refurbish. modernize

“We refurbished our weapons to make them safer and more reliable,” Mr. Moniz said, choosing his words with precision. “We didn’t modernize.”

Modernization, he said, “is what Russia is doing and China is doing,” which, he acknowledged, could jeopardize Mr. Obama’s vision of a world free of nuclear weapons.

“Learning Curve” As Rick Perry Pursues a Job He Initially Misunderstood