Current Nuclear Weapons Development

[Grey Havoc]

Israel's prime minister urges world leaders to shun Iran's new president

Election of Ebrahim Raisi is world's last chance to 'wake up' to risks of restoring nuclear deal, says Naftali Bennett

www.telegraph.co.uk

 

[Grey Havoc]

Europeans, U.S. warn Iran nuclear talks won’t be open-ended

Western officials warned Tehran on Sunday that negotiations to revive its nuclear deal could not continue indefinitely, after the sides announced a break following the election of a new hardline president in Iran.

www.reuters.com

 

[Grey Havoc]

Iran nuclear deal: President-elect Raisi issues warning over talks

Ebrahim Raisi promises he will not allow negotiations on reviving a 2015 deal to be dragged out.

www.bbc.com

 

[Grey Havoc]

Biden, Putin set consultations on updating nuclear pact

Putin said he and Biden agreed to begin negotiations on nuclear talks to potentially replace the New START treaty limiting nuclear weapons after it expires in 2026.

www.defensenews.com

 

[bobbymike]

How Would NATO Compete with Russia?

Western threat perceptions of Russia have risen sharply in recent years, bolstered by its acts of military aggression, political interference, and efforts to expand its global influence. What would be the strengths, weaknesses, and risks for the United States, NATO, and Russia in a large-scale war?

www.rand.org

 

[bobbymike]

Nuclear Escalation Strategies and Perceptions: The United States, the Russian Federation, and China → UNIDIR

This study is the first in a series that profiles different “friction points” among nuclear-armed and nuclear-allied States, examining issues of contention in their relations that can spark potential conflict and nuclear escalation. It considers the multipolar dynamics between the United States...

unidir.org

 

[Grey Havoc]

On an interesting note re. Iran:

Iran Alleges State-Linked News Websites Were Seized by the US - Slashdot

Iran alleges that the U.S. State Department seized the websites of some of the country's major news networks, hours after a message on several state-run Iranian news websites claimed they were "seized by the United States Government," the Islamic Republic of Iran News Network said in a statement...

news.slashdot.org

 

[Grey Havoc]

US government blocks Iran-affiliated news websites

The justice department says 36 websites linked to the Iranian government have been seized.

www.bbc.com

 

[Grey Havoc]

Iran claims sabotage of Iran Atomic Energy Organization failed

Despite Iranian claims, both in July 2020 and April 2021, the Islamic Republic initially lied to the global media in trying to downplay sabotage operations.

www.jpost.com

 

[TomcatViP]

Drone attack targets Iranian centrifuges:

An expert in Iran claims that the centrifuge blade production plant was attacked by a drone carrying two bombs. It was supported by another drone equipped with electronic warfare emitters. While the UAV capable of carrying four bombs; only two were used.

The drones returned unharmed to their base in one of the countries closest to Iran, the source said.

Iranian Nuke Centrifuge Plant Badly Damaged By Drones - Breaking Defense

Israeli Prime Minister Naftali Bennett appeared to hint Thursday -- the day after the attack -- that Israel may have been involved when he spoke to a graduating ceremony for Israeli Air Force pilots: "Our enemies know — not from statements, but from actions — that we are much more determined and...

breakingdefense.com

 

[NMaude]

On another note is there a thread on US nuclear testing and if not which forum would be the appropriate one to create such a thread?

I don't like to quote myself however since no one bothered to answer my question I'll ask it again.

 

[bobbymike]

On another note is there a thread on US nuclear testing and if not which forum would be the appropriate one to create such a thread?

I don't like to quote myself however since no one bothered to answer my question I'll ask it again.

Probably Military or The Bar

 

[Grey Havoc]

Serious differences remain between US and Iran on nuclear talks, but deal is ‘possible’

The U.S. and Iran must overcome serious differences to reach an agreement on returning to the terms of the 2015 international nuclear agreement but a deal remains possible, a senior State Departmen…

thehill.com

 

[Josh_TN]

Drone attack targets Iranian centrifuges:

An expert in Iran claims that the centrifuge blade production plant was attacked by a drone carrying two bombs. It was supported by another drone equipped with electronic warfare emitters. While the UAV capable of carrying four bombs; only two were used.

The drones returned unharmed to their base in one of the countries closest to Iran, the source said.

