As Labs Director James Peery calls upon staff to fill gaps in the nuclear deterrence program, education about Sandia’s role in national security is critical. While many Sandians work outside of the nuclear deterrence program, all the work that happens here has a connection to national security and Sandia’s key role in developing, producing and maintaining the nuclear stockpile.

Lab News worked with the nuclear deterrence program to illustrate the U.S. Weapons Defense Triad, from stockpile sustainment to modernization. For more information about how to contribute expertise to the nuclear deterrence programs, visit the Nuclear Deterrence Modernization Efforts Rally Cry website.

In August, Lab News worked with the nuclear deterrence program illustrated the nuclear weapons life cycle. Learn more on the Lab News website.

The nuclear triad at a glance

Sandia is America’s nuclear weapons engineering laboratory. Labs staff is responsible for designing non-nuclear weapon components and integrating the weapon’s nuclear explosive package with Sandia and DOD hardware. The Labs is also responsible for weaponizing the nuclear explosive package. The primary mission is to ensure that U.S. nuclear weapons in the stockpile are safe, secure and reliable. Sandia’s two primary nuclear weapon activities include stockpile sustainment and modernization.