 Acquisition fact sheet|access-date=30 March 2024}}</ref>
One of NNSA's primary missions is to maintain the safety, security and effectiveness of the United States' nuclear weapons stockpile.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.energy.gov/nnsa/missions/maintaining-stockpile|title=Maintaining the Stockpile|access-date=14 June 2018|archive-date=June 15, 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180615011556/https://www.energy.gov/nnsa/missions/maintaining-stockpile|url-status=dead}}</ref> After the [[Cold War]], the U.S. voluntarily ended [[underground nuclear testing]]. NNSA maintains the existing [[Nuclear strategy|nuclear deterrent]] through the use of science experiments, engineering audits and high-tech simulations at its three [[United States Department of Energy national laboratories|national laboratories]]: [[Los Alamos National Laboratory]], [[Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory]], and [[Sandia National Laboratories]]. It also creates new weapons programs as required by the [[United States Department of Defense]].<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.energy.gov/nnsa/w93mk7-acquisition-fact-sheet|title=W93/Mk7 Acquisition fact sheet|access-date=30 March 2024}}</ref>


NNSA assets used to maintain and ensure the effectiveness of the American nuclear weapons stockpile include the [[Dual-Axis Radiographic Hydrodynamic Test Facility]] (DARHT) at Los Alamos National Laboratory, the Contained Firing Facility at Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory and the [[Z Pulsed Power Facility|Z Machine]] at Sandia National Laboratories.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Laboratory |first=Los Alamos National |title=DARHT {{!}} Science Facilities |url=https://science-innovation.lanl.gov/science-facilities/darht/ |access-date=2024-08-22 |website=Los Alamos National Laboratory |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=Facilities and Centers {{!}} Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory |url=https://www.llnl.gov/science-technology/facilities-centers |access-date=2024-08-22 |website=www.llnl.gov |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=Z Pulsed Power Facility |url=https://www.sandia.gov/z-machine/ |access-date=2024-08-22 |website=Z Pulsed Power Facility |language=en-US}}</ref> NNSA also uses powerful [[supercomputers]] to run simulations and validate experimental data; these computers often appear on the [[Top500]] list.
NNSA assets used to maintain and ensure the effectiveness of the American nuclear weapons stockpile include  
 
* [[Dual-Axis Radiographic Hydrodynamic Test Facility]] (DARHT) at [[Los Alamos National Laboratory]]
* [[Contained Firing Facility]] at [[Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory]]
* [[Z Pulsed Power Facility|Z Machine]] at [[Sandia National Laboratories]]<ref>{{Cite web |last=Laboratory |first=Los Alamos National |title=DARHT {{!}} Science Facilities |url=https://science-innovation.lanl.gov/science-facilities/darht/ |access-date=2024-08-22 |website=Los Alamos National Laboratory |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=Facilities and Centers {{!}} Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory |url=https://www.llnl.gov/science-technology/facilities-centers |access-date=2024-08-22 |website=www.llnl.gov |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=Z Pulsed Power Facility |url=https://www.sandia.gov/z-machine/ |access-date=2024-08-22 |website=Z Pulsed Power Facility |language=en-US}}</ref>  
 
