REVEALED: America's nuclear weapon hubs where thousands of lab workers build the military's deadliest arsenal, including one that was evacuated in the Smokehouse Creek wildfire

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America's nuclear weapons arsenal includes thousands of warheads which can be launched at a moment's notice - each with enough explosive power to raze entire cities.

These devastating weapons are designed and built by a network of research and development facilities across the country which maintain the country's Nuclear Triad, the name for the three-pronged strike force which can launch warheads from air, land and sea.  

Devastating wildfires in Texas recently forced the evacuation of America's foremost nuclear weapons assembly facility.

The Pantex Plant near Amarillo, which was briefly shut down on Tuesday, is where the majority of bombs in America's roughly 4,000-strong nuclear arsenal were built.

The plant, which has around 4,000 employees, plays a crucial role in the nation's nuclear weapons project. It is where the majority of bombs are built using parts from the other facilities around America.

A complex network of research and development facilities maintains the US nuclear arsenal

The nation's nuclear arsenal includes around 400 Minuteman III intercontinental ballistic missiles, which can carry several warheads each with the explosive power of 335,000 tons of TNT, and around 3,000 more tactical nuclear weapons.

The US is constantly working to update and maintain its nuclear arsenal and it is estimated between $280 billion and $350 billion will be spent across the next two decades on this upkeep.

Here, DailyMail.com outlines the work carried out by some of the country's leading nuclear weapons development facilities.

Los Alamos National Laboratory, New Mexico

Arguably the nation's best known nuclear research facility, Los Alamos is one of the birthplaces of the atomic bomb and remains a key facility for nuclear weapons research, development, and simulation.

Los Alamos conducts experiments to ensure the safety, security and effectiveness of the nation's nuclear arsenal.

The site is famously known as the birthplace of the Manhattan Project, a top secret mission of the US government during World War II. The Manhattan Project developed the first atomic bombs.

J. Robert Oppenheimer, often referred to as the 'father of the atomic bomb', played a central role in the Manhattan Project. His role was the subject of the 2022 blockbuster Oppenheimer.

He was appointed as the scientific director of the Los Alamos Laboratory and led the efforts to design and build the atomic bombs that were ultimately used in the bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki - the only nuclear weapons every deployed in war.

The lab has an annual budget of around $4.6 billion and is managed as part of the country's National Nuclear Security Administration. 

The facility, which employs around 14,000 people, develop four of the country's seven nuclear bombs: the B61 gravity bomb, which is deployed to aircraft, the W78, which is fired within the Minuteman III, and the W76 and W88, which are submarine-launched.

Robert (Julius) Oppenheimer, US, Nuclear Physicist, (1904-1967), who was leader of the atomic bomb project set up at the Los Alamos laboratory, in New Mexico, during World War Two

The Los Alamos lab, located with the town of Los Alamos approximately 35 miles northwest of Santa Fe, occupies 43 square miles of land in Northern New Mexico

Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory

Lawrence Livermore, about 50 miles east of downtown San Francisco, focuses on nuclear weapons design, engineering, and testing, as well as developing advanced technologies to enhance the performance and reliability of the nation's nuclear deterrent.

A key part of the laboratory is its 'Superblock' facility, one of only two defense plutonium research and development facilities in the country. 

The Superblock houses state-of-the-art equipment for measuring the physical, chemical, and metallurgical qualities of special nuclear materials such as highly enriched uranium, plutonium, and tritium.

Founded in 1952, it was named after physicist Ernest O. Lawrence, inventor of the cyclotron particle accelerator machine, and is located in Livermore, California. 

Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, which designs nuclear weapons, is home to one of only two defense plutonium research and development facilities in the country

Technicians use a service system lift to access the target chamber interior for inspection and maintenance at the National Ignition Facility (NIF), a laser-based inertial confinement fusion research device, at Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory

Waste Isolation Pilot Plant (WIPP)

Located in New Mexico, WIPP is the nation's only deep geological repository for the permanent disposal of defense-generated transuranic radioactive waste.

The site operates in a salt bed formation approximately 2,150 feet (655 meters) underground, isolating radioactive materials from the environment for thousands of years.

The repository is situated in a stable geological formation known as the Salado Formation.

WIPP began operations in March 1999, after more than 20 years of planning, development, and regulatory approvals. It is operated by the U.S. Department of Energy and is managed by the Waste Isolation Pilot Plant Management and Operations Contractor. 

The plant primarily stores transuranic radioactive waste (TRU waste), which includes materials contaminated with man-made elements heavier than uranium, such as plutonium.

This waste often originates from the production and maintenance of nuclear weapons, as well as from other activities related to nuclear research, development, and cleanup efforts.

TRU waste can include various items such as gloves, tools, clothing, and equipment used in nuclear facilities, as well as contaminated soil and debris 

The Waste Isolation Pilot Plant operates in a salt bed formation deep underground, isolating radioactive materials from the environment for thousands of years

A worker drives an electric cart past air monitoring equipment inside a storage room of the Waste Isolation Pilot Plant in Carlsbad, New Mexico

Pantex Plant

The Pantex Plant near Amarillo, Texas, is the primary facility responsible for the assembly, disassembly and maintenance of the nation's nuclear weapons stockpile. 

It is also involved in the development of high-explosive components for nuclear warheads.

Pantex is responsible for the assembly of new nuclear weapons as well as the disassembly of retired or excess weapons. It plays a crucial role in ensuring the safety, security, and reliability of the U.S. nuclear arsenal.

Parts designed and built at other facilities around the country are brought here to complete the weapons. 

