Department of Defense
DIRECTIVE
NUMBER 3150.02
April 24, 2013
Incorporating Change 2, Effective May 12, 2016
USD(AT&L)
SUBJECT: DoD Nuclear Weapons Surety Program
References: See Enclosure 1
1. PURPOSE. This directive:
a. Reissues DoD Directive (DoDD) 3150.2 (Reference (a)) to update established policy and
assign responsibilities for DoD Nuclear Weapons Surety for the oversight of safety, security, and
control of U.S. nuclear weapons and nuclear weapon systems in DoD custody.
b. Assigns responsibility for the nuclear weapons technical inspection (NWTI) system.
2. APPLICABILITY. This directive applies to OSD, the Military Departments, the Office of
the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff and the Joint Staff, the Combatant Commands, the
Office of the Inspector General of the Department of Defense, the Defense Agencies, the DoD
Field Activities, and all other organizational entities within the DoD (referred to collectively in
this directive as the “DoD Components”).
3. POLICY. It is DoD policy that:
a. The President, as Commander in Chief of the Armed Forces, is the sole authority for the
employment of U.S. nuclear weapons.
b. Nuclear weapon systems require special consideration because of their political and
military importance, their destructive power, and the potential consequences of an accident or
unauthorized act. Assured nuclear weapons and nuclear weapon systems safety, security, and
control remain of paramount importance. Nuclear command and control (NC2) safety and
security also remain of paramount importance as stated in DoDD S-5210.81 (Reference (b)).
c. Standards, plans, procedures, and other positive measures will be developed and
maintained to ensure the DoD can accomplish its nuclear mission in a safe, secure, and reliable
manner. Four DoD nuclear weapon system surety standards provide positive measures to:
