ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. — Sandia National Laboratories and the Kansas City National Security Campus completed a crucial weapons component development milestone, prior to full rate production. The Mark 21 Replacement Fuze interfaces with the W87-0 warhead for deployment onto the Minuteman III and, eventually, the Sentinel Intercontinental Ballistic Missile. The first production unit of the replacement fuze […]
Tag Archives: nuclear deterrence
Sandia weapons systems engineering director honored by NNSA, Air Force and Navy
June 9, 2022 – 9:00 am
ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. — Jim Handrock, Sandia National Laboratories’ director of New Mexico weapons systems engineering, received a series of awards and commendations from the National Nuclear Security Administration, the Air Force and Navy recognizing his leadership, expertise and service to the nation during a celebration at Sandia on May 4. The celebration, held on Kirtland […]
Major milestone for B61-12 life extension program
February 2, 2022 – 5:00 am
ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. — Sandia National Laboratories marked a major milestone when the Nuclear Security Enterprise successfully produced the first completely refurbished bomb for the B61-12 life extension program in November 2021. “This is the first complete unit built with nuclear and non-nuclear components that has been fully qualified from the ground up,” said David Wiegandt, […]
With redesigned ‘brains,’ W88 nuclear warhead reaches milestone
August 16, 2021 – 5:00 am
ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. — Sandia National Laboratories and its nuclear security enterprise partners recently completed the first production unit of a weapon assembly responsible for key operations of the W88 nuclear warhead. “The arming, fuzing and firing assembly is the brains of the warhead,” said Dolores Sanchez, senior manager of the W88 Alteration 370 for Sandia. […]
Sandia names new leader of nuclear deterrence programs
January 4, 2021 – 8:52 am
ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. — Sandia National Laboratories has named a new deputy labs director to lead its nuclear deterrence programs as part of a reorganization that supports the labs’ continued excellence in assuring the safety, security and reliability of the nation’s nuclear arsenal. Laura McGill, who joins Sandia after more than 30 years in the defense […]
Sandia hosts Education With Industry officer
December 8, 2020 – 5:00 am
ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. — With the resiliency and determination that earned her the U.S. Air Force call sign “Fenix,” Capt. Justine Wolff is using her position as an Education With Industry student at Sandia National Laboratories to better herself and the Air Force. “How great of an opportunity this is to understand our lab partners,” she […]
Flight tests to show B61-12 will work on Air Force’s newest fighter jet
November 23, 2020 – 5:00 am
ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. — A mock B61-12’s strike in the dusty Nevada desert successfully completed the first in a series of flight tests with the U.S. Air Force’s newest fighter jet, demonstrating the bomb’s first release from an internal bomb bay at greater than the speed of sound. The flight test of the B61-12 with the […]
Virtual support from Sandia enabled B61-12 flight test on F-35A jet fighter
November 9, 2020 – 5:00 am
ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. — Overcoming COVID-19 pandemic challenges through virtual means, teams from Sandia National Laboratories and the U.S. Air Force under the guidance of the National Nuclear Security Administration performed a critical B61-12 flight test aboard the F-35A Lightning II jet fighter. The flight test at Edwards Air Force Base in the California desert took […]
Flight tests show B61-12 compatible with F-15E Strike Eagle
June 8, 2020 – 5:00 am
ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. — Dropped from above 25,000 feet, the mock B61-12 nuclear gravity bomb was in the air for approximately 55 seconds before hitting and embedding in the lakebed, splashing a 40- to 50-foot puff of desert dust from the designated impact area at Sandia National Laboratories’ Tonopah Test Range in Nevada. That strike was […]
Award-winning engineer helps keep US nuclear deterrent safe from radiation
December 23, 2019 – 11:00 am
ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. — When nuclear radiation hits electronics, it cuts through semiconductors, leaving scars of charged particles that can flip computing bits and corrupt memory circuits, potentially disabling devices or causing erratic errors. Experts like engineer Alan Mar ensure components made for the U.S. nuclear stockpile pass stringent standards to resist radiation and remain safe […]