“New START matters to our security, to the security of the alliance, to the cohesion of the (NATO) alliance,” said Tom Countryman, former assistant secretary of State for international security and nonproliferation,

“New START was flawed from the beginning,” National Security Adviser John Bolton said Tuesday. “It is due to expire in February 2021 and while no decision has been made, it is unlikely to be extended. We need to focus on something better. And we will.”

US may face destabilizing Russian interference with NTMs “while demand for strategic intelligence on Russian strategic nuclear forces from space-based NTMs goes up significantly,” says Michael Gleason.

In any post-New START nuclear buildup, Russia will “at least initially” have an edge over the US, says retired Lt. Gen. Frank Klotz, former head of Air Force Global Strike Command.

Officials from the National Security Council, Defense Intelligence Agency, and the State Department all hinted Moscow and Beijing are violating the treaty — only to retreat into vague statements when pressed.

The resignation of Trump’s assistant secretary for arms control and verification weakens the State Department’s already shaky bench in arms control talks.

The 12-hull, $128 billion Columbia class program is the Navy’s cornerstone project not only for a new class of submarines, but also for the United States’ nuclear triad, which relies on a mix of air, land, and sea-launched nuclear missiles.

As President Trump prepares to meet Vladimir Putin in a high-stakes one-on-one meeting, there is growing and legitimate concern in Washington and European capitals about concessions Trump might make in the hopes of getting along with the Russian strongman. The anxiety is warranted, given President Trump’s public statements on NATO and the invasion of Ukraine,… Keep reading →

UPDATED: We Run Op-Ed; Pentagon Announces LRSO Contract The Pentagon just awarded the third major contract in the modernization of the nuclear triad. First came the B-21 bomber. Then the Columbia-class submarine, to replace the Ohio class boomers. Two days ago they awarded Boeing and Northrop Grumman contracts to begin work on the new version… Keep reading →

If the Trump administration wants to negotiate an arms control treaty with Russia, it must meet several preconditions. The Times of London reports that then President-elect Donald Trump signaled he would consider a nuclear arms reduction treaty with the Russians. He was quoted as saying, “For one thing, I think nuclear weapons should be way down and… Keep reading →