NNSA nominee pressed on staffing, morale and speed of nuclear modernization programs
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Summary
Vice Admiral Scott Papano, nominated to be principal deputy administrator of the National Nuclear Security Administration, faced questions about staffing, recent dismissals and the ability to recapitalize Cold War‑era facilities while expanding warhead production and supporting nonproliferation work.
Vice Admiral Scott Papano, nominated to be principal deputy administrator of the National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA), told the Senate Armed Services Committee that if confirmed he would make workforce readiness and infrastructure recapitalization top priorities as the agency pursues modernization of the nuclear stockpile.
Papano, a retired Navy vice admiral with a long submarine and acquisition background, told senators the NNSA faces “a no‑fail mission” to modernize warheads and supporting infrastructure, much of which dates to the Manhattan Project era. He said the agency must transition from science‑based stockpile stewardship to scaled production and “bring in modern technology” to older facilities.
Senators repeatedly raised near‑term operational concerns: hiring freezes and recent termination‑and‑reinstatement actions that senators said had reduced the NNSA workforce from roughly 2,000 to about 1,650 and harmed morale. Papano said he was not fully apprised of personnel actions beyond public reports but pledged, if confirmed, to assess workforce needs and “advocate for the men and women of NNSA” to ensure proper resourcing for people and funding.
On questions of speed and technical execution, several senators — including Sen. Angus King and others — urged Papano to identify barriers slowing production of modern pits and other warhead components needed to match planned delivery timelines for new delivery platforms. Papano acknowledged “urgency” and said he would examine policies, processes and manufacturing technology to accelerate programs without undermining safety or stewardship.
The nominee also addressed nonproliferation and international cooperation. In response to questions about cooperation with Ukraine and radiation monitoring, Papano said he was not yet fully briefed on current NNSA activities but pledged to ensure the agency “provided the tools and capabilities” to perform verifications if confirmed. When asked directly whether he would advocate resuming explosive nuclear testing, he answered, “I would not advocate for nuclear testing,” citing extensive subcritical testing, modeling and simulation that support the existing moratorium.
Other topics included microreactors and the need to balance expeditionary power applications with safeguards, and the NNSA 25‑year enterprise blueprint to recapitalize aging facilities. Papano said he would review the blueprint and seek opportunities to deploy advanced manufacturing to increase production efficiency.
Committee members asked for more detailed follow‑up on staffing, enterprise priorities and specific resource needs. The hearing produced no final actions on the nomination; senators requested written answers and additional materials.