Publications: Nuclear Security & Deterrence Monitor

Lawmakers’ $923.3 billion defense authorization bill will wait for a floor vote until after the July 4 recess, the chair of the Senate Appropriations Committee said this week. Sen. Patty Murray (D-Wash.) told reporters after the body’s weekly policy lunches that she and other Democrats will not agree to a defense increase while other domestic […]

The Senate Armed Services Committee overwhelmingly approved a National Defense Authorization Act that would authorize more than requested for the National Nuclear Security Administration, but a floor vote on the bill will wait until after July 4. Senate Democrats on Tuesday said they are mostly opposed to increasing defense spending beyond existing budget caps unless […]

The National Academies of Sciences recommended in a report that the National Nuclear Security Administration enhance the security of radiological materials by prioritizing research funding and engaging in cooperation with low- and middle-income countries already using radiological sources. “By investing in this… it’s a deterrent in and of itself,” Jeffrey Chamberlin, acting principal assistant deputy […]

Global spending on nuclear weapons increased by 13% in 2023, according to the latest annual report by the International Campaign to Abolish Nuclear Weapons group, reaching $91.4 billion that year with a world-leading $51.5 billion spent in the U.S.  This 2023 total is $10.7 billion higher than the previous year, with all nine nuclear-armed states […]

After nearly a year of bicameral debate and dealing, the Senate on Tuesday passed a bill designed to ease exports of U.S. nuclear technology and reform the Nuclear Regulatory Commission. It was an overwhelmingly bipartisan vote, opposed only by two of the voting senators. One was Sen. Edward Markey (D-Mass.), the progressive, pacifist liberal of […]

The House considered, and passed 217-199, a version of the fiscal 2025 National Defense Authorization Act this week that includes a provision to restore nuclear capabilities to the B-52 bomber, but not an amendment restoring the Radiation Exposure Compensation Act. Rep. Mike Rogers (R-Ala., on behalf of Rep. August Pfluger (R-Texas), proposed an amendment Wednesday […]

Harry Boston, founder of Boston Government Services, is stepping down as CEO and being succeeded by chief operating officer Doug Freund, the Oak Ridge, Tenn.-based Department of Energy contractor said May 31. Boston, who started Boston Government Services (BGS) in 2007, sold his ownership stake to Louisiana-based Bernhard Capital Partners in 2022, according to the […]

The Army has partnered with the Pentagon’s Defense Innovation Unit on a new effort to assess industry’s nuclear microreactor solutions, with an aim to bolster energy resilience at installations. Under the new Advanced Nuclear Power for Installations (ANPI) prototype program, the Army and Defense Innovation Unit (DIU) are seeking information on industry’s ability to provide […]

Leaders from the United States and the Republic of Korea convened in Seoul on Monday with aims to strengthen nuclear deterrence and relations between the two nations, according to a press release from the Department of Defense. The two nations met with intentions of information sharing, consulting, and joint planning and execution to extend deterrence […]

President Joe Biden’s administration objected Tuesday to a provision in the House Committee on Armed Services version of the fiscal 2025 National Defense Authorization Act that would ban Chinese or Russian nationals entry into nuclear weapons facilities and national security laboratories. The statement cites Section 3111 of the H.R. 8070 version of the National Defense […]

The House Appropriations Committee is recommending a $324 million cut to the U.S. Air Force’s research and development request of $3.7 billion for the Northrop Grumman LGM-35A Sentinel future intercontinental ballistic missile. “This decrease is the result of insufficient justification and program uncertainty for execution needs in fiscal year 2025,” according to the House Appropriations […]

The Department of Energy and its Nevada National Security Administration Wednesday announced the selection of a solar developer to pursue a carbon-free electric project at the Nevada National Security Site. Under the Cleanup to Clean Energy initiative, DOE and the National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA) have selected Estuary Power LLC & NV Energy as the […]

A top National Security Council official said Friday at an Arms Control Association conference  the United States will need to employ a more assertive nuclear strategy in light of the posture being taken by Russia and China. Pranay Vaddi, special assistant to President Joe Biden and senior director for arms control, disarmament, and nonproliferation at […]

