1 Nuclear, MissileNuclear, Missile & Space Digest & Space Digest

Volume 11, Number 16 A Fortnightly Newsletter from the Indian Pugwash Society August 31, 2019

Convenor A. Cabinet approves MoU between India and Tunisia on Cooperation in the Amb. Sujan R. Chinoy Exploration and Use of Outer Space for Peaceful Purposes ISRO announces Vikram Sarabhai Journalism Award in Space Science, Technology and Research 2-day exhibition on DAE Technologies: Empowering India through Technology, inaugurated in New Delhi Vikram lander will land on Moon as a tribute to Vikram Sarabhai from crores of Indians: PM Shri Narendra Modi Arms tangle Nuke plants' rescue jolts conservatives, environmentalist Earth as viewed by Chandrayaan-2: Isro shares 1st pictures Indian science has landmark moment at ITER, a global effort to create first- Executive Council ever nuclear fusion device Cdr. (Dr.) Probal K. Ghosh Chandrayaan 2: When will Lunar spacecraft reach Moon's orbit? ISRO reveals date Air Marshal S. G. Inamdar ISRO's new commercial arm gets first booking for launch (Retd.) ISRO's success is Vikram Sarabhai's lasting legacy Dr. Roshan Khanijo B. Amb. R. Rajagopalan New port will host sea-based space launches Dr. Rajesh Rajagopalan Shanghai kicks off military recruitment, targeting college graduates Shri Dinesh Kumar China builds more powerful 'eyes' to observe the sun Yadvendra Commander of PLA Garrison in HK says violence 'totally intolerant' 7th Military Games torch relay starts from Nanchang China's micro lunar orbiter crashes into Moon under control Russian deputy defense minister: China-Russian relations help safeguard international stability China opposes U.S. withdrawal from INF Treaty China rebukes accusation of militarizing South China Sea China deeply regrets and strongly opposes U.S. withdrawal from nuclear Treaty China urges Western nations not to intervene in Hong Kong affairs China destabilizing Indo-Pacific: U.S. Defense Secretary Chinese light tank to get added protection China's envoy has doubts about joining U.S. and in a nuclear deal China calls US officials' remarks in Australia 'unwarranted attacks'

Indian Pugwash Society No.1, Development Enclave, Rao Tula Ram Marg, Near USI , Delhi-110010 Email: [email protected]

Tel. No (91-11) 2671-7983 Fax No. (91-11)2615-4192 2 Volume 11, Number 16 August 31, 2019

Chinese team sets new record of "Suvorov Attack" race at int'l army games China's H-6K bomber expected to be armed with hypersonic weapons Nuclear power efforts gather speed China to counter U.S. deployment of intermediate-range missiles in Asia China might escort ships in Gulf under U.S. proposal: envoy China vows to counter US deployment of midrange arms in Asia Lunar rover sleeps after record travel AI powers the way for improved lives Two Tu-95 bombers conduct flights over Bering Sea Canada may have assisted China's bio-warfare program with transfer of lethal viruses China, France pledge to enhance cooperation in easing tensions on nuclear issue China and kicks off joint counter-terrorism exercise Reusable rocket completes third test China's second aircraft carrier can carry 50% more fighter jets than its first Second aircraft carrier can carry 36 J-15 fighters Satellite photos appear to show Chinese APCs near Hong Kong Nuclear firms slapped with US restrictions Science and technology help nation achieve goals Washington blacklists Chinese nuclear firms for 'helping military acquire US technology' China urges Japan to honor its commitment, take actions to win Asian neighbors' trust China's fighter drones possible with AI use: experts China no longer world's factory

C. Trump pins hope on Pakistan for help in Afghanistan Experts see space for ample growth in Pakistan's civil nuclear energy sector Pakistan confronts with racist ideology of Modi Govt: PM Imran Khan UN chief warns against rising tensions between nuclear-armed states

