In late November, the long-awaited executive summary of a JASON study on the Stockpile Stewardship Programs was released. Conducted by a select group of eminent independent scientists, the study concluded that the U.S. nuclear arsenal can be maintained indefinitely through existing stockpile stewardship programs, without nuclear testing or pursuing new warhead designs.
The study stated that, "Lifetimes of today's nuclear warheads could be extended for decades, with no anticipated loss in confidence, by using approaches similar to those employed in LEPs to date."