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Russia Resumes Nuclear Trade With Iran as Sanctions Lifted

IN THIS ISSUE: Russia Resumes Nuclear Trade With Iran as Sanctions Lifted, Cost of Trident Replacement to Rise by at Least £6bn, Raytheon Moves Forward With Multi-Object Kill Vehicle Program, India Tests Supersonic Advanced Air Defense Missile, EU Regulators to Probe Hungarian Funding for 2 Nuclear Reactors, China’s Nuclear Vision Collides With Villagers’ Fears

Published on November 24, 2015

Russia Resumes Nuclear Trade With Iran as Sanctions Lifted


BBC News

Russia will resume exporting nuclear technology to Iran, President Vladimir Putin has decreed on a visit to Tehran. The move follows Iran’s agreement to international curbs on its nuclear programme. UN sanctions against Iran are to be lifted in exchange for that agreement, under a deal signed in July. Russia says it will help Iran’s export of enriched uranium and modification of nuclear facilities at Arak and Fordo.

Cost of Trident Replacement to Rise by at Least £6bn


Sam Jones and George Parker | Financial Times

David Cameron has admitted that replacing the Trident nuclear deterrent will cost at least £6bn more than originally thought, as he set out plans to tackle terrorism and to address claims Britain was retreating from the world stage. Mr Cameron was unveiling a strategic defence review which included the news that building four new submarines to carry the Trident missile system would cost £31bn, compared to an original £25bn estimate.

Raytheon Moves Forward With Multi-Object Kill Vehicle Program


Ryan Maass | UPI

Raytheon completed the first Program Planning Review with the U.S. Missile Defense Agency for its Multi-Object Kill Vehicle concept, advancing the program. The completion marks a milestone for the program’s Concept Development Phase, designed to ensure the company is meeting the Missile Defense Agency’s expectations. The Concept Review takes place in December.

India Tests Supersonic Advanced Air Defense Missile


Ankit Panda | Diplomat

On Sunday, India’s Defense Research and Development Organization (DRDO) tested an indigenously developed supersonic interceptor missile: the Advanced Air Defense (AAD) missile. The AAD is part of the first phase of India’s Ballistic Missile Defense (BMD) initiative, along with the Prithvi Air Defense (PAD) missile. The Prithvi provides exoatmosphermic defense while the AAD is optimized for endoatmospheric performance.

EU Regulators to Probe Hungarian Funding for 2 Nuclear Reactors

Reuters

EU regulators on Monday raised more obstacles to Hungary’s scheme to build Russian-backed nuclear reactors as they launched an investigation into the country’s funding plan, days after it took the country to court over the tendering for the project. Hungary wants to expand its plant in Paks and last year picked Russian state-owned company Rosatom to build the reactors, partly funded by a favourably priced 10 billion euro ($10.6 billion) Russian loan.

China’s Nuclear Vision Collides With Villagers’ Fears

Chris Buckley | New York Times

This placid, leafy hamlet tucked beside a dam in the countryside hardly seems like the next testing ground over China’s efforts to cut smog and greenhouse gases. But here among cornfields and crumbling stone homes skirted by persimmon trees, the government intends to build a nuclear power plant.

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