That low-flying helicopter crisscrossing the skies over the San Francisco Bay Area for the next three days is gathering data on background radiation levels, according to the National Nuclear Security Administration.

FORBES: In The Works: New Radiation Monitoring For US Ports

Two years ago, on March 14, 2011, the National Nuclear Security Administration sent flight crews to Japan to monitor airborne and ground contamination from the still developing nuclear crisis at the Fukushima-Daiichi nuclear plant.

FORBES: Drones To Be Deployed As Nuclear Fallout Detectors

He got in touch with the Department of Energy's National Nuclear Security Administration, which since 1994 has run a program to keep some of the estimated 60, 000 Soviet-era weapons scientists from working for terrorists or rogue nations.

FORBES: Blowing in The Wind

In short order, the Sequoia supercomputer and its 1.57 million processing cores will transition to a life of top-secret analysis at the National Nuclear Security Administration, but until that day comes, researchers are currently working to ensure its seamless operation.

ENGADGET: Stanford seizes 1 million processing cores to study supersonic noise

The practical effect of such a policy direction is to eschew the steps called for by the Strategic Posture Commission and, indeed, the recommendations of Secretary of Defense Robert Gates, the commander of Strategic Command, General Kevin Chilton and the director of the National Nuclear Security Administration, Thomas D'Agostino.

CENTERFORSECURITYPOLICY: Obama's shrinking deterrent