NNSA also uses powerful [[supercomputers]] to run simulations and validate experimental data; these computers often appear on the [[Top500]] list.
==== National Ignition Facility ====
==== National Ignition Facility ====
Another important asset used to test the stockpile is the [[National Ignition Facility]] (NIF) at [[Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory|LLNL]], a laser-based inertial confinement fusion research device.<ref>{{Cite web |title=National Ignition Facility & Photon Science |url=https://lasers.llnl.gov/ |access-date=2024-08-22 |website=lasers.llnl.gov}}</ref> NIF achieved the first scientific breakeven controlled fusion experiment on December 5, 2022, with an energy gain factor of 1.5.<ref>{{Cite web|title=DOE National Laboratory Makes History by Achieving Fusion Ignition|url=https://www.energy.gov/articles/doe-national-laboratory-makes-history-achieving-fusion-ignition|date=December 13, 2022|access-date=3 February 2023}}</ref> Since then four additional ignition shots followed the December experiment: July 30, 2023; October 8, 2023; October 30, 2023; and February 12, 2024. The most recent experiment produced an estimated 5.2 MJ—more than doubling the input energy of 2.2 MJ.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Fusion Ignition and the Path to Inertial Fusion Energy {{!}} National Ignition Facility & Photon Science |url=https://lasers.llnl.gov/news/fusion-ignition-and-the-path-to-inertial-fusion-energy |access-date=2024-08-22 |website=lasers.llnl.gov |language=en}}</ref>
Another important asset used to test the stockpile is the [[National Ignition Facility]] (NIF) at [[Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory|LLNL]], a laser-based inertial confinement fusion research device.<ref>{{Cite web |title=National Ignition Facility & Photon Science |url=https://lasers.llnl.gov/ |access-date=2024-08-22 |website=lasers.llnl.gov}}</ref> NIF achieved the first scientific breakeven controlled fusion experiment on December 5, 2022, with an energy gain factor of 1.5.<ref>{{Cite web|title=DOE National Laboratory Makes History by Achieving Fusion Ignition|url=https://www.energy.gov/articles/doe-national-laboratory-makes-history-achieving-fusion-ignition|date=December 13, 2022|access-date=3 February 2023}}</ref> Since then four additional ignition shots followed the December experiment: July 30, 2023; October 8, 2023; October 30, 2023; and February 12, 2024. The most recent experiment produced an estimated 5.2 MJ—more than doubling the input energy of 2.2 MJ.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Fusion Ignition and the Path to Inertial Fusion Energy {{!}} National Ignition Facility & Photon Science |url=https://lasers.llnl.gov/news/fusion-ignition-and-the-path-to-inertial-fusion-energy |access-date=2024-08-22 |website=lasers.llnl.gov |language=en}}</ref>
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=== Nonproliferation ===
=== Nonproliferation ===
NNSA's Office of Defense Nuclear Nonproliferation works with international partners, federal agencies, U.S. national laboratories, and the private sector to discover, protect, and or dispose of radiological and nuclear materials.<ref name=":2">{{Cite web|url=https://www.energy.gov/nnsa/missions/nonproliferation|title=Nonproliferation|access-date=14 June 2018}}</ref>
NNSA's [[Office of Defense Nuclear Nonproliferation]] works with international partners, federal agencies, U.S. national laboratories, and the private sector to discover, protect, and or dispose of radiological and nuclear materials.<ref name=":2">{{Cite web|url=https://www.energy.gov/nnsa/missions/nonproliferation|title=Nonproliferation|access-date=14 June 2018}}</ref>


The office strives to:<ref name=":2" />
The office strives to:<ref name=":2" />
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==== Counterterrorism and counterproliferation ====
==== Counterterrorism and counterproliferation ====
NNSA's Office of Counterterrorism and Counterproliferation focuses on:<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.energy.gov/nnsa/missions/counterterrorism |title=Counterterrorism|access-date=14 June 2018}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.energy.gov/nnsa/nuclear-emergency-support-team-nest|title=Nuclear Emergency Support Team (NEST)|access-date=13 Jan 2022}}</ref>
NNSA's [[Office of Counterterrorism and Counterproliferation]] focuses on:<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.energy.gov/nnsa/missions/counterterrorism |title=Counterterrorism|access-date=14 June 2018}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.energy.gov/nnsa/nuclear-emergency-support-team-nest|title=Nuclear Emergency Support Team (NEST)|access-date=13 Jan 2022}}</ref>
* Radiological search – searching for radiological materials as well as identifying them.
* Radiological search – searching for radiological materials as well as identifying them.
* Rendering safe – comprehensive evaluation of radioactive materials and or nuclear device if such a device is found, to ensure safety.
* Rendering safe – comprehensive evaluation of radioactive materials and or nuclear device if such a device is found, to ensure safety.
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=== Naval Reactors ===
=== Naval Reactors ===
NNSA's [[nuclear marine propulsion|Nuclear Propulsion]] Program – working with Naval Nuclear Laboratories – is responsible for providing efficient nuclear propulsion plants to the United States Navy. It is also known as [[Naval Reactors]]. It conducts the design, development and operational support required to power all the U.S. Navy's [[aircraft carriers]] and [[nuclear submarines]]. The program consists of both civilian and military personnel who maintain, design, build, and manage the reactors.  
NNSA's [[Nuclear Propulsion Program]] – working with Naval Nuclear Laboratories – is responsible for providing efficient nuclear propulsion plants to the United States Navy. It is also known as [[Naval Reactors]]. It conducts the design, development and operational support required to power all the U.S. Navy's [[aircraft carriers]] and [[nuclear submarines]]. The program consists of both civilian and military personnel who maintain, design, build, and manage the reactors.  


The following are the elements of the program:<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.energy.gov/nnsa/missions/powering-navy|title=Powering the Navy|access-date=14 June 2018}}</ref>
The following are the elements of the program:<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.energy.gov/nnsa/missions/powering-navy|title=Powering the Navy|access-date=14 June 2018}}</ref>
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