Advertisement

Hagel Orders Major Changes For U.S. Nuclear Management

05:16
Download Audio
Resume

After two reviews found systematic problems with the management of the nation's nuclear enterprise, the Pentagon will have to spend billions of dollars over the next five years to fix its nuclear weapons infrastructure.

Illustrating the problem, the reviews found that crews who maintain the nation's 450 intercontinental ballistic missiles had only one wrench that could attach the nuclear warheads.

Secretary of Defense Chuck Hagel announced the top-to-bottom changes at the Pentagon this morning before flying to one of the ICBM bases in North Dakota.

David Sanger, chief Washington correspondent for The New York Times, joins Here & Now's Robin Young to talk more about the problems found in the review and what Hagel plans to do to fix them.

Guest

This segment aired on November 14, 2014.

Advertisement

More from Here & Now

Listen Live
Close