Non-Proliferation

Kenneth Fletcher NS&D Monitor  5/8/2015 In another step by the Obama Administration away from the Mixed Oxide Fuel Fabrication Facility, the long-awaited Surplus Plutonium Disposition Final Supplemental Environmental Impact Statement no longer includes MOX as a “preferred alternative” for disposing of the material. The National Nuclear Security Administration recently posted the final SEIS for the […]

Mike Nartker NS&D Monitor 5/8/2015 The National Nuclear Security Administration late this week began conducting market research to see if a planned contract to help install radiation detection systems to prevent nuclear smuggling can be set aside for small businesses. The new contract is a follow-on to an existing contract to provide design, integration, construction, […]

Jeremy L. Dillon RW Monitor 5/8/2015 NorthStar Medical Radioisotopes announced this week the successful first production-scale test run of molybdenum-99 from its system at the University of Missouri Research Reactor (MURR) in Columbia, Mo. Following the test run at the reactor, NorthStar then shipped the material to its Madison, Wis., facility, another milestone for the […]

Brian Bradley NS&D Monitor 5/8/2015 A senior U.S. diplomat defended ongoing efforts to modernize the U.S. nuclear weapons complex late last week at the 2015 Review Conference (RevCon) of the Nuclear Nonproliferation Treaty, saying such efforts could help advance some disarmament goals.  “Modernization of our nuclear enterprise will over time allow for still greater reductions […]

NorthStar Medical Radioisotopes announced yesterday the successful first production-scale test run of molybdenum-99 from its system at the University of Missouri Research Reactor (MURR) in Columbia, Mo. Following the test run at the reactor, NorthStar then shipped the material to its Madison, Wis. facility, another milestone for the company’s production process. “This week’s events proved […]

Sen. Diane Feinstein (D-Calif.) questioned yesterday during a Senate Defense Appropriations Subcommittee the top enlisted Defense Department official on why the U.S. needs a replacement for the air-launched cruise missile, and expressed concern that the replacement’s W-80 warhead will vie with nonproliferation activities for funding. “This is a large expense, and it competes for funding […]

The long-awaited Surplus Plutonium Disposition Final Supplemental Environmental Impact Statement does not have a “preferred alternative” for disposing of the material, though the 2012 draft version had pointed to the Mixed Oxide Fuel Fabrication Facility under construction at the Savannah River Site.  The National Nuclear Security Administration recently posted the final SEIS for the disposition […]

Language in House E&W Bill Called ‘Unnecessarily Restrictive’ by Administration Todd Jacobson NS&D Monitor 5/1/2015 The Obama Administration is continuing to try to distance itself from the Mixed Oxide Fuel Fabrication Facility, objecting this week to language in the House version of the Fiscal Year 2016 Energy and Water Appropriations Act that would keep construction […]

Brian Bradley NS&D Monitor 5/1/2015 Israel has shown support for ratifying the Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty, the leader of the primary organization concerned with banning global nuclear tests said this week. “Recently, I was in Israel. Last year, they told me that ratification of the CTBT is not ‘if,’ but ‘when,’ Lassina Zerbo, Executive Secretary of […]

Israel has shown support of ratifying the Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty, the leader of the primary organization concerned with banning global nuclear tests said yesterday. “Recently, I was in Israel. Last year, they told me that ratification of the CTBT is not ‘if,’ but ‘when,’ Lassina Zerbo, Executive Secretary of the Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty Organization, told […]

Brian Bradley NS&D Monitor 4/24/2015 Orbital ATK is continuing to collaborate with International Space Company Kosmotras—a joint project between Russia, Ukraine and Kazakhstan—on ideas for the sputtering Dnepr Program, which involves converting intercontinental ballistic missiles to space launch vehicles that carry iridium satellites into orbit. Ighor Uzhinsky, a senior employee for Orbital ATK’s Flight group, […]

Brian Bradley NS&D Monitor 4/24/2015 The 2015 Review Conference (RevCon) for the Nuclear Nonproliferation Treaty starts on Monday at UN Headquarters in New York, and treaty advocates expect disarmament and a WMD-free zone in the Middle East to dominate discussions this year. “On nuclear disarmament, I think there’s a lot of expectation that there’ll be […]

Although work on the Department of Defense’s Cooperative Threat Reduction (CTR) Program is shifting from joint U.S.-Russian government oversight to Russian control, cooperation between firms from the two countries remains strong and opportunities for CTR work still exists for American companies, an industry executive said yesterday. Orbital ATK is continuing to collaborate with International Space […]

Kenneth Fletcher WC Monitor 4/17/2015 A coalition of 22 representatives from advocacy groups sent a letter to the Department of Energy this week calling for a nuclear nonproliferation impact assessment on a new processing method at the Savannah River Site proposed for German spent fuel. The 900 kilograms of U.S.-origin highly enriched uranium comes in […]

Nonprolif. Account Funding Largely Matches $1.9 Billion Request Todd Jacobson NS&D Monitor 4/17/2015 Lawmakers on the House Energy and Water Appropriations Subcommittee cleared their version of the Fiscal Year 2016 Energy and Water Appropriations bill this week, and while there is a slight funding cut for the National Nuclear Security Administration’s weapons program, subcommittee Chairman […]

