The Manager, SFO, presented a resulting "ManagementPlan for Implosion-type
Weapons" to the Commission on September 22, 1952, explaining that the plan would set a
pattern for bringing additional production agencies into the program as developments might
require,
The plan as presented featured two points:
Divesting Sandia Laboratory progressively of production functions, so that
it could concentrate on technical functions, applying to Sandia the same principle
which had proved resultful for LASL.
Concentrating production function responsibility ina single contractor
agency, this principle having been approved as applied to the nuclear production
field, conforming with the Panel's guidance, and having been recommended by
Sandia and by Bendix.
The plan established that implementing action would begin immediately, with transfer of
functions to be progressive, with an overlap of up to two years before a clear cut and complete division would be achieved.
The full details of the plan presented in September 1952, have not been accomplished.
There has been some divestment of non-developmental functions from Sandia Laboratory, and
plans project accomplishment of this phase. Some production responsibilities have been
transferred to the Kansas City plant. An Inter-plant Advisory Committee, of concerned
plant, LASL, and SFOO personnel, has been established as a monitoring activity for high
explosives fabrication and assembly.
The Mid-1953 Pattern of Operation Developed for Implosion Weapons
The operating philosophy thus proposed had been established for nuclear manufacture
and for inert component development. It was uncertain whether it would be adopted for nonnuclear production, The pattern in effect in mid-1953 was as follows:
Los Alamos, as the research, development, and design agency for the
basic explosion system of all weapons;
Sandia, as the research, development, and design agency for the inert
system for all weapons to the extent that responsibility rests with SFO, and for
related functions;
Rocky Flats, as the production agency for nuclear components;
Kansas City, becoming more and more a production agency for mechanical
and electronic components; and,
Inyokern, Burlington, Pantex, and Spoon River sharing production of high
explosives.
ALOD
Picatinny Arsenal, producing detonators.
f
The Nuclear Component System
The accompanying chart presents a clear picture of the system.
LASL, operated by University of California, was the nuclear development agency with
full responsibility under AEC program approval and program controls. It had the technical
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