Naval Nuclear Propulsion Information
Encyclopedia
Naval Nuclear Propulsion Information (NNPI) is a category of intellectual capital
defined by the United States Navy
to be "that information and/or hardware concerning the design
, arrangement, development, manufacturing
, testing, operation, administration, training, maintenance, and repair of the propulsion
plants of Naval Nuclear Powered Ships
including the associated shipboard and shore-based nuclear support facilities."
It is not a broad classified information
category. While most NNPI is sensitive, the Navy recognizes that the public has an interest in environmental
, safety
, and health
information, and that the basic research
carried out by the Navy can be useful to industry
. Unclassified information is therefore marked with the acronym "U-NNPI", but is still restricted as NOFORN.
Regardless of the above technical definitions, as a practical matter NNPI is explicitly protected information and is not released to the general public without authority. The fact that NNPI-U is not "classified information" is a legal matter, but for all intents and purposes it is treated as such. Those who release even NNPI-U without authority may be administratively punished, and even criminally
in the case of NNPI-C.
In some instances, small events that would normally be reported as "Events" or LOC (Loss of Control) to the Nuclear Regulatory Commission
from other licensees can be classified as NNPI-C . This designation differs for similar "events" that occur on a secret network, which are referred to as "spillage".
Intellectual capital
The value of an enterprise is made of physical assets, various financial assets and, finally, intangible assets, i.e., intellectual capital . The term intellectual capital conventionally refers to the difference in value between tangible assets and market value. ....
defined by the United States Navy
United States Navy
The United States Navy is the naval warfare service branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the seven uniformed services of the United States. The U.S. Navy is the largest in the world; its battle fleet tonnage is greater than that of the next 13 largest navies combined. The U.S...
to be "that information and/or hardware concerning the design
Design
Design as a noun informally refers to a plan or convention for the construction of an object or a system while “to design” refers to making this plan...
, arrangement, development, manufacturing
Manufacturing
Manufacturing is the use of machines, tools and labor to produce goods for use or sale. The term may refer to a range of human activity, from handicraft to high tech, but is most commonly applied to industrial production, in which raw materials are transformed into finished goods on a large scale...
, testing, operation, administration, training, maintenance, and repair of the propulsion
Marine propulsion
Marine propulsion is the mechanism or system used to generate thrust to move a ship or boat across water. While paddles and sails are still used on some smaller boats, most modern ships are propelled by mechanical systems consisting a motor or engine turning a propeller, or less frequently, in jet...
plants of Naval Nuclear Powered Ships
Nuclear marine propulsion
Nuclear marine propulsion is propulsion of a ship by a nuclear reactor. Naval nuclear propulsion is propulsion that specifically refers to naval warships...
including the associated shipboard and shore-based nuclear support facilities."
It is not a broad classified information
Classified information
Classified information is sensitive information to which access is restricted by law or regulation to particular groups of persons. A formal security clearance is required to handle classified documents or access classified data. The clearance process requires a satisfactory background investigation...
category. While most NNPI is sensitive, the Navy recognizes that the public has an interest in environmental
Natural environment
The natural environment encompasses all living and non-living things occurring naturally on Earth or some region thereof. It is an environment that encompasses the interaction of all living species....
, safety
Safety
Safety is the state of being "safe" , the condition of being protected against physical, social, spiritual, financial, political, emotional, occupational, psychological, educational or other types or consequences of failure, damage, error, accidents, harm or any other event which could be...
, and health
Health
Health is the level of functional or metabolic efficiency of a living being. In humans, it is the general condition of a person's mind, body and spirit, usually meaning to be free from illness, injury or pain...
information, and that the basic research
Research
Research can be defined as the scientific search for knowledge, or as any systematic investigation, to establish novel facts, solve new or existing problems, prove new ideas, or develop new theories, usually using a scientific method...
carried out by the Navy can be useful to industry
Industry
Industry refers to the production of an economic good or service within an economy.-Industrial sectors:There are four key industrial economic sectors: the primary sector, largely raw material extraction industries such as mining and farming; the secondary sector, involving refining, construction,...
. Unclassified information is therefore marked with the acronym "U-NNPI", but is still restricted as NOFORN.
Regardless of the above technical definitions, as a practical matter NNPI is explicitly protected information and is not released to the general public without authority. The fact that NNPI-U is not "classified information" is a legal matter, but for all intents and purposes it is treated as such. Those who release even NNPI-U without authority may be administratively punished, and even criminally
Criminal law
Criminal law, is the body of law that relates to crime. It might be defined as the body of rules that defines conduct that is not allowed because it is held to threaten, harm or endanger the safety and welfare of people, and that sets out the punishment to be imposed on people who do not obey...
in the case of NNPI-C.
In some instances, small events that would normally be reported as "Events" or LOC (Loss of Control) to the Nuclear Regulatory Commission
Nuclear Regulatory Commission
The Nuclear Regulatory Commission is an independent agency of the United States government that was established by the Energy Reorganization Act of 1974 from the United States Atomic Energy Commission, and was first opened January 19, 1975...
from other licensees can be classified as NNPI-C . This designation differs for similar "events" that occur on a secret network, which are referred to as "spillage".