Nuclear
Lessons from one disaster can provide insights into the next and maybe even help prevent them – an idea carried forward in a new paper on COVID-19 commissioned by the Nuclear Threat Initiative (NTI) and written by retired Major Gen. Julie Bentz.
In the paper, Bentz – a former major general... Read More »
Former U.S. Sen. Sam Nunn (D-GA) and Former Secretary of Energy under the Obama administration Ernest J. Moniz, co-founders of the Nuclear Threat Initiative, said they applaud the position of world leaders that a nuclear war “cannot be won,” in a statement Monday.
The statement comes in... Read More »
A group of lawmakers recently forwarded correspondence to the National Security Council to express concerns regarding nuclear policy.
U.S. Sens. Marco Rubio (R-FL) and Jim Inhofe (R-OK) joined U.S. Reps. Mike Rogers (R-AL), Michael McCaul (R-TX), and Devin Nunes (R-CA) in sending the letter to... Read More »
The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Countering Weapons of Mass Destruction Office (CWMD) has awarded a contract to Smiths Detection to provide 110 radiation portal monitors (RPM).
The RPMs would be deployed across land border crossings throughout the country. The passive checkpoints... Read More »
U.S. Sen. John Hoeven (R-ND) joined 16 other legislators to introduce a National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) amendment that seeks to prevent the Biden administration from executing unilateral cuts to the nation’s nuclear forces.
The amendment was introduced in the wake of reports... Read More »
Earlier this month, the Nuclear Threat Initiative gathered 100 international experts on biosafety for the 2021 Virtual Global Biosecurity Dialogue (GBD), the latest in an annual series of discussions on how best to maintain attention on and advance biosecurity across the world.
COVID-19 loomed... Read More »
In a new paper, researchers from the Nuclear Threat Initiative (NTI) found that nuclear security now exists in something of a patchwork: from individual states’ domestic regulations and policies, to informal groups of countries working on aspects of security and more formal binding... Read More »
U.S. Rep. Pramila Jayapal (D-Wash.) and other Congress members urged President Joe Biden to limit the role of nuclear weapons in the country’s national security.
In a letter to the President, the group pointed to Biden’s longstanding commitment to reducing the role of nuclear weapons, and... Read More »
Sandia National Laboratories' modular radiation detection monitors will decrease costs and enhance threat detection, officials say.
As part of an effort to replace and upgrade the aging radiation detection systems at ports across the country, the Department of Homeland Security tasked Sandia... Read More »
According to a new paper from the nonprofit Nuclear Threat Initiative (NTI), artificial intelligence in nuclear weapons systems is a neutral wash of possibilities -- but it also appears inevitable, and as a result, immediate action is needed to balance benefits and risks while the technology is... Read More »
A group of lawmakers recently urged the Biden administration to consider fulfilling a pledge to reduce the role of nuclear weapons in the nation's national security strategy.
U.S. Reps. John Garamendi (D-CA), Don Beyer (D-VA) and U.S. Sens. Edward J. Markey (D-MA) and Jeffrey A. Merkley (D-OR)... Read More »
The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) announced it had broken ground on a new facility to strengthen countries’ abilities to tackle nuclear terrorism Monday.
According to Rafael Mariano Grossi, director general of IAEA, the new IAEA Nuclear Security Training and Demonstration Centre... Read More »
The U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Program announced last week that it is seeking information in three topic areas to support component technology needs.
“DHS SBIR is uniquely positioned to support DHS’s broad mission by finding ways to... Read More »
Denouncing further spending on the nuclear Ground Based Strategic Deterrent (GBSD) program as unnecessary, costly, and promoting a nuclear arms race, U.S. Rep. John Garamendi (D-CA) has introduced legislation to pause development until 2031 and extend the lifespan of existing weapons.
“As a... Read More »
Nuclear Threat Initiative (NTI) personnel said the recent offering of its U.S. Nuclear Policies for a Safer World seeks to bolster efforts to reduce growing nuclear risks.
The set of papers calls for establishing a bipartisan liaison group between Congress and the administration and policy... Read More »
Curtiss-Wright Corporation announced that it has secured a series of Navy contracts in excess of $130 million to aid naval defense platforms.
The scope of work includes providing propulsion valves, pumps, and advanced instrumentation and control systems for the Navy’s Virginia-class... Read More »
A new report by the General Accountability Office (GAO) found that most of the U.S. nuclear triad is nearing or past their planned end-of-life dates and that the Departments of Defense and Energy must plan their replacements carefully.
The report found that most of the nuclear triad, three... Read More »
The National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA) announced a major milestone this week with the removal of more than 100 facilities in Tennessee and Texas that date back to the Manhattan Project era of nuclear development.
