NATO Bunkers

A test complex located in Albuquerque, on Kirtland Air Force Base, has been set up at a research site that houses munitions magazines, similar to those at military sites.  The complex supports testing of operational scenarios to include monitored storage and transportation of nuclear weapons between storage locations.  The complex includes Item Monitors/T-1 s, Facility Monitors, data collection, and data display capabilities.  The complex has the following elements:

• Short-term storage with an open storage configuration of items.
• Long-term storage in a dense-pack storage arrangement.
• Entry into storage areas is monitored by a pair of identical Facility Monitoring Systems, mounted above, and on either side of the entry doorway.  The Facility Monitoring System contains:
1. One balanced magnetic switch that is activated when the door is opened or closed,
2. one Interrogator Transceiver for interface to the T-1 Item Monitors,
3. two passive infrared sensors that cover the entrance and are activated by body heat in the field of view, and
4. two video camera image systems that provide frame captured images for use in the assessment of sensor events.
• Monitored container storage with T-1s mounted securely to the exterior of the containers.  These sensors detect motion, monitor temperature, monitor battery voltage, indicate tampering, and state of health.
• An area for data collection and review for short term storage.  The joint custody DSC, the data diode connectivity, and the host computer are located here.  Note:  There are independent data collection components for each storage area.
• An area used to simulate the Treaty Compliance Office (TCO), dual access control storage vault, and the host data handling, storage, and review location.

Testing Capabilities

DoD and DOE operational scenarios for full cycle material storage, including facility monitoring sensors, item monitors sensors, software, supporting procedures and process evaluations, component level testing and end-to-end system testing; international monitoring systems and component testing and evaluations; Red Team evaluations for storage and transportation of material.

Accomplishments

• Warhead Monitoring Technology development and testing, Sept 1999 – May 2001
• WMTP Scenario and procedure evaluations, Jan 2000 – Feb 2001
• Numerous system demonstrations to DoD and DOE leadership, 2000 – 2009
• Numerous system demonstrations to Russian, U.K. and other U.S. government representatives, 2001- 2009
• Test and evaluation of Russian warhead monitoring system, Jan 2005

Past Users

For the past 10 years, Sandia has utilized these test facilities to perform work for DTRA and NNSA.  NA-241 plans to hold a technology demonstration this fall that will bring other lab’s technology to those facilities for demonstrations.

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