Critical Elements and Needs for Nuclear Weapons Maintenance: a Delphi Study

Publisher Marketing: From the end of the Cold War in the early 1990s thru 2007, the focus and attention given to the Air Force's nuclear mission noticeably declined. The organizational changes, downsizing, and increased focus on conventional missions made the concerns of the nuclear forces less pressing as senior leaders became less involved in the Nuclear Enterprise. The nuclear readiness of organizations, personnel, policies, procedures and processes all gradually declined culminating in two high profile incidents which revealed the drastic state of degradation. These incidents led to numerous high level investigations and studies, and resulted in major changes for the Air Force. While the investigations and studies following the incidents focused broadly on the entire Air Force Nuclear Enterprise, this study focused on the critical elements and needs of nuclear Munitions Squadrons. Nuclear weapons maintenance management experts from stateside nuclear Munitions Squadrons were surveyed in a three round Delphi Study. The expert panel of 54 maintainers identified a list of critical elements and needs for their units to accomplish the nuclear mission. This study highlights, that while much has been done to repair the Air Force Nuclear Enterprise, commitment and dedication to the needs of nuclear Munitions Squadrons are still required to ensure the Air Force nuclear arsenal remains safe, secure, and reliable.