D. USA Mars 2020 rover gets radioisotope fuel U.S imposes new sanctions on Russia over Skripal poisoning US pulls out of nuclear arms control pact with Russia U.S. Defense Secretary says he favors placing missiles in Asia Could America Stop a North Korean Nuclear Weapon Headed for the Homeland? Wyoming approves first use of low pH ISL uranium production US Official: Nuclear Program Serves as 'Ultimate Insurance Policy' EIS process launched for US fast neutron reactor Missile-Killer, Sensor and Spy Plane: What Can't the F-35 Stealth Fighter Do? US regulator invites comment on Peach Bottom licence renewal] U.S.-based experts suspect Russia blast involved nuclear-powered missile U.S. adviser Bolton to urge tougher UK stance on Iran and China Energoatom tests Holtec used fuel casks at Rovno plant U.S. Officials Suspect New Nuclear Missile in Explosion That Killed 7 Russians North Korea's new weapons, and how they affect Trump's nuclear deal hopes, explain Replica simulators completed at Southern plants Future of last nuclear pact between Russia and U.S. uncertain: U.S. envoy US regulator approves latest Holtec transport cask 3 Nuclear, Missile & Space Digest

Gibraltar decides to free seized Iranian tanker; U.S. seeks to hold it US blacklists Chinese nuclear company over theft of military tech US DOE orders exascale computer

E. Europe Germany: Russia and U.S. must uphold remaining arms treaties as INF accord ends France disagrees with U.S. sanctions on Iranian foreign minister At U.N., Britain, France, Germany urge North Korea to hold 'meaningful' talks with U.S UK, France and Germany condemn North Korea missile launches Poland says Russia responsible for nuclear treaty collapse Poland says Russia responsible for nuclear treaty collapse UK blames Russia for nuclear treaty collapse, says threatens European security Low river levels to affect French nuclear power generation from August 8: EDF TABLE-Swiss nuclear plant outages and restarts German designated to head Iran trade vehicle bows out at last minute After Trump rebuke, France says it speaks for itself on Iran UK reiterates support for nuclear deal Norway detects radioactive iodine by Russian border days after blast

F. Russia Partnerships key to nuclear growth, says GE Steam Power CEO Under One Roof: Russia's Integrated Strategy for Spent Fuel Management Putin to Trump: We'll develop new nuclear missiles if you do Missile-Killer, Sensor and Spy Plane: What Can't the F-35 Stealth Fighter Do? Russia Confirms Radioactive Materials Were Involved in Deadly Blast Russian Nuclear Agency Confirms Deaths During Engine Test Evidence Grows That Russia's Nuclear-Powered Doomsday Missile Was What Blew Up Last Week (Updated) Rosatom postpones fast reactor project, report says Failed Russian nuclear test: Is Vladimir Putin developing a weapon that could crack US defenses? Russia flies nuclear-capable bombers to region facing Alaska Norway detects radioactive iodine by Russian border days after blast Russian nuclear agency committed crime by holding test near city: ecologist WANO completes technical support mission at Leningrad II-2

West Asia G. Iran US imposes sanctions on Iran's Foreign Minister Zarif Sanctioning Zarif is sanctioning diplomacy Cleric to U.S.: Go ahead with Zarif sanctions 'if that pleases you' China, EU agree to safeguard nuclear deal Iran's IRGC, Army denounce U.S. sanctions on Zarif Iran to further reduce commitments to nuclear deal: foreign minister Iran will take next step to scale back nuclear activities if obligations not met: Zarif Iran unveils three new precision-guided missiles War with Iran is the mother of all wars: Rohani 4 Volume 11, Number 16 August 31, 2019

Iran to unveil 'Bavar-373' air defense system on August 22 Iran unveils new smart bombs Trump swats at Macron for Iran diplomacy UN says Iran's letter protesting sanctions on Zarif circulated to Security Council China, France to work on reducing tension on Iran nuclear issue Ambassador: U.S. sanctioning of 80 million Iranians equals 'economic terrorism' Iran unveils 'upgraded missile defense system' August 10, 2019 Iran's enriched uranium stockpile hits 370 kg Europe must fulfil JCPOA commitments: MP Iran's deterrence power cannot be tested: Army air defense chief

H. Saudi Arabia Saudi Arabia, China have established 'comprehensive strategic partnership'

I. Egypt denies connection between nuclear explosion in Russia and Dabaa project EMA head: Egypt not at risk from Russia nuclear explosion Official source: Dabaa Nuclear Power Plant has the safest design of its kind in the world

East Asia J. North Korea North Korea says it tested crucial new rocket launch system North Korea test-fired new rocket system under leader's supervision: state media North Korea took $2 billion in cyberattacks to fund weapons program: U.N. report 'We will make them pay': North Korea launches missiles, condemns U.S.-South Korea drills North Korea on Friday fired unidentified short-range projectiles off its east coast, South Korea's military said, its third launch in a week. North Korea says U.S. is inciting military tension North Korea's Kim says missile launches are warning to U.S., South Korea over drill: KCNA North Korea fires missiles as US-South Korea drill begins Kim expresses 'great satisfaction' over N. Korea weapons tests

