Foreign Relations of the United States, 1977–1980, Volume IV, National Security Policy

176. Presidential Directive/NSC–56¹

Washington, February 27, 1980

SUBJECT

• FY 1980–1982 Nuclear Weapons Stockpile (U)

The proposed Nuclear Weapons Stockpile Plan for FY 1980–1982 is approved subject to future policy and program/budget decisions. The stockpile levels represent authorized ceilings, not to be exceeded except as provided below or otherwise approved by me. (U)

For the period FY 1980–82, the following are authorized:

— The production and retirement of those quantities of nuclear warheads and nuclear warhead parts necessary to achieve and maintain the approved stockpile, as well as the production of additional parts of nuclear weapons necessary for transfer to the United Kingdom pursuant to the Agreement for Cooperation. (S/FRD)

— DOE, in coordination with DOD, to initiate production of such long lead time nuclear warhead parts as may be necessary to prepare for FY 1983–84 production of warheads required to support approved DOD forces. (This does not apply to production of parts for the W80–0, W81 or W82 warheads.) (S/FRD)

— DOE to produce and transfer to DOD parts of nuclear weapons, not containing special nuclear materials, as may be agreed by DOE and DOE. These parts may be used in nuclear weapons, training programs, research and development, and production. (U)

— DOE, in coordination with DOD, to make such changes in the production and/or retirement of nuclear warheads during FY 1980–82 as may be necessary to reflect changes in DOE materiel availabilities, production/retirement capabilities, or quality assurance requirements; or as necessary to reflect changes as may be required by DOD because of adjustments in military requirements or delivery assets, provided the changes do not exceed plus or minus 10 percent in each year in strategic offensive, strategic defensive, tactical, or fleet warhead totals. (Any such changes which indicate a significant shift in defense requirements or DOE production capabilities will be submitted to me for approval.) (S/FRD)

— DOD to designate as retired and, in coordination with DOE, to retain custody of nuclear warheads for a period of up to 18 months from the designation date, if necessary to reduce DOE requirements for weapons storage during periods of high production workloads at DOE assembly facilities. (C)

The FY 1983–1987 Stockpile Projection which was submitted with the FY 1980–1982 Stockpile Plan has been noted;² it should be updated to reflect policy and programming decisions and used as the point of departure for the development of future Stockpile Plans. (U)

The recommended FY 1981–1983 Stockpile Plan and the FY 1984–1988 Stockpile Projection should be submitted to me for approval not later than September 1, 1980 to ensure its availability in the FY 1982 budget deliberations. (U)

This directive supersedes PD/NSC–44, dated January 5, 1979.³ (C)

Jimmy Carter

1. Source: Carter Library, National Security Council, Institutional Files, Box 2, PD/NSC 33–63 [2]. Secret; Restricted Data.
2. Carter underlined the phrase “has been noted” and wrote in the right margin next to it: “noted only.”
3. PD/NSC–44 is in Carter Library, National Security Council, Institutional Files, Box 1, PD/NSC 33–63 [1].