Iranian Nuke Centrifuge Plant Badly Damaged By Drones - Breaking Defense

Israeli Prime Minister Naftali Bennett appeared to hint Thursday -- the day after the attack -- that Israel may have been involved when he spoke to a graduating ceremony for Israeli Air Force pilots: "Our enemies know — not from statements, but from actions — that we are much more determined and...

breakingdefense.com

I personally think a lot of recent fires and accidents in Iran might be attributed to small UAVs with explosive/incendiary payloads.

 

[Grey Havoc]

Or in some cases, ground drones/small UGVs. It is even possible there may be combos (UAVs dropping off UGVs) involved.

 

[Forest Green]

Or in some cases, ground drones/small UGVs. It is even possible there may be combos (UAVs dropping off UGVs) involved.

When a state does trolling.

 

[bobbymike]

US officials double down on push for nuclear modernization

ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. (AP) — A top U.S. nuclear security official and the leaders of three key national laboratories doubled down Friday on the push to modernize the country’s nuclear arsenal and the science and technology that back it up.

apnews.com

 

[bobbymike]

Nuclear force: Why India needs to increase its nuclear stockpile

Most nuclear-armed states provide little or no information about the exact size of their nuclear arsenal. So, any information related to the size and composition of the nuclear weapon stockpiles of any country are just estimates.

www.financialexpress.com

 

[Grey Havoc]

https://www.reddit.com/r/nuclear/comments/o2bga0

View: https://www.reddit.com/r/nuclear/comments/o2bga0/work_starts_on_russian_fast_neutron_reactor/

 

[NMaude]

https://www.reddit.com/r/nuclear/comments/o2bga0

View: https://www.reddit.com/r/nuclear/comments/o2bga0/work_starts_on_russian_fast_neutron_reactor/

What is the military significance of that?

 

[Grey Havoc]

It is a fast breeder reactor, so more than likely will be used to help replenish some of Russia's nuclear material stockpiles, especially plutonium. Despite scrapping a lot of nukes during the 1990s, Russia has reportedly been running a bit low recently on certain materials, due to the fact that a lot of the nuclear materials left over from the Soviet era, salvaged and otherwise, was ironically sold to the United States under various non-proliferation programs that lasted into the early Putin era.

 

[NMaude]

was ironically sold to the United States under various non-proliferation programs that lasted into the early Putin era.

IIRC the Clinton administration bought 500 metric tons of weapons-grade U-235 from them and turned it into reactor-fuel.

 

[GARGEAN]

A bit funny and a bit sad, considering at what points both countries stand now in terms of nuclear tech. Kinda reminds wheat situation.

 

[sferrin]

Democrats take aim at the US's new $264 billion ICBM amid search for cash to boost the military

In 10 or 15 years, an ICBM in a silo may not be "the deterrent that we would count on," Rep. John Garamendi told Insider.

www.businessinsider.com

"Rep. Adam Smith, chairman of the House Armed Services Committee, said Tuesday that "as it is currently being explained to us," a Minuteman life extension would cost more than develop GBSD but that doesn't necessarily mean the US needs to buy all 400 new missiles or "even that we need that leg of the triad.""

Must be why both China and Russia have two ICBMs in development/production. Each.

 

[Grey Havoc]

India test-launches new Agni-series nuclear-capable missile

India's government-run Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) test-launched the latest variant of its Agni family of nuclear-capable ballistic missiles on...

www.janes.com

 

[Grey Havoc]

From a couple of weeks ago:

North Korea striving to build nuclear-capable missiles that can defeat BMD systems, says CRS report

North Korea’s recent ballistic missile tests suggest that Pyongyang is striving to build a credible nuclear warfighting capability designed to evade ballistic missile...

www.janes.com

Woops, old article from last year!

 

[Forest Green]

was ironically sold to the United States under various non-proliferation programs that lasted into the early Putin era.

IIRC the Clinton administration bought 500 metric tons of weapons-grade U-235 from them and turned it into reactor-fuel.

The UK has a shedload of weapons grade plutonium due to THORP if the US needs some fast and cheap.

 

[Josh_TN]

was ironically sold to the United States under various non-proliferation programs that lasted into the early Putin era.

IIRC the Clinton administration bought 500 metric tons of weapons-grade U-235 from them and turned it into reactor-fuel.