K. South Korea No discussions on US missile deployment in S. Korea: ministry S. Korea, US kick off combined military exercise despite NK warnings S. Korean, US defense chiefs vow to support diplomacy for NK denuclearization The S. Korea says NK apparently eyes nuclear talks with US after military drills end NK says US missile deployment will turn S. Korea into 'bullet-shield'

L. Japan Work begins to topple dangerous exhaust stack at Fukushima plant Moon calls for 'peace economy' with N. Korea, slams Japan Questions raised over future of nuclear power at Keidanren meet for 'peace economy' with N. Korea, slams Japan 5 Nuclear, Missile & Space Digest

Japan's military buildup what for? Japan's military buildup what for? 'Atomic-bombed cross' returns to Nagasaki as a symbol of hope Nuke ban urged, as Nagasaki marks 74 years since bombing Work to remove fuel debris from No. 2 reactor may start in 2021 4 companies consider jointly operating nuclear power plants 4 companies consider jointly operating nuclear power plants South Korea urges dialogue with Japan in measured World War Two anniversary message 60% of spent nuclear fuel in Japan to be stored in metal casks in the future, research sh Japan offers U.S. its robotics tech for use in denuclearizing North Korea

M. Miscellaneous and World UN nuclear watchdog to appoint new head in October , Russia to ink nuclear fuel supply deal Fuel supply contract for Bangladeshi plant Massive Wildfire Cloud Sheds Light On Nuclear War's Impact IAEA Launches Revamped Nuclear Communicator's Toolbox Strengthening International Standards for Nuclear Safety: IAEA Safety Publications Restructured

N. Oped India India's growing clamour is space and why the country needs a separate Space Force ISRO- History and journey that we all are proud of A history: India's star treks since independence Pakistan Imran-Trump Summit: a win-win situation for Pakistan Launching into space Kashmir crisis: Will nuclear-armed Pakistan go to war with India again? India's nuclear posturing inclined towards Pakistan Pakistan's desperation over Kashmir is evident as it plays Afghanistan card, threatens nuclear war in South Asia USA With a Democrat, a Cooler Head Would Prevail on Iran America Could Lose a Real War Against Russia The Danger of A Nuclear Catastrophe Is Greater Than During the Cold War The Return of Doomsday The New Nuclear Arms Race-and How Washington and Moscow Can Stop It The INF Treaty is done, but lessons for policy remain Are We Headed for Another Expensive Nuclear Arms Race? Could Be. It's time to pick the winners in nuclear energy Nuclear Power And The 2020 Presidential Candidates Without INF treaty, world becomes vulnerable Russia Want Your Own Nuclear Arsenal? Russia Lost 2 Nuclear Weapons in the Ocean. In Hiroshima's shadow: Poll unveils Russians' nuke fears and grasp of first atomic bombing Is Russia Testing Nuclear Weapons Again? 6 Volume 11, Number 16 August 31, 2019

No, this Russian family is not looking at a nuclear explosion near their city, dear MSM viewers North Korea Stocking up on missiles Who is to blame for military tension? Why Rocket Man is going ballistic with short-range missiles US-DPRK Negotiations: Time to Pivot to an Interim Agreement South Korea GSOMIA decision: Moon Jae-in's nuclear option Moon's illusory 'peace economy' with North Korea Japan How to deal with another nuclear crisis 74 years after Hiroshima Abe turning deaf ear to voices from Hiroshima and Nagasaki Japan must resist call to join U.S.-led coalition in Middle East Taiwan The INF Treaty's demise is good news for Taiwan

O. Think Tanks Loss of "an Invaluable Brake on Nuclear War" Hiroshima, Nagasaki, and no first use UN chief: World to lose brake on nuclear war with treaty end Who will win 21st century? A nuclear world in disarray Why Rocket Man is going ballistic with short-range missiles As arms treaty fails, big powers risk new missile race Russia Showcases 'Kinzhal' Nuclear-Capable Air-Launched Ballistic Missile at Air Show Growing Populations: Time to Talk about Nuclear Power?

