Quenching the Nuclear Stockpile’s Thirst for Tritium

Tritium is an indispensable and rare isotope required for modern thermonuclear weapons, forming a critical component of every active warhead in America's nuclear stockpile. Due to its short half-life of just over 12 years, it must be continuously produced to replenish the gas reservoirs in nuclear weapons, making it a cornerstone of U.S. nuclear deterrence. The United States now produces tritium by irradiating special lithium-filled rods in the civilian nuclear reactors at the Tennessee Valley Authority's Watts Bar plant. In response to the nuclear buildups of Russia, China, and North Korea, the U.S. is increasing its tritium production capacity through innovative engineering to ensure it can meet potential future arsenal expansion needs without constraint.