USAF Center for Unconventional Weapons Studies (CUWS) Outreach Journal Issue No. 1108, 28 March 2014 Welcome to the CUWS Outreach Journal! As part of the CUWS’ mission to develop Air Force, DoD, and other USG leaders to advance the state of knowledge, policy, and practices within strategic defense issues involving nuclear, biological, and chemical weapons, we offer the government and civilian community a source of contemporary discussions on unconventional weapons. These discussions include news articles, papers, and other information sources that address issues pertinent to the U.S. national security community. It is our hope that this information resources will help enhance the overall awareness of these important national security issues and lead to the further discussion of options for dealing with the potential use of unconventional weapons. The CUWS is seeking submissions for its annual General Charles A. Horner award, which honors the best original writing on issues relating to Air Force counter-WMD and nuclear enterprise operations. The deadline for submissions is March 31, 2014. For more information, please visit our web-site. The following news articles, papers, and other information sources do not necessarily reflect official endorsement of the Air University, U.S. Air Force, or Department of Defense. Reproduction for private use or commercial gain is subject to original copyright restrictions. All rights are reserved. FEATURED ITEM: “Next Steps in Nuclear Arms Control with Russia: Issues for Congress”. By Amy F. Woolf, Specialist in Nuclear Weapons Policy; January 6, 2014. Published by Congressional Research Service; 37 pages. http://fpc.state.gov/documents/organization/219953.pdf In his 2013 State of the Union Address, President Obama stated that the United States would “engage Russia to seek further reductions in our nuclear arsenals.” These reductions could include limits on strategic, nonstrategic and nondeployed nuclear weapons. Yet, arms control negotiations between the United States and Russia have stalled, leading many observers to suggest that the United States reduce its nuclear forces unilaterally, or in parallel with Russia, without negotiating a new treaty. Many in Congress have expressed concerns about this possibility, both because they question the need to reduce nuclear forces below New START levels and because they do not want the President to agree to further reductions without seeking the approval of Congress. Outreach Journal Feedback or sign-up request: [email protected] Return to Top U.S. NUCLEAR WEAPONS 1. U.S. Tactical Nuclear Arms Mission Could Shift Among NATO Jets 2. Air Force Removes Commander, 9 Others after Cheating Scandal 3. At Core of Nuke Cheating Ring: 4 'Librarians' U.S. COUNTER-WMD 1. 35 Nations Sign Up to Tougher Nuclear Security Standards HOMELAND SECURITY/THE AMERICAS 1. Uranium Stockpile Quietly Exported Back to U.S., Canada Reveals 2. U.S. Aims to Correct Issue Behind 2013 Failed Missile Defense Test 3. Obama: Nuclear Blast a Bigger Concern than Russia 4. Inside the Ring: Defense Talks Scrapped/More Sophisticated Missile Threats ASIA/PACIFIC 1. Japan to Return Weapons-Grade Plutonium to U.S. 2. North Korea Fires 16 Short-Range Rockets into Waters on Sunday 3. N. Korea Fires Two Ballistic Missiles, Prompting Seoul to Take Countermeasures Issue No.1108, 28 March 2014 United States Air Force Center for Unconventional Weapons Studies| Maxwell AFB, Alabama http://cpc.au.af.mil \ https://twitter.com/USAF_CUWS Phone: 334.953.7538 | Fax: 334.953.7226 USAF Center for Unconventional Weapons Studies CUWS Outreach Journal Maxwell AFB, Alabama 4. N.Korea Hints at 4th Nuke Test 5. USFK Chief Says N. Korean Missile to be Capable of Hitting Mainland U.S. by 2024 6. China to Have Nuclear Missiles on Subs Soon: US admiral 7. British Components in North Korean Rockets, UN Finds EUROPE/RUSSIA 1. Russia to Beef Up its Arctic Force 2. Dutch Nuclear-Arms Base Infiltrated on Eve of Summit 3. Ukraine Rules Out Resumption of Nuclear Status 4. US-UK: Expand Missile Defense in Eastern Europe 5. Russian Nuclear Subs to Conduct Bulava Missile Launches in Summer-Autumn 2014 6. Cuts to Armed Forces Undermine Nuclear Deterrent, MPs Warn 7. Russia Launches Nuclear-War Drill, Saying It Was Long Scheduled MIDDLE EAST 1. U.S. Senators Call for a Tougher Stance on Iran's Nuclear Weapons 2. Syria may Miss Final Deadline for Chemical Weapon Destruction 3. US Official Can’t Say Syria Chemical Weapons Fully Tracked Down INDIA/PAKISTAN 1. India Tests New Underwater Nuclear Missile 2. Nuclear-Capable Prithvi II Missile Test-Fired Successfully COMMENTARY 1. World Leaders Fear Ukraine Crisis Will Harm Nuclear Cooperation 2. A Global Zero World Would Be MAD 3. Be Wary of Japan's Nuclear Ambitions 4. Getting Missile Defense Right 5. U.S. Nuclear Weapons Policy: After Ukraine, Time to Reassess Strategic Posture 6. A Wobbly Nuclear Order Global