What must the NMC ensure regarding munitions throughout their lifecycle?

The Naval Munitions Command (NMC) plays a critical role in ensuring that munitions meet stringent safety and performance standards throughout their lifecycle. This encompasses everything from design and production to storage, handling, and eventual disposal.

Safety standards are vital to prevent accidents and ensure the well-being of personnel involved in munitions operations, while performance standards ensure that the munitions function as intended when deployed. By adhering to these standards, the NMC helps to maintain operational readiness and combat effectiveness, ensuring that military operations can be conducted safely and effectively.

While the other options may seem relevant in certain contexts—such as having updated technology or ensuring munitions are available for deployment—focusing on safety and performance is foundational to the entire lifecycle management of munitions. Without meeting these standards, other considerations become secondary as they could lead to disastrous consequences.