scope:

Scope and Applicability

a. This instruction applies to all U.S. Navy commands, activities, units, and forces: with custody of NW or NW systems; responsible for supporting operations with NW or NW systems, incident response for NW or NW systems, life cycle support of NW or NW systems, security (including U.S. Marine Corps units providing direct support per SECNAVINST S8126.1A (NOTAL)) for NW or NW systems; or development of DON NW or NW systems ashore and afloat. Nuclear command and control (C2), employment planning, execution authorities, and responsibilities remain per operational commander requirements.

b. This instruction does not apply to improvised nuclear devices, radiological dispersal devices, NW recapture and recovery security operations, or an event that threatens a U.S. naval nuclear propulsion reactor or associated radioactive material (i.e., a nuclear reactor accident or radiological accident). For an event that has the potential to affect the nuclear propulsion plant of a ballistic missile submarine, nuclear-powered (SSBN) and NWs, both this instruction and reference (a) apply. For this type of emergency, CNO N00N, and Director, Strategic Systems Programs (DIRSSP) provides dual regulatory oversight of the emergency response.

c. For all-hazards events (e.g., natural disaster, loss of all base power) that have potential impacts to U.S. NW, reference (b) applies to the actions necessary to protect naval facilities and the base population from the non-NW aspects of the event. This instruction governs the actions, roles, responsibilities, and authorities of DON organizations needed to mitigate and respond to the NW surety and radiological release risks associated with all-hazards events (e.g., on-base protective action decisions, communications with civil authorities and the press).

d. This instruction is applicable to all incidents (including hostile actions), events, and major hazards (including fires) that threaten NW and NW systems. For SSBNs, all multilevel fires and all fires that are not under control after the first hose team outfitted with protective gear is relieved are assumed to threaten NW

Purpose

a. To define responsibilities, establish Department of the Navy's (DON) nuclear weapon incident emergency response command structure, and provide overarching response procedures for an incident involving, or event that threatens, a U.S. nuclear weapon (NW) or NW system. This instruction provides DON implementing direction for national and Department of Defense (DoD) level policy guidance contained within references (a) through (i). Acronyms are listed in enclosure (1).

b. This revision primarily aligns Navy nuclear weapon incident response responsibilities with DoD and Service policy in coordination with Chief of Naval Operations (CNO), Director, Naval Nuclear Propulsion (CNO N00N) and Naval Sea Systems Command, Naval Reactors (NAVSEA 08) incident and accident response to events that have the potential to threaten the nuclear propulsion plant and NW. It is a complete revision and should be reviewed in its entirety.