Today, nearly 60 percent of the NNSA’s facilities are more than 40... Read More »
A group of lawmakers recently forwarded correspondence to President Joe Biden encouraging the expansion of nuclear weapons dialogue with Russia.
Sens. Jeff Merkley (D-OR) and Edward J. Markey (D-MA), as well Reps. Don Beyer (D-VA) and John Garamendi (D-CA) are spearheading a congressional push... Read More »
National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA) Acting Deputy Administrator for Defense Nuclear Nonproliferation Kasia Mendelsohn met virtually with the Sudanese Nuclear and Radiological Regulatory Authority on Thursday to discuss Sudan’s efforts to effectively and safely regulate that... Read More »
A group of lawmakers recently reintroduced the No First Use Act, which establishes that U.S. policy is not to use nuclear weapons as a means of warfare first.
Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-MA), a member of the Senate Armed Services Committee, joined Rep. Adam Smith (D-WA), chairman of the House Armed... Read More »
President Joe Biden nominated Jill Hruby as under secretary for nuclear security and administrator of the Department of Energy’s National Nuclear Security Administration.
Hruby is a mechanical engineer who joined Sandia National Laboratories as a member of the technical staff in 1983 and... Read More »
Department of Defense (DOD) officials have proceeded with transportable advanced nuclear microreactor prototype design initiatives through two contract options.
Teams led by BWXT Advanced Technologies, LLC, of Lynchburg, Va., and X-energy, LLC, of Greenbelt, Md., were selected from a preliminary... Read More »
A bipartisan group of lawmakers recently introduced a resolution condemning Iran's nuclear weapon pursuits.
Reps. Elaine Luria (D-VA), Kathy Manning (D-NC), Peter Meijer (R-MI), Kathleen Rice (D-NY), Josh Gottheimer (D-NJ), and Brad Schneider (D-IL) joined the resolution in the wake of Iran’s... Read More »
Rep. Dave Joyce (R-OH) is among lawmakers encouraging the Biden administration to prevent Iran from developing nuclear weapon capabilities.
Joyce joined other legislators in forwarding correspondence to Secretary of State Antony Blinken, focusing on three areas of concern: Iran’s nuclear... Read More »
A group of Senators introduced legislation supporting President Joe Biden’s efforts to rejoin the Iran Nuclear Deal, also called the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA).
The Iran Diplomacy Act Full says the United States and Iran should promptly return to full compliance with all of... Read More »
A joint document recently released by the Nuclear Innovation Alliance (NIA) and Partnership for Global Security (PGS) defines a comprehensive domestic strategy to advance nuclear power development.
“Clean energy technologies, including advanced nuclear energy, are essential to meet mid-century... Read More »
The Nuclear Threat Initiative applauded the Biden Administration for extending the New Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty (New START) with Russia for an additional five years.
The New START agreement was reached in 2011 with Russia to reduce nuclear arms in both countries. The 10-year agreement was... Read More »
A Center for Advanced Defense Studies (C4ADS) and Nuclear Threat Initiative (NTI) report has determined a blueprint for identifying high-risk or illicit nuclear trade activities at scale.
Signals in the Noise: Preventing Nuclear Proliferation with Machine Learning & Publicly Available... Read More »
Laura McGill has been named Sandia National Laboratories deputy labs director and will lead its nuclear deterrence programs to support safety, security, and reliability excellence.
“I’m honored to join Sandia Labs and the tradition of serving the national security mission,” McGill said.... Read More »
The U.S. National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA) delivered its 2021 Stockpile Stewardship and Management Plan (SSMP) to Congress this week, laying out a specific path to producing 80 plutonium pits annually and delivering first-time production units for various programs.
The... Read More »
Navy officials said the service branch has awarded a $57 million award potentially worth up to $250 million to Northrop Grumman to produce Coyote supersonic sea-skimming target (SSST) vehicles.
The initial 19 vehicles could result in an additional 84 target vehicles, bringing the GQM-163A... Read More »
In a new report, the Nuclear Threat Initiative (NTI) warns of the risks related to the digitization and automation upgrade plans for U.S. nuclear weapons systems.
The report, U.S. Nuclear Weapons Modernization: Security and Policy Implications of Integrating Digital Technology, calls on the U.S.... Read More »
Experts from 21 countries, industry, and non-government organizations gathered virtually last month for the 12th meeting of the Global Dialogue on Nuclear Security Priorities - focusing on enhancing nuclear security engagement.
The Nuclear Threat Initiative (NTI) indicated the session addressed,... Read More »
The Biomedical Advanced Research and Development Authority (BARDA) is expanding a contract with Chrysalis BioTherapeutics, Inc. to pursue the development of TP508, or Chrysalin, a peptide with the potential to counteract injuries resulting from extreme radiation exposure.
Radiation exposure can... Read More »
