Strategic Forces Hearing: FY27 Budget Request for Nuclear Forces and Atomic Energy

The U.S. House Armed Services Committee held a Strategic Forces hearing on April 15, 2026, to review the fiscal year 2027 budget request for nuclear forces and atomic energy defense activities. Key procurement discussions focused on the National Nuclear Security Administration's (NNSA) $32.8 billion budget request aimed at modernizing the nuclear triad, revitalizing production infrastructure, and enhancing nonproliferation and counterterrorism capabilities. The committee heard updates on major weapons systems including the B-21 Raider bomber, Sentinel ICBM, Columbia-class submarine, and the sea-launched cruise missile program, with emphasis on accelerating development and production to address evolving nuclear threats from China, Russia, and North Korea. Witnesses highlighted the need for flexible funding to improve acquisition efficiency and stressed the importance of sustaining the defense industrial base and workforce development. The hearing also addressed the two-site plutonium pit production strategy, with investments in Los Alamos and Savannah River sites, and reaffirmed opposition to resuming above-ground nuclear testing. Members discussed competition in contracting, infrastructure modernization, and the critical role of congressional support in ensuring timely delivery of nuclear deterrent capabilities.