Current Nuclear Weapons Development

[Grey Havoc]

Sigh.

 

[bobbymike]

Nuclear weapon modernization continues but the outlook for arms control is bleak: New SIPRI Yearbook out now

SIPRI today launches the findings of SIPRI Yearbook 2020, which assesses the current state of armaments, disarmament and international security.

www.sipri.org

 

[bobbymike]

Senate panel approves $10M to prepare for nuclear test ‘if necessary’

The Senate Armed Services Committee has advanced an amendment aimed at reducing the amount of time it would take to carry out a nuclear test.The amendment, offered by Sen. Tom Cotton (R-Ark.), woul…

thehill.com

 

[bobbymike]

Revelations about Russia’s Nuclear Deterrence Policy - War on the Rocks

On June 2, the Kremlin published an unprecedented six-page document entitled Principles of State Policy of the Russian Federation in the Sphere of Nuclear

warontherocks.com

 

[Grey Havoc]

Democrats say U.S. withdrawal from Open Skies Treaty may be illegal

Senior U.S. Senate Democrats on Monday accused President Donald Trump's administration of violating the law when it declared his intention last month to withdraw the United States from the Open Skies Treaty. In a letter to Secretary of State Mike Pompeo and Secretary of Defense Mike Esper, the...

news.yahoo.com

 

[bobbymike]

Putin’s New Nuclear Doctrine

In June 2020, Russian President Vladimir Putin issued an edict on “On the foundations of state policy in the field of nuclear deterrence.”[1] This is a first because the previous versions

www.realcleardefense.com

 

[bobbymike]

Russian arms-control treaty violations revealed ahead of New START extension talks

The Trump administration revealed on the eve of new arms talks with Russia nine major arms control agreement compliance failures by Moscow.

m.washingtontimes.com

 

[bobbymike]

HASC Funds Nuclear Modernization, With a Few Questions | Air & Space Forces Magazine

Nuclear modernization concerns are again on the table for fiscal 2021 defense policy negotiations, as House lawmakers raise issues about the path forward.

www.airforcemag.com

 

[Grey Havoc]

New Iranian Missile Could Strike Central Europe: Analysis - Breaking Defense

On the 22nd of April, Iran surprised the world by successfully launching the Noor satellite, using a previously unknown Satellite Launch Vehicle (SLV) which they call Qased. The US Space Force confirmed that Noor reached orbit, together with a second object, assessed as the spent upper stage. A...

breakingdefense.com

 

[bobbymike]

Good thing, bad thing??

Pentagon to get more control over nuclear weapons funding under Senate proposal

Critics of the plan say it would give the Pentagon too much control over the Energy Department's budget process.

www.defensenews.com

 

[bobbymike]

Kanyon’s Reach: Rethinking the Nuclear Triad in the Autonomous Age

The United States must decide on a response to Russia’s new port-killing nuclear-tipped unmanned underwater vehicle.

www.usni.org

 

[bobbymike]

We Don’t Have Enough Cash to Build New Nuclear Weapons, Says Air Force Chief

Nukes or conventional weapons, “the current budget does not allow you to do both,” says Gen. Dave Goldfein, suggesting Congress create a separate account.

www.defenseone.com

 

[Grey Havoc]

Next-gen ICBM program survives defunding attempt in House panel

The House Armed Services Committee has shot down a plan that would've slashed funding for the Air Force’s Ground Based Strategic Deterrent program.

www.defensenews.com

 

[GARGEAN]

US airforce. Don't have enough cash...

 

[bobbymike]

Intercontinental Ballistic Missiles Still Matter

On July 1st, the House Armed Services Committee derailed an effort to kill funding for the U.S. Air Force's intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) replacement, the Ground-based Strategic Deterrent

www.realcleardefense.com

 

[bobbymike]

Senate Kills NDAA Language To 'Usurp' Civilian Control Of Nuke Budget - Breaking Defense

"The compromise still achieves Chairman Inhofe’s goal of giving the Department of Defense more direct involvement in the development of the NNSA budget, but the final approval power still rests with the Secretary of Energy," SASC spokesperson Marta Hernandez says.

breakingdefense.com

 

[Grey Havoc]

I suspect that this compromise will not work well, if at all.

 

[Grey Havoc]

Fire at Iran's Natanz nuclear facility caused significant damage: spokesman

A fire at Iran's underground Natanz nuclear facility has caused significant damage that could slow the development of advanced centrifuges used to enrich uranium, an Iranian nuclear official said on Sunday.

www.reuters.com

 

[Grey Havoc]

House panel would block Pentagon from extra sway over nuclear weapons budget

House appropriators have approved a spending bill that would block plans from defense hawks to give the Pentagon a stronger hand in crafting nuclear weapons budgets.

www.defensenews.com

 

[bobbymike]

China challenges U.S. to cut nuclear arsenal to matching level

China would "be happy to" participate in trilateral arms control negotiations with the United States and Russia, but only if the United States were willing to reduce its nuclear arsenal to China's level, a senior Chinese diplomat said on Wednesday.

www.reuters.com

 

[Josh_TN]

Did they give an explicit number for what that level is? I'm going to go out on a limb and say no.

