mee IES

CE CREE

mL

BOTDaaINI

y¥
a

4

23.

Tritium Production.

Based on an over-all appraisal of

the needs of the thermonucleer program,
fission weapon development,
for weapons,

the possibilities in

and fPissionable material requirements

the Commission dccided, with the concurrence of the

Department of Defense, (a). to discontinue the enriched U-235
loading of the H pile at Hanford for tritium production, (b) to
continue to use the excess reactivity of pile H,

or its

equivalent, for tritium production, end (c) to use the excess
reactivity in four of the Hanford piles,
the production of uranium 233,

or the equivalent,

for

discussed latcr,

Fission Weapon Development

24. Condensed development sehedules for the several
fission models arc shown in the adjoining chart.
and progress of work on fission weapons,

The status

by weapon model is as

follows:
Mark 5.

oe

25.

(Imploston-type bomb;

outside diameter 45 inches;

approximate weight 3,100 pounds)

Production of components has been in progress for

several months,

Weapon operability will be dependent on

deliveries of the associated test and handling equipment
required for this model,

Tn general,

design of test and

handling equipment for a given weapon cannot be frozen until
destgn of the weapon has been finally established;

hence,’

preduction of the associated equipment, much of which is special
electronic apparatus,

tends to become the controlling factor in

achieving stockpile operability.
will begin in Februery 195°,
is May 5,

Initial stockpiling of bombs

and the operational stockpile date

195°,

7 TTS

SECINE TI

AlALTE LE

So

Select target paragraph3