el. os:‘4edHekeSee“th YN plants are operating. These facilities produce high explosives for the Marks 5, 6 and 7, and perform final assembly of the nonnuclear components of these weapons for delivery to stockpile. Construction of the Rocky Flats plant, Colorado, for the design, fabrication, assembly and inspection of nuclear cores, was 60 percent complete at the end of October, Inspection and assembly of cores continued in a part of the plant, and initial operation will occur progressively in other parts as construction is completed. Over-all construction completion is scheduled for April 1953, and all parts of the plant will be operating by July 1953. sss DOE ARCHIVES Participation by DOD in Weapon Froduction 26. Thus far participation by the Department of Defense in the development and production of atomic weapons hes been confined to work on specific components, such as the. Ordnance Department, have been engazed as con- tractors in @ manner similar to AEC's arrangements with dustry. 5 DOD, In these cases agencies of the Responsibility for funds and program direction hes rested with the Commission. 7 7 7 st wee the tha OCn-etestfon and the Decertment of