Calling for the Department of Energy to conduct a nuclear nonproliferation impact assessment on a new processing method at Savannah River proposed for German spent fuel, a coalition of 22 representatives from advocacy groups sent a letter to DOE yesterday. The 900 kilograms of U.S.-origin highly enriched uranium are in the form of graphite spheres […]

Todd Jacobson NS&D Monitor 4/10/2015 The Obama Administration should increase spending on the National Nuclear Security Administration’s nonproliferation work to help the program prepare to address evolving threats, a Secretary of Energy Advisory Board task force said in a recent report. Funding for the NNSA’s nonproliferation account has dipped in recent years, dropping from $2.2 […]

Brian Bradley NS&D Monitor 4/10/2015 Rose Gottemoeller, U.S. Under Secretary of State for Arms Control and International Security, joined Madelyn Creedon, Principal Deputy Administrator of the National Nuclear Security Administration, April 9 for the first part of a two-day trip to Vatican City and Italy to discuss arms control and nonproliferation issues, including the Nuclear […]

Brian Bradley NS&D Monitor 4/10/2015 The International Atomic Energy Agency and National Nuclear Security Administration will support the Jamaican government in converting the Caribbean’s only research reactor from highly enriched uranium (HEU) to low enriched uranium (LEU) fuel later this year, according to an IAEA press release. Housed at the University of West Indies (UWI) […]

Brian Bradley NS&D Monitor 4/10/2015 A Russian delegate told the United Nations Disarmament Commission (UNDC) on April 7 that the United States deployment of a global missile defense system destroys disarmament prospects. The words from the delegate, Olga Kuznetsova, come during a time when diplomats and nonproliferation advocates have decried the slow progress on nuclear […]

Rose Gottemoeller, U.S. Under Secretary of State for Arms Control and International Security, is embarking on a nine-day trip to Europe, starting today with a two-day stay at the Holy See and Italy to discuss arms control and nonproliferation issues, including the Nuclear Nonproliferation Treaty Review Conference starting later this month, according to a State […]

The International Atomic Energy Agency will support the governments of Jamaica and the United States in converting the Caribbean’s only research reactor from highly enriched uranium (HEU) to low enriched uranium (LEU) fuel later this year, according to an IAEA press release. Housed in Jamaica, the fuel will be returned to the U.S. “The additional […]

The Obama Administration should increase spending on the National Nuclear Security Administration’s nonproliferation work to help the program prepare to address evolving threats, a Secretary of Energy Advisory Board task force said in a recent report. Funding for the NNSA’s nonproliferation account has dipped in recent years, dropping from $2.2 billion in Fiscal Year 2013 […]

Todd Jacobson NS&D Monitor 4/3/2015 After spiking in the fall, the size of U.S. and Russian nuclear stockpiles has dipped again, according to the latest New START Treaty data released by the State Department this week. The April 1 declaration revealed that the United States counted 1,597 strategic deployed warheads as of March 1, down […]

Brian Bradley NS&D Monitor 4/3/2015 While five diplomats agreed during last week’s Carnegie Nuclear Policy Conference that the upcoming Review Conference (RevCon) of the Nuclear Nonproliferation Treaty would be successful, Russia’s annexation of Crimea and officials’ nuclear rhetoric are presenting new challenges for diplomats, according to Jacek Bylica, Principal Adviser and Special Envoy for Non-Proliferation […]

Brian Bradley NS&D Monitor 3/27/2015 A White House official this week responded point by point to three Russian assertions that the U.S. has violated the Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces (INF) Treaty, while reiterating Washington’s goal to bring Russia back into compliance with the agreement. The U.S. publicly accused Russia in July of violating INF Treaty by […]

Todd Jacobson NS&D Monitor 3/27/2015 Time is dwindling for the Obama Administration to make a push for Senate ratification of the Comprehensive Test-Ban Treaty, but Under Secretary of State for Arms Control and International Security Rose Gottemoeller said this week that she’s not giving up on one of the pillars of President Obama’s nuclear security […]

Todd Jacobson NS&D Monitor 3/27/2015 The National Nuclear Security Administration released this week for the first time a comprehensive strategy for its nonproliferation work. Called Prevent, Counter, and Respond—A Strategic Plan to Reduce Global Nuclear Threats, the 124-page document provides an overview of NNSA’s plans for its recently reorganized nonproliferation account from Fiscal Year 2016 […]

A White House official yesterday responded point by point to three Russian assertions that the U.S. has violated the Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces (INF) Treaty, while reiterating Washington’s goal to bring Russia back into compliance with the agreement. The U.S. publicly accused Russia in July of violating INF Treaty by developing a ground-launched cruise missile capable […]

The National Nuclear Security Administration has released for the first time a comprehensive strategy for its nonproliferation work. Called Prevent, Counter, and Respond—A Strategic Plan to Reduce Global Nuclear Threats, the 124-page document provides an overview of NNSA’s plans for its recently reorganized nonproliferation account from Fiscal Year 2016 to FY 2020. “In an era […]