Planning Starts on N-Warhead to Reach Buried Soviet Facilities

WASHINGTON — The Energy Department has begun preliminary research aimed at developing a new type of nuclear warhead that would burrow into the earth before detonating, a top official said Wednesday.

Although the Pentagon has yet to formally request such a weapon from the Energy Department, “we foresee it as a requirement coming on,” said Sylvester R. Foley, the assistant energy secretary for defense programs.

Such a weapon is becoming essential because of efforts by the Soviet Union to bury its command, communications and weapons centers deep underground, he added.

The Energy Department is responsible for designing, developing and producing nuclear warheads needed by the Defense Department. About $8 billion of the Energy Department’s budget is earmarked for defense programs.

Foley, a retired admiral, was asked at a breakfast meeting with Pentagon correspondents about “earth-penetrating” warheads, following reports that the Pentagon is about to launch a study that would lead to orders for such a weapon.

Foley would not discuss that study directly, but said the Energy Department’s national weapons laboratories had begun research aimed at developing such a warhead because “we anticipate” receiving a request from the Pentagon.

“That’s a requirement that we can see coming along . . . ,” he said. “We have research and development ongoing on it right now.”

The Soviets “seem to be taking an awful lot of things and putting them underground” and nuclear bombs that explode on the surface or in the air can’t destroy such targets, he added.

He said scientists are exploring several technologies for giving a warhead the capability of burrowing before it detonates. He refused to elaborate, but said such a warhead would probably be designed for use on ground- or sea-launched long-range ballistic missiles.

Foley, on other topics discussed at the meeting, also said:

--The Reagan Administration is debating internally a request for funds to replace the aging “N” reactor at Hanford, Wash.

--The negotiation of an arms control treaty with the Soviet Union would not eliminate the need for nuclear testing.

--It will be years before a decision could be made to deploy any nuclear-driven “Star Wars” weapon, such as an X-ray laser to shoot down enemy missiles.