Weapons Design vs. Weapons Maintenance
Weapons Design vs. Weapons Maintenance: Are we looking for the right people?
Joel B. Forrester Pacific Northwest National Laboratory [email protected] PNNL-SA-75090
Designing Nuclear Weapons
What makes weapons Designers different?
Integrators Love of challenge Broader vision Multiple technologies (primary, secondary, fitting the puzzle together)
Warhead Maintenance
How does Design differ from Maintenance? ◦ ”Dismantlement and refurbishment of the legacy nuclear weapons...are often viewed by the technical community as caretaker or curator functions not requiring the highest caliber technical talent.”1 1 OSD Nuclear Deterrence Skills report (Sep 2008), p. 25
Perceived Differences
Lack of Scientific Interest/Rigor
Sexy
Design has air of intrigue
Maintenance portrayed to be dull
Actual Differences
Can Maintenance activities yield more transferable skills in the case of abolition? Are modern modeling skills/techniques required more in non-testing period? “Old days” of design often romanticized ◦ Regardless of romance, young designers are unlikely to ever live under such freedoms enjoyed during height of design & testing
Challenges & Hooks CHALLENGES Lack of interest in weapons-related work and relationship to current social norms How can weapons work be made appealing? HOOKS Stable workplace High salaries Cachet (exclusive community)
The Other Problem
Retaining new design capability
Continued concern
This is a related, but separate issue
Slightly differenet recruitment challenge
Current Example
International Monitoring System (CTBT)
Radionuclide stations
Two basic technologies Design ”fixed” – short cycle Maintenance schedule long (multiples of design cycle)
Keeping them running is DEFINITELY a challenge
Quirks found in the operational term
The Role of the Businessman Scientist?
Alternative to the lab
Not passionate about discovery
Stronger soft skills
Typically seek management track?
Maintenance MAY be great use of this type
Attracting the Right Type
Establish coherence between perceptions and reality of Maintenance
Recruit for the Job
Penchant/Skill for Planning
B-School Acumen
So, What Does this Mean?
Design has historical air of intrigue Maintenance portrayed to be dull, but often something seemingly mundane is the perfect complement when the right person is in the loop.
Joel B. Forrester Pacific Northwest National Laboratory [email protected] PNNL-SA-75090
Designing Nuclear Weapons
What makes weapons Designers different?
Integrators Love of challenge Broader vision Multiple technologies (primary, secondary, fitting the puzzle together)
Warhead Maintenance
How does Design differ from Maintenance? ◦ ”Dismantlement and refurbishment of the legacy nuclear weapons...are often viewed by the technical community as caretaker or curator functions not requiring the highest caliber technical talent.”1 1 OSD Nuclear Deterrence Skills report (Sep 2008), p. 25
Perceived Differences
Lack of Scientific Interest/Rigor
Sexy
Design has air of intrigue
Maintenance portrayed to be dull
Actual Differences
Can Maintenance activities yield more transferable skills in the case of abolition? Are modern modeling skills/techniques required more in non-testing period? “Old days” of design often romanticized ◦ Regardless of romance, young designers are unlikely to ever live under such freedoms enjoyed during height of design & testing
Challenges & Hooks CHALLENGES Lack of interest in weapons-related work and relationship to current social norms How can weapons work be made appealing? HOOKS Stable workplace High salaries Cachet (exclusive community)
The Other Problem
Retaining new design capability
Continued concern
This is a related, but separate issue
Slightly differenet recruitment challenge
Current Example
International Monitoring System (CTBT)
Radionuclide stations
Two basic technologies Design ”fixed” – short cycle Maintenance schedule long (multiples of design cycle)
Keeping them running is DEFINITELY a challenge
Quirks found in the operational term
The Role of the Businessman Scientist?
Alternative to the lab
Not passionate about discovery
Stronger soft skills
Typically seek management track?
Maintenance MAY be great use of this type
Attracting the Right Type
Establish coherence between perceptions and reality of Maintenance
Recruit for the Job
Penchant/Skill for Planning
B-School Acumen
So, What Does this Mean?
Design has historical air of intrigue Maintenance portrayed to be dull, but often something seemingly mundane is the perfect complement when the right person is in the loop.