Security Newswire U.S. Tactical Nuclear Arms Mission Could Shift Among NATO Jets By Rachel Oswald, Global Security Newswire March 26, 2014 If NATO partners eventually cease to maintain attack aircraft capable of delivering fielded U.S. nuclear bombs, then allied jets could "pick up the load." Air Force Chief of Staff Gen. Mark Welsh raised that possibility during a congressional hearing earlier this month when asked about contingency planning for a potential future in which some European nations that currently host U.S. nuclear weapons opt to retire -- and not replace -- today's aircraft that are capable of carrying either nuclear or conventional munitions. Five NATO countries -- Belgium, Germany, Italy, the Netherlands and Turkey -- are understood to host a net total of fewer than 200 B-61 gravity bombs, though the United States does not formally acknowledge nuclear-basing details. "As NATO nations -- if they choose not to upgrade their own nuclear aircraft capabilities, then other NATO nations that have those capabilities from an operational perspective will pick up the load," Welsh said during a March 14 appearance before the House Armed Services Committee. "That'll be a NATO policy decision. The U.S. will be part of that discussion. We do have the capacity to pick up the load." Issue No.1108, 28 March 2014 United States Air Force Center for Unconventional Weapons Studies | Maxwell AFB, Alabama http://cpc.au.af.mil \ https://twitter.com/USAF_CUWS Phone: 334.953.7538 | Fax: 334.953.7226 2 USAF Center for Unconventional Weapons Studies CUWS Outreach Journal Maxwell AFB, Alabama In his remarks, Welsh did not definitively make clear whether the U.S. Air Force or other alliance members would take on the additional aircraft mission responsibility. Still, the general's comments suggest the Pentagon is planning for its tactical nuclear weapons role in Europe to continue, irrespective of the future air-delivery capability of NATO hosting states. Arms control advocates had previously argued that the United States should withdraw its nonstrategic weapons from the continent if NATO partners do not modernize their dual-capable aircraft. The Obama administration's 2013 unclassified report to Congress on nuclear-employment guidance states that the U.S. military would "maintain the capability to forward-deploy nuclear weapons with heavy bombers and dual- capable aircraft in support of extended deterrence and assurance of U.S. allies and partners." Nuclear weapons continue to be a "core component" of NATO's deterrence against aggression in Europe, the alliance stated in its 2012 Deterrence and Defense Posture Review. At the same time, the allies also said they were prepared to consider reductions to the current number of tactical atomic arms assigned to the defense of NATO nations. Defense Department spokeswoman Cynthia Smith in an e-mail to Global Security Newswire said Welsh's comments were in line with these U.S. and NATO policies. The Pentagon and Air Force did not respond to separate requests for comment on whether any other countries besides the United States were being considered for possibly taking on a new role in the NATO B-61 air delivery mission. However, according to issue expert Hans Kristensen, the United States is the only NATO country with the current military capacity to handle the extra burden. The Air Force has nuclear-capable jets based in Italy, Germany and the United Kingdom that could take on a larger share of the nuclear bombs, said Kristensen, who closely monitors developments in the NATO atomic mission. "The U.S. certainly has the capacity in its Air Force to pick up the slack," Kristensen, who directs the Federation of American Scientists' Nuclear Information Project, said in a recent phone interview. At the core of the issue is aging aircraft. All five host nations of the nuclear bombs field either dual-capable F-16 or Tornado strike aircraft slated for retirement in the 2020s. Some of the countries have said the attack-plane replacements they plan on purchasing would be dual capable, while others have hinted they would allow the nuclear-delivery role to expire along with the aircraft retirements. Most of the current hosting nations are signed up or in talks to acquire the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter, which is intended to include a future version capable of carrying the B-61 nuclear bomb. "There is one overall trend, which is none of them can afford as much as they wanted," Kristensen said of the NATO partner states' ability to buy the new aircraft. The Dutch government in January confirmed that some of the Joint Strike Fighters it plans to purchase could have a nuclear role, ignoring a 2012 resolution by its parliament urging that the jets not have a dual capability. "The Belgians will probably follow the Dutch in whatever they do," in terms of deciding whether to buy new multirole aircraft, Kristensen said.