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US resumes nuclear warhead production with first plutonium pit in 35 years

The US has produced the first plutonium pit in 35 years for the W87-1 warhead, marking a milestone in restoring nuclear warhead production.

The W87-1 warhead is designed to support the Department of Defense’s Sentinel ICBM, which is set to become a crucial component of the nation’s land-based nuclear deterrent. “This complex effort executed by our mission partners represents an important step on our path to restoring and modernizing NNSA’s capability to produce plutonium pits at the quantities needed to support military requirements set by the Department of Defense,” said Dr. Marvin Adams, Deputy Administrator for Defense Programs. The NNSA is actively working on restoring and modernizing all production manufacturing capabilities to create a more resilient enterprise that can effectively meet the evolving objectives of nuclear deterrence.

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