In years past the Energy and Defense Departments designed about 10 new warheads at any one time.

Lawrence Livermore does research on new warheads and the plan to build an anti-missile system in space.

The problem isn't simply that a test ban would inhibit the design of new warheads.

Submarine production continued until 1998, and it is believed that new warheads are still being assembled at a trickle rate.

In 2007, for the first time in 15 years, the United States built some new warheads.

The administration insists that it wants only money for research and has no plans to build new warheads, at least for now.

But there is also a hidden agenda: The labs want to stay in the business of making and testing new warheads.

The power of the new warheads was so great that there was no longer as much opportunity for a damaged ship to fight again.

The test included the use of a new warhead, designed to penetrate missile defense systems.

In July 1958 the military characteristics were approved for the new warhead and the design released.