Solid Ambitions: The U.S.-South Korea Missile Guidelines and Space Launchers
Ankit Panda | Carnegie Endowment for International Peace
Seoul’s missile activities have long been constrained by decades-old limits that South Korea agreed on with its longtime ally, the United States. At various junctures, these limits have gradually been loosened, though the latest such change may not upset the regional security balance as much as it may appear to at first blush. Most recently, following nine months of negotiations, the United States and South Korea agreed to further revise these bilateral missile guidelines in the summer of 2020. On July 28, 2020, South Korean Deputy National Security Adviser Kim Hyun-chong announced that, pursuant to the newly agreed revisions, South Korean individuals and entities will be, for the first time, capable of “developing, producing, and possessing” space launch vehicles (SLVs) making use of solid rocket motors without restrictions.
Iran Hails ‘Constructive’ Talks With Visiting IAEA Chief
Al Jazeera
Iran's nuclear body says it held “constructive” talks with the visiting head of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) amid tensions over a US bid to reimpose UN sanctions on Tehran. Rafael Grossi's trip comes after Washington last week pressed the UN Security Council to reimpose sanctions that were lifted under the 2015 nuclear deal between Iran and world powers (the JCPOA), from which the US has withdrawn. But Iranian authorities said Grossi's visit was not related to US moves to reimpose sanctions. “Our conversation today was very constructive. It was agreed that the Agency will carry out its independent and professional responsibilities and Iran will fulfil its legal commitments,” said Ali Akbar Salehi, head of Iran's Atomic Energy Organisation, according to the ISNA news agency. "A new chapter of cooperation between Iran and the IAEA will start."
USAF Rethinks Relationship Between Conventional, Nuclear Weapons
Rachel S. Cohen | Air Force Magazine
The Air Force is crafting new policy that envisions more fluidity between conventional and nuclear weapons, as well as a broader range of options to keep others from using their own nuclear weapons. The U.S. has long treated conventional and nuclear warfare as separate concepts, but that’s beginning to change, said Lt. Gen. Richard M. Clark, the Air Force’s deputy chief of staff for strategic deterrence and nuclear integration. Over the past year and a half, nuclear experts on the Air Staff have crafted an overview of “conventional and nuclear integration,” in which American service members must be able to survive a conflict that involves a nuclear weapon.
Iran Nuclear: Fire at Natanz Plant ‘Caused by Sabotage’
BBC News
Iran's nuclear body has said that a fire last month at a major nuclear facility was caused by sabotage. But the Atomic Energy Organisation of Iran (AEOI) did not say who it believed was behind the incident at the Natanz uranium enrichment site. Some Iranian officials have previously said the fire might have been the result of cyber sabotage. There were several fires and explosions at power facilities and other sites in the weeks surrounding the incident. Behrouz Kamalvandi, a AEOI spokesperson, told state TV channel al-Alam on Sunday that “security authorities will reveal in due time the reason behind the [Natanz] blast”.
Russia Achieves Certain Success in Helping China Set Up Its Missile Attack Warning System
TASS
Russia has started work on some elements of the Chinese missile attack warning system and has achieved certain success in this area, Chief Designer of Russia’s missile attack warning system, CEO of Vimpel Company Sergei Boyev told TASS at the Army-2020 forum on Monday. “Today we are carrying out work in a whole number of areas, on the elements [of the system] under the contracts signed, in particular, in the area of space control. There are certain successes, certain results,” Boyev said, replying to a question about the work on China’s missile attack warning system. However, it is early to speak about creating a full-fledged system, he said. “Cooperation is proceeding in a planned manner and all that relates to more specific things will be understandable at the next stage when the preliminary studies are complete and assessments are given,” the chief designer said.
Mounting Climate Impacts Threaten U.S. Nuclear Reactors
Avery Ellfeldt | Scientific American
Soaring temperatures, intensified flood risks and heightened water stress will threaten 57 U.S. nuclear plants over the next 20 years, forcing operators to take additional resiliency measures, according to a new report. “The consequences of climate change can affect every aspect of nuclear plant operations—from fuel handling and power and steam generation to maintenance, safety systems and waste processing,” said the analysis, which was published yesterday by Moody’s Investors Service. Analysts used data from Four Twenty Seven, a Moody’s affiliate that provides climate risk intelligence, to examine threats to operating nuclear plants. “It looks like almost all plants see some kind of climate risk worsening over the next 20 years,” said David Kamran, the report’s author.