The UK has a shedload of weapons grade plutonium due to THORP if the US needs some fast and cheap.

I believe Japan has a sizable stockpile as well.

 

[sferrin]

China is building more than 100 new missile silos in its western desert, analysts say

https://www.washingtonpost.com/national-security/china-nuclear-missile-silos/2021/06/30/0fa8debc-d9c2-11eb-bb9e-70fda8c37057_story.html

 

[NMaude]

was ironically sold to the United States under various non-proliferation programs that lasted into the early Putin era.

IIRC the Clinton administration bought 500 metric tons of weapons-grade U-235 from them and turned it into reactor-fuel.

The UK has a shedload of weapons grade plutonium due to THORP if the US needs some fast and cheap.

I believe Japan has a sizable stockpile as well.

And if Japan was so inclined they'd be capable of building a processing plant to purify the Plutonium to get rid of the Pu-238, 240, 241 and 242 to make super-grade Pu-239.

 

[bobbymike]

China is building more than 100 new missile silos in its western desert, analysts say

https://www.washingtonpost.com/national-security/china-nuclear-missile-silos/2021/06/30/0fa8debc-d9c2-11eb-bb9e-70fda8c37057_story.html

Missiles in silos that’s unpossible

And I guarantee they won’t be for some piddling single warhead missile either.

 

[NMaude]

Missiles in silos that’s unpossible

Unpossible?

 

[bobbymike]

Missiles in silos that’s unpossible

Unpossible?

See Ralph Wiggum

View: https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=JXFGy10b7Js

 

[Forest Green]

China is building more than 100 new missile silos in its western desert, analysts say

https://www.washingtonpost.com/national-security/china-nuclear-missile-silos/2021/06/30/0fa8debc-d9c2-11eb-bb9e-70fda8c37057_story.html

Missiles in silos that’s unpossible

And I guarantee they won’t be for some piddling single warhead missile either.

Yeah, there must be like 2.6 warheads on each missile, because China only has their stated 260 warheads right, and 260/100 = 2.6.

 

[Grey Havoc]

Yes, it will be very interesting indeed to see how the US State Department will try and spin this latest disaster.

 

[sferrin]

Missiles in silos that’s unpossible

Unpossible?

Mocking the train of "thought" that missiles in silos are useless.

 

[sferrin]

Yes, it will be very interesting indeed to see how the US State Department will try and spin this latest disaster.

They only did it because we did it. And if we scrapped ours they'd scrap theirs. Duh.

 

[sferrin]

China is building more than 100 new missile silos in its western desert, analysts say

https://www.washingtonpost.com/national-security/china-nuclear-missile-silos/2021/06/30/0fa8debc-d9c2-11eb-bb9e-70fda8c37057_story.html

Missiles in silos that’s unpossible

And I guarantee they won’t be for some piddling single warhead missile either.

Yeah, there must be like 2.6 warheads on each missile, because China only has their stated 260 warheads right, and 260/100 = 2.6.

No, no, no. They're going to shell-game their 26 DS-41s among the 100 silos. See, this can't actually LAUNCH an ICBM:

 

[Josh_TN]

was ironically sold to the United States under various non-proliferation programs that lasted into the early Putin era.

IIRC the Clinton administration bought 500 metric tons of weapons-grade U-235 from them and turned it into reactor-fuel.

The UK has a shedload of weapons grade plutonium due to THORP if the US needs some fast and cheap.

I believe Japan has a sizable stockpile as well.

And if Japan was so inclined they'd be capable of building a processing plant to purify the Plutonium to get rid of the Pu-238, 240, 241 and 242 to make super-grade Pu-239.

I thought they specifically built a plant for that purpose and there was some controversy over the decision?

 

[Josh_TN]

China is building more than 100 new missile silos in its western desert, analysts say

https://www.washingtonpost.com/national-security/china-nuclear-missile-silos/2021/06/30/0fa8debc-d9c2-11eb-bb9e-70fda8c37057_story.html

Missiles in silos that’s unpossible

And I guarantee they won’t be for some piddling single warhead missile either.

I was a little surprised by this news - aren't their missiles already stored underground and are road mobile? The only advantage of silos I can think of is that they can be kept on a higher alert status. The US never deployed a road mobile ICBM and quite honestly I don't think it would be workable in this country from a security standpoint.