ARLINGTON, VA – The National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA) is embracing a culture of urgency and shifting from a scientific to production mindset, according to Administrator Brandon Williams Tuesday in his day 2 keynote at Exchange Monitor’s Nuclear Deterrence Summit.

“Urgency requires a fundamental, fundamental shift in how we work,” Williams said of the Department of Energy’s semiautonomous agency workforce in charge of maintaining the nation’s nuclear weapons stockpile. He said it was “ideologically naive” to ignore the “rapidly developing strategic reality that is now so apparent in 2026.”

“Previous administrations cut, delayed and neglected our nuclear deterrent investment, while China and Russia were building and innovating,” Williams said. “Today, that era is over.”

Williams added, “NNSA is no longer defined solely as a scientific stewardship organization. We are an organization focused on weapons production, on delivering real capabilities and innovations at speed to meet today’s threats.”

Williams said this new culture and mindset will “simultaneously enable our M&O [management and operating contractor] partners to stay focused on production and to meet weapons deliverables.”

“For too long, programs were delivered late and over budget,” Williams said. “This is changing along with the way that we’re doing business.”