P. Interviews U.S. Quietly Waives Some Sanctions To Allow Key Part Of Iran Nuclear Deal To Continue Interview: EBRD nuclear safety director forms long-term view Chandrayaan 2: Godrej Aerospace plays a very important role in several ISRO missions, says top company official U.S. Experts Want Details On Blast At Russian Missile Test Site Mystery Surrounds Last Week's Nuclear Accident In Russia

Q. Original Documents Issuance of CBW Act-related Executive Order; Publication of CBW Act Directive and Frequently Asked Questions 7 Nuclear, Missile & Space Digest

A. India ISRO announces Vikram Sarabhai Journalism Award in Space Cabinet approves MoU between Science, Technology and Research India and Tunisia on Cooperation in the Exploration and Use of Outer PIB Delhi, August 7, 2019 Space for Peaceful Purposes As part of centenary year celebrations of PIB Delhi, August 5, 2019 Dr. Vikram Sarabhai, father of Indian space programme, ISRO institutes two The Union Cabinet chaired by Prime categories of awards in journalism. ISRO Minister Narendra Modi has given ex post- has announced its “Vikram Sarabhai facto approval to the Memorandum of Journalism Award in Space Science, Understanding (MoU) between India and Technology and Research” to recognize Tunisia on Cooperation in the Exploration and reward journalists who have actively and Use of Outer space for Peaceful contributed towards the field of space Purposes. The MoU was signed at science, applications, and research. The Bengaluru, India on 11th June, 2019. nominations are open to all Indians who have a good experience in journalism. The Impact: articles published from 2019 to 2020 will This Agreement shall enable the be considered, says the Indian Space following cooperation in space science, Research Organisation (ISRO). technology and applications including There are two categories of awards, areas, such as remote sensing of the wherein the first category holds a cash earth; satellite communication and price of Rs 5,00,000, a medal and citation satellite-based navigation; Space science and two journalists or freelancers of print and planetary exploration. Use of media will be awarded. Nominated spacecraft and space systems and candidates will be judged on the basis of ground system; and application of space the articles or success stories published in technology. Hindi, English, or Regional languages in The Agreement would lead to setting popular Periodicals, Science magazines, or up of a Joint Working Group, drawing Journals in India during the year 2019 to members from Department of Space/ 2020. ISRO, India and the National Centre for http://pib.gov.in/ Cartography and Remote Sensing, PressReleseDetail.aspx?PRID=1581441 Tunisia which will further work out the plan of action including the time-frame 2-day exhibition on DAE and the means of implementing this MoU. Technologies: Empowering India through Technology, inaugurated Background: in New Delhi Tunisian Minister for Communication PIB Delhi, August 11, 2019 Technologies and Digital Economy, during The Department of Atomic Energy (DAE), his visit to India in July 2015 expressed Government of India, is organizing a two- interest to pursue space cooperation with day exhibition on DAE spin-off India. Tunisia is in the process of evolving technologies for non-power applications space programme and desired to learn from at New Moti Bagh recreation club, New ISRO’s experience for the same. Delhi. The exhibition was inaugurated by As a follow up, India and Tunisia have the Secretary, Union Public Service signed the MoU at Bengaluru, India. Commission (UPSC) Shri Rakesh Gupta here today. The exhibition is open to public http://pib.gov.in/ for two days (Aug 11-12, 2019). PressReleseDetail.aspx?PRID=1581386 8 Volume 11, Number 16 August 31, 2019

