to follow the various studies and developments (e.g. on the 8" projectile
and to raise red flags if necessary.
It has actess to but not a great
impact on much of the weapan systems work in the DOD,
One limitation 4s
the smallness of the DMA staff,
Gen; Fields reviewed the promising developments in the Li-6 produttion program.
He alsd said that the capital facility costs for the
thermionuclear program will be $227 million, Operating costs this year
will be $36 million and will rise to more than $100 million per year.
According to some estimates, 35% of the U-235 production and 18% of the
plutonium production will eventually go to the thermonuclear program.
Dr. York next commented on the work at Livermore.
He did not
anticipate that the new directive for small fission weapon development at
Livermore would seriously interfere with the thermonuclear program,
provided finances were adequate, although it would divert some of the
available skilled talent.
He said that the project is looking at two
ett
types of thermonuclear gadgets:
(1) develepments of
€.8.
co MIME © 15" vospon stnIMM
voghing 15,000 Ib in one
tt
wt,
ae, A
ee
version or 11,000 lb in another, and "iclding This would fit
into a Mk6é ballistic case,
(2) ©
* ar
we
a
Its possible characteristics:
(possibly 20-24" and 3000 1b), MMMgyield.
30" diameter, 5000 lb
If these work they will give
two lines of weapon design which can be interpolated or extrapolated.
Mr, Nichols entered during the above presentation.