Warhead Installations
In mid-1953, significant progress was being made in development and, in some cases,
production programs for the application of five warheads to the designated missiles with
Sandia carrying the major SFO responsibility. Production and stockpiling were in progress
on one warhead, and three others were approaching that stage.

Meeting Problems Created by Increased Production
SFO production for stockpile increased between July 1950 and July 1953, not only as
to numbers, but also from delivery of a single weapon type to delivery of a complete line
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of weapon types.

This expansion created various major problems other than development

of the field organization as discussed previously.

The expansion of production facilities created many new problems of which gauging

standards and inspection procedures were among the more important.

Standard procedures

have been established and are giving the intended results. The quality assurance and quality
surveillance programs supervised by Sandia Laboratory, have been extended into all non-

nuclear fields.

Good progress in being made in assuring parts interchangeability.

a.

The variety and quantity of base spares necessary to support the ever-increasing
family of weapon types also created problems not previously encountered. The earlier
spares philosophy, which was adequate when there were few weapons, has undergone’ much
study by SFO, its contractors, and the Military, and a new concept of "maintenance spares"
is evolving. This concept is designed to meet requirements which might be occasioned by
overseas deployment of weapons. The new category of maintenance spares includessufficient parts to maintain a group of weapons and/or stockpile assemblies for a period of one
year, and, in addition, to support strike assembly for a group of weapons. Procurement
and delivery of maintenance spares are scheduled concurrently with production and the

delivery of the parent bomb, fuze or radar assembly.

This procedure will assure an ade-

quate supply of spare parts at storage sites to maintain the stockpile and to guarantee that
when weapons are issued to the Military they will be accompanied by a year's supply of

spare parts.

ALS9

The value of complete weapons in stockpile is dependent upon the capability of the

military services to use them. To keep pace with the new types of weapons in stockpile,
it was necessary for the Military to accelerate greatly their training programs; it was

pris!

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