U.S. to Test Nuclear Weapon Systems Without Detonations, Confirms Energy Secretary

The United States is preparing to conduct tests on its nuclear weapons systems to verify their reliability, but these will not involve actual nuclear explosions, according to U.S. Energy Secretary Chris Wright. The statement provides clarity on President Donald Trump's announcement that he had authorized the military to resume nuclear weapons testing.In an interview, Secretary Wright emphasized that the planned activities are "system tests" and should be understood as "noncritical explosions." He explained, "These are not nuclear explosions. These are what we call noncritical explosions... you're testing all the other parts of a nuclear weapon." The procedure is designed to confirm that the non-nuclear components of a weapon work as intended to trigger a nuclear detonation, but it stops short of creating a self-sustaining nuclear chain reaction.These types of experiments, known as "subcritical tests," are a key component of the Stockpile Stewardship Program. The United States has used this program to maintain the safety and effectiveness of its nuclear arsenal through scientific analysis and advanced computer simulations since it stopped full-scale nuclear explosive testing in 1992.Secretary Wright reassured the public, especially those living near the Nevada test site, that they should not be concerned about seeing a mushroom cloud. "Thanks to science and our computation power, we can simulate incredibly accurately exactly what will happen in a nuclear explosion," he stated.The decision comes amid heightened international tensions and what President Trump referred to as testing activities by other nations, specifically Russia and China. Russia recently reported successful tests of new nuclear-capable weapon systems. In response to potential U.S. explosive testing, the Kremlin has indicated that it would mirror such actions, a move that could escalate global arms race fears.The United States is a signatory to the 1996 Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty (CTBT) but has not ratified it. Administration officials assert that the planned subcritical tests are in compliance with the "zero-yield" standard of the treaty and are a necessary measure for ensuring national security.