Editor’s note: this story is free to read as part of the ExchangeMonitor’s EXM Weekly newsletter. If you enjoyed reading, click here to sign up for EXM Weekly and get one free story from us every week. The Department of Energy’s National Nuclear Security Administration Thursday awarded a contract for management and operation of  the Pantex Plant […]

A spokesperson from the Los Alamos National Laboratory in New Mexico confirmed in an email Monday to the Exchange Monitor that an incident involving skin contamination due to a glovebox failure resulted in no significant health issues. During the week of May 10, the Defense Nuclear Facilities Safety Board (DNFSB) wrote a staff report on […]

The House Rules Committee passed its version of the 2025 National Defense Authorization Act 217-199 on Friday after a three-day debate among members on around 350 amendments. The bill includes provisions that restore the B-52 bomber’s nuclear capabilities, codifies the National Nuclear Security Administration as the lead in strategizing against smuggling nuclear materials, and requires […]

The Department of Energy’s National Nuclear Security Administration Thursday awarded a contract for management and operation of  the Pantex Plant in Amarillo, Texas to a joint venture called PanTeXas Deterrence LLC, led by Lynchburg, Va. based BWX Technologies. That is according to a notice on the federal government’s System for Award Management (SAM.gov). The award […]

The National Nuclear Security Administration allocated $161.3 million to support nuclear and radiological security efforts in Ukraine, according to a Government Accountability Office report on supplemental U.S. funding for the battle-torn country. Since Russia’s February 2022 invasion of Ukraine, the U.S. Congress has appropriated upwards of $174 billion under five Ukraine supplemental appropriations acts. The […]

Both the director general of the International Atomic Energy Agency and the E3 group of nations expressed concerns over Iran’s uranium enrichment in their statements at the Board of Governors meeting. International Atomic Agency (IAEA) Director General Rafael Grossi emphasized that Iran’s enrichment of 60% purity is close to the required purity of 90% for […]

Australia on Wednesday announced the start of a life extension program for the Collins-class submarine that curtails previously planned upgrades while it awaits U.S. and domestically-made nuclear-powered attack submarines in the next decades. Australia aims to ultimately replace its six Collins-class submarines with nuclear-powered SSN-AUKUS design vessels as a result of the trilateral AUKUS agreement […]

LOUISVILLE, KY. — The Department of Energy’s former chief information officer warns the federal government will become more demanding on cyber security requirements for contractors, and that it’s likely to be costly and time-consuming. “Agencies are updating policies,” Rocky Campione, vice president of cybersecurity and technology solutions for Boston Government Services, said here Wednesday. Campione […]

The U.S. Air Force B-21 Raider stealth bomber by Northrop Grumman is exempt from a Title 10 requirement that a defense secretary seek a waiver for a low-rate initial production buy of more than 10 percent of total production for a Major Defense Acquisition Program, the Department of Defense said. The Department of the Air […]

The bipartisan-supported Radiation Exposure Compensation Act will expire today June 7 barring last minute reauthorization, and some lawmakers continue to voice their dissatisfaction with an extension that would not expand the number of nuclear workers who might qualify. “I am disappointed that Speaker [Mike] Johnson sent the House home without taking action on RECA before […]

Air Force Global Strike Command Airmen and Space Force Guardians launched an unarmed Minuteman III intercontinental ballistic missile, equipped with one re-entry vehicle, Tuesday morning. The test is part of a series of over 300 tests of the missile and is meant to to showcase the strength of the deterrent, according to a press release. […]

Given recent lack of progress on recent efforts at international arms control, President Joe Biden’s administration could soon announce a more aggressive nuclear weapons policy, the Semafor news service reported Friday. The National Security Council could soon announce a revised approach to arms control after the United States has failed to secure new talks with […]

The general director of the International Atomic Energy Agency recently identified the U.S. nuclear security regime as an international model at a presentation at the International Conference on Nuclear Security in Vienna, according to the National Nuclear Security Administration press release. The National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA) hosted nine experts chosen by the International Atomic […]

LOUISVILLE, KY.—Once the National Nuclear Security Administration ramps up its plutonium pit production in the 2030s, the semi autonomous branch of the Department of Energy will be more closely linked with the waste disposal work of its sister DOE office for nuclear cleanup, Ahmad Al-Daouk said here Tuesday. “We are producing pits and we are […]