The facility was temporarily closed on February 2t after the worst wildfires in Texas history raged around the facility. It reopened several hours later.

Situated near Amarillo, Texas, Pantex is the primary facility responsible for the assembly, disassembly, and maintenance of the nation's nuclear weapons stockpile

An inert non-nuclear B53 training weapon is displayed during an event commemoration the dismantling of the final B53 nuclear bomb at the Pantex Plant

Kansas City National Security Campus

This campus, in Missouri, is responsible for manufacturing and procuring non-nuclear components of nuclear weapons, such as electronic and mechanical parts, as well as providing engineering and logistics support for the nuclear weapons program.

The facility is operated by Honeywell Federal Manufacturing & Technologies, LLC, under contract with the National Nuclear Security Administration, a semi-autonomous agency within the United States Department of Energy. 

The plant's output includes high-tech sensors, precision machined components, and specialized materials. 

Y-12 National Security Complex

Y-12 plays a crucial role in uranium processing, enrichment, and manufacturing components for nuclear weapons. It also conducts research and development to enhance the safety and reliability of the nuclear stockpile.

The facility in Oak Ridge, Tennessee, has a rich history dating back to World War II when it was part of the Manhattan Project. It was originally established to produce enriched uranium for the first atomic bombs, including those dropped on Hiroshima and Nagasaki.

The facility plays a crucial role in the production and processing of enriched uranium, which is a key component in the manufacture of nuclear weapons.

Y-12 plays a crucial role in uranium processing, enrichment, and manufacturing components for nuclear weapons

The forward section of the B61 nuclear bomb on display as a museum piece at the Y-12 National Security Complex

Sandia National Laboratories

Sandia, with locations in New Mexico and California, is a multidisciplinary research institution specializing in nuclear weapons design, engineering, and testing. It also provides technical expertise in nuclear security and nonproliferation.

The facility is described as the 'engineering arm of the US nuclear weapons enterprise'.

'We weaponize the nuclear explosive package to create an effective and sustainable nuclear deterrent,' according to its mission statement.

'Sandia's foundation is science-based engineering, in which fundamental science, computer models, and unique experimental facilities come together so researchers can understand, predict, and verify weapon systems performance.'

90th Missile Wing at F.E. Warren Air Force Base, Wyoming

America's Minuteman III ICBMs are held at launch sites on at least three US Air Force bases. These missiles can carry up to three nuclear warheads, each with as much explosive power as 335,000 tons of TNT.

The Minuteman III can reach speeds of up to 15,000 miles per hour - which is 23 times the speed of sound - and has a range of more than 6,000 miles.

Some are kept at the 90th Missile Wing at F.E. Warren Air Force Base, near Cheyenne, Wyoming, which is one of the oldest continuously active military installations in the United States, initially established in 1867.

The primary mission of the 90th Missile Wing is to maintain and operate the ICBMs in a state of readiness, ensuring they are ready to respond to any potential threats to national security at a moment's notice.

The 90th Missile Wing comprises military personnel, civilian employees, and contractors who work together to carry out the wing's mission. This includes missile operators, security forces, maintenance crews, and support staff who ensure the smooth functioning of operations.

Chief Master Sgt. Andrew Zahm speaks in front of the top of a Minuteman III intercontinental ballistic missle shroud at F.E. Warren Air Force Base, Wyo., Aug. 16, 2023

US Air Force personnel connect a re-entry system to a spacer on an intercontinental ballistic missile during a Simulated Electronic Launch-Minuteman test Sept. 22, 2020, at a launch facility near Malmstrom Air Force Base

341st Missile Wing at Malmstrom AFB, Montana

Similar to the 90th Missile Wing, the 341st Missile Wing operates Minuteman III ICBMs.

Malmstrom Air Force Base is located near Great Falls, Montana. The base covers a vast area and is home to a significant portion of the United States' land-based missile arsenal.

The 341st Missile Wing has a rich history dating back to its activation in 1947. It has played crucial roles in the Cold War and continues to maintain a high state of readiness to address modern security challenges.

In addition to maintaining and operating Minuteman III ICBMs, the 341st Missile Wing is also tasked with providing security for its missile fields and ensuring the safety and security of its personnel and assets.

The wing conducts regular training exercises to ensure the proficiency of its personnel in handling and operating ICBMs.

Like other missile wings in the U.S. Air Force, the 341st Missile Wing is involved in modernization efforts to upgrade its missile systems, infrastructure, and support equipment to meet evolving security requirements and technological advancements.

Malmstrom Air Force Base is located near Great Falls, Montana. The base covers a vast area and is home to a significant portion of the United States' land-based missile arsenal.

Like other missile wings in the U.S. Air Force, the 341st Missile Wing is involved in modernization efforts to upgrade its missile systems, infrastructure, and support equipment to meet evolving security requirements and technological advancements

In this image provided by the U.S. Air Force, Senior Airman Jacob Deas, left, and Airman 1st Class Jonathan Marrs, right, secure the titanium shroud at the top of a Minuteman III missile on Aug. 24, 2023, at the Bravo 9 silo at Malmstrom Air Force Base

91st Missile Wing at Minot AFB

Minot Air Force Base is situated in Ward County, North Dakota, and is also responsible for operating Minuteman III ICBMs.

The primary mission of the 91st Missile Wing is to ensure the readiness and reliability of its assigned ICBMs, contributing to the national security strategy of deterrence against potential adversaries.

Regular training exercises are conducted to ensure the proficiency and readiness of personnel in handling and operating ICBMs. These exercises simulate various scenarios to prepare for potential contingencies and maintain a high state of readiness.