 

[bobbymike]

Spending bill would block funding for nuclear testing

A spending bill released by House Democrats would ban funding from being used to conduct a nuclear test.The House Appropriation Committee’s draft fiscal 2021 appropriations bill for the Energy Depa…

thehill.com

 

[bobbymike]

https://www.usnews.com/news/national-news/articles/2020-07-09/how-the-coronavirus-has-changed-americas-nuclear-missile-force?mc_cid=a7d7f09438&mc_eid=307947a252

 

[sferrin]

Spending bill would block funding for nuclear testing

A spending bill released by House Democrats would ban funding from being used to conduct a nuclear test.The House Appropriation Committee’s draft fiscal 2021 appropriations bill for the Energy Depa…

thehill.com

Democrats? I. Am. Shocked.

 

[Grey Havoc]

Blue Dog Democrats and the like are nearly extinct, unfortunately.

 

[bobbymike]

Blue Dog Democrats and the like are nearly extinct, unfortunately.

Yup, during the 80’s the Reagan nuclear buildup was a GOP - Blue Dog Democrat coalition.

 

[bobbymike]

Arms Control, the ICBM Force, and Ballistic Missile Defense

The U.S. has just started negotiations with the Russians on a new nuclear arms control treaty. Our objectives include closing loopholes in the New START Treaty, bringing in all nuclear weapons, improv

www.realcleardefense.com

 

[bobbymike]

When an article doesn’t include party affiliation but only says “House Committee” you can easily guess which party voted to block funds.

New nuclear warhead funding would be blocked by House appropriators

The House energy and water subcommittee wants to block the National Nuclear Security Administration's funding for the W93.

www.defensenews.com

 

[bobbymike]

The hits just keep on coming. Depending on the election we might get NO Triad modernization after 2020.


House appropriators cut LRSO funding, raise possibility of W80-4 production delay
House lawmakers are proposing a $170 million cut to the Air Force's fiscal year 2021 funding request for the Long Range Standoff Weapon and are recommending a study into the government's backup plans if the new cruise missile's warhead faces a production delay

 

[bobbymike]

Report on North Korea’s Nuclear Weapons, Missile Programs - USNI News

The following is the July 14, 2020 Congressional Research Service In Focus report, North Korea’s Nuclear Weapons and Missile Programs. North Korea continues to advance its nuclear weapons and missile programs despite high-level diplomatic efforts and UN Security Council sanctions. In April 2018...

news.usni.org

 

[bobbymike]

This is not meant to be political just to mark the event itself

Presidential Message on the 75th Anniversary of the Trinity Nuclear Test | The White House

Seventy-five years ago today, on a rainy morning in the Jornada del Muerto desert of New Mexico, the United States ushered in the nuclear age with the deto

www.whitehouse.gov

 

[bobbymike]

Key House Democrats want to lock in New START weapons limits

The chairmen of the House foreign affairs and intelligence committees are pushing a measure meant to extend the last remaining U.S.-Russia arms control agreement amid fears President Donald Trump will let it lapse.

www.defensenews.com

 

[sferrin]

Key House Democrats want to lock in New START weapons limits

The chairmen of the House foreign affairs and intelligence committees are pushing a measure meant to extend the last remaining U.S.-Russia arms control agreement amid fears President Donald Trump will let it lapse.

www.defensenews.com

Hmm. The House wants to cut LRSO funding, delay it's new warhead, and lock us into START limits. Sounds like somebody wants to tie our hands while China and Russia run wild with the reconstitution/expansion of their nuclear forces.

 

[bobbymike]

Nuclear Tests Have Changed, but They Never Really Stopped

75 years after the first explosive nuclear tests, now outlawed, sophisticated virtual testing allows American physicists to understand these weapons better than ever.

www.wired.com

 

[Grey Havoc]

That's a rather optimistic article, methinks.

 

[bobbymike]

House Democrats vote to block funding for nuclear weapons tests

No funding would be available for live nuclear weapons testing under an amendment the House adopted to its version of the annual defense policy bill.

www.defensenews.com

 

[sferrin]

House Democrats vote to block funding for nuclear weapons tests

No funding would be available for live nuclear weapons testing under an amendment the House adopted to its version of the annual defense policy bill.

www.defensenews.com

Typical.

 

[Grey Havoc]

Stupidity is indeed it's own reward...

 

[GARGEAN]

Banning new live nuclear test is stupidity how?..

 

[fredymac]

The impetus for all this is whether Russia and China are obeying the ban (its already a given that N Korea/Iran et al don't bother with it). Then the question becomes does self banning simply ratify the cheating. In cases like this, I would favor releasing the technical data (seismic data, imagery, etc) that is driving the concern due to the seriousness of the issue.