Biden White House Seen Revamping Strategy for Nuclear Weapons
Roxana Tiron | Bloomberg Government
A Joe Biden administration would re-examine the U.S. nuclear strategy and arsenal, the Democratic chairman of the House Armed Services Committee says. Rep. Adam Smith (D-Wash.), who’s questioned and criticized the need to boost the nuclear arsenal, said Thursday he’s “quite confident,” a new administration would reassess plans. Boosting and overhauling nuclear weapons has been an issue that has split—sometimes acrimoniously—Democrats and Republicans on the Armed Services panel. Current plans call for modernizing the capacity to deliver nuclear weapons via land-based missile systems, nuclear submarines, and strategic bombers—the “nuclear triad.” The Congressional Budget Office estimates such an effort could cost as much as $1.2 trillion through 2046 for development, purchasing and long-term support.
Trump Administration Pushes Allies to Pressure China Over Its Nuclear Program
Vivian Salama | CNN
The Trump administration is working to pressure NATO allies to collectively crackdown on China's nuclear program as it looks to limit Beijing's growing influence in the global arms race. In a meeting with NATO allies last week President Donald Trump's top envoy for arms control, Marshall Billingslea urged allies to impose stricter arms control regulations on Beijing. The administration has been looking to convince China to enter into a nuclear agreement with the US and Russia, but with days to go until the election, efforts to extend an agreement with Russia have been fast-tracked and are proceeding absent the participation of Beijing which has not shown an interest in taking part in talks in recent times.
Iranian Parliament Approve Bill Specifying Increased Uranium Enrichment
Nuclear Engineering International
Iran’s parliament on 2 November approved a bill requiring the Atomic Energy Organisation of Iran (AEOI) to produce at least 120kg of 20% enriched uranium a year at its Fordow nuclear facility. AEOI is required to start this process within two months and store the enriched uranium inside the country. In January, Iran took its final step in reducing its commitments in line with the July 2015 Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA). Under the JCPOA between the P5+1 group of countries (the USA, UK, France, Russia, and China plus Germany), Iran had agreed to limit its nuclear development in return for the lifting of sanctions. However, in May 2018, US President Donald Trump pulled Washington out of the JCPOA and reimposed stringent sanctions and Iran, in turn, began to reduce its commitments under the agreement.
How a Pacific Missile Test Site is Keeping up with Challenging Tests in a Pandemic
Jen Judson | Defense News
The Ronald Reagan Ballistic Missile Defense Test Site in the Kwajalein Atoll hasn’t missed a beat this year when it comes to testing, including a major hypersonic test at the start of the global coronavirus pandemic, according to the leader of the Army’s Space and Missile Defense Command. Through strict protocols limiting people onto the island and into the site, Kwajalein — part of the Marshall Islands — remained one of the few places on the globe that did not have any COVID-19 cases until Oct. 29 when two returning garrison employees tested negative upon departing Hawaii but tested positive upon arrival at the test site and are being quarantined.
Peeking Under the Shroud of North Korea’s Monster Missile
Joshua Pollack | Arms Control Wonk
Some unresolved questions surround the huge new mobile missiles that North Korea showed off in last month’s parade. Most of all: what will they carry, and when will the North Koreans reveal it through flight-testing? Let’s start with what we can observe. The external characteristics of the weapon are consistent with a two-stage, liquid-propelled ICBM. In many ways, it’s similar to the Hwasong-15, which North Korea tested in 2017, but on a larger scale. My CNS colleagues estimate that the new missile is about 25 m long, compared to the roughly 20 m-long HS-15. It has a first stage of about 2.4 m in diameter, compared to the approximately 2.1 m diameter of the HS-15.
U.S. Vice President Joe Biden on Nuclear Security
Editor's note: As the United States continues to count ballots, and the world contemplates the future of U.S. foreign policy, we want to highlight this speech on nuclear policy, given by Vice President Joe Biden at the Carnegie Endowment in January 2017, shortly before he left office.