U.S. Completes Nuclear Warhead for New Long-Range Cruise Missile

The U.S. National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA) said it has completed a major nuclear weapons component 18 months ahead of schedule. The refurbished W80-4 warhead will eventually arm the new Long-Range Standoff (LRSO) cruise missile, replacing the decades‑old Air Launched Cruise Missile.

Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (LLNL), which designed the W80-4, provided the physics and engineering specifications the Y‑12 National Security Complex in Oak Ridge used to produce a “canned subassembly”, or CSA.

The critical CSA component underwent comprehensive vibration, shock and thermal testing to verify it can withstand storage, transport and flight.

The first production unit of the W80-4 Life Extension Program’s CSA was officially accepted at the Y‑12 National Security Complex in Oak Ridge. Officials expect the first fully assembled W80-4 warhead to be finished in 2027.