The exhibition is covering technologies Arms tangle developed by the Bhabha Atomic Research Centre (BARC), Raja Ramanna Centre for Sandeep Unnithan, India Today, August 2, Advance Technology, Indore and other 2019 Units of Department of Atomic Energy As a missile system, the S-400 has no (DAE), which are useful for the common peers. It is the equivalent of a gigantic fly- man in day-to-day life e.g. in the field of swatter that can knock down anything in health, agriculture, water, food security and the air. Its manufacturers say the missile environment. system can track 300 targets over 600 km away and use four different types of http://pib.gov.in/ missiles to shoot down fighter jets, drones, PressReleseDetail.aspx?PRID=1581764 cruise missiles and tactical ballistic missiles 400 km away (see graphic overleaf). It is Vikram lander will land on Moon as Russia’s trump card in the highly a tribute to Vikram Sarabhai from competitive arms business-NATO member crores of Indians: PM Shri Narendra Turkey has it and even US allies like Saudi Modi Arabia and Qatar are looking to buy it. The S-400 is also today the crown jewel in PIB Delhi, August 12, 2019 a burgeoning India-Russia arms The centenary celebration of the birth relationship. India signed a $5.4 billion (Rs anniversary of the founding father of ISRO 40,000 crore) deal to buy five missile - Dr. Vikram Sarabhai kicked off in systems on October 5, 2018. Each system Ahmedabad today in the presence of comprises eight launchers, 32 missiles, a dignitaries from ISRO, Department of Space, command post and multiple tracking and Department of Atomic Energy and members fire control radars. The deal was signed in of Sarabhai Family. Prime Minister of India the teeth of stiff opposition from the US. Shri Narendra Modi addressed the gathering Both countries set up a special banking through a video message. mechanism to pay for it in euros rather than dollars to bypass US financial In his Video message, Shri Narendra Modi channels. said that it will be a tribute to Dr. Sarabhai from crore of Indians in true sense when By the end of next year, India will get its ‘Vikram’ lander will land on Moon. He also first missile system, making us the third said that Vikram Sarabhai’s ideology leads global customer after China and Turkey. India to become a powerful country in the All five systems will be delivered by April field of science and technology. Shri Modi 2023. The US has raised a geopolitical said Dr. Homi Bhabha’s demise had created storm over the sales. It has halted deliveries a vacuum in the world of Indian science. At of its frontline F-35 fighter aircraft to that time, Vikram Sarabhai gave a new Turkey and imposed sanctions on China dimension to science with his skills and for buying the missile. Washington has leadership ability. issued veiled warnings of “consequences” as it dangles a Damocles-like sword of Describing Dr. Vikram Sarabhai as a Countering America’s Adversaries dedicated soldier of Science, Shri Modi said Through Sanctions Act (CAATSA) over that he encouraged science as well as India’s New Delhi. Russia has been under US culture and Sanskrit language. He always sanctions since 2014 for its intervention in gave time for the students. Shri Modi said Ukraine, annexation of Crimea and that Dr. Vikram Sarabhai has left a legacy alleged attempts to influence the 2016 US for us and it is our responsibility to take this presidential elections. legacy to the people. He also encouraged school children to participate in the online https://www.indiatoday.in/magazine/the-big- space quiz launched by ISRO. story/story/20190812-arms-tangle-1576007- 2019-08-02 http://pib.gov.in/ PressReleseDetail.aspx?PRID=1581802 9 Nuclear, Missile & Space Digest

Nuke plants’ rescue jolts Chandrayaan-2’s Vikram lander on conservatives, environmentalists August 3, 2019. New Delhi Times, August 2, 2019 “Earth as viewed by #Chandrayaan2 LI4 Camera on August 3, 2019 17:34 UT,” Isro A financial rescue for Ohio’s nuclear plants tweeted along with the pictures. and two coal-fired plants that will force the state’s residents and businesses to fork over Earlier in July, Isro had said the roughly $1.5 billion is galvanizing Chandrayaan-2 spacecraft was in “good environmentalists and some conservatives. health” and moving in the “right direction”. Advocacy groups and investors, incensed by what they call a bailout and how it will https://www.indiatoday.in/science/story/earth- diminish the state’s natural gas and green chandrayaan-2-isro-shares-1st-pictures- energy options, are looking at mounting a 1577036-2019-08-04 campaign to overturn it and targeting Republicans who backed it. Organizations Indian science has landmark representing the state’s seniors and moment at ITER, a global effort to manufacturing plants are upset, too. create first-ever nuclear fusion The upheaval comes as the Trump device administration continues with its pledge to Nandita Jayaraj, Firstpost, August 5, 2019 boost the nuclear and coal industries by easing regulations and guaranteeing loans Chandrayaan 2 was not India’s only big for two new commercial reactors. But the science and tech achievement this July. Just fallout in Ohio shows how attempting to a day after the launch of the rocket, influence the market can be risky and unbeknownst to most of us, was another alienate a wide swath of voters. momentous occasion. The stars of this lesser-hyped show were a group of Indian https://www.newdelhitimes.com/nuke-plants- nuclear physicists and engineers stationed rescue-jolts-conservatives-environmentalists/ at Saint-Paul-lès-Durance, a town of about 1,000 inhabitants in the south of France. Earth as viewed by Chandrayaan-2: Isro shares 1st pictures This is the site of ITER, a 35-country-effort to build the world’s first nuclear fusion India Today, August 4, 2019 device that, if all goes well, will be capable Indian Space Research Organisation’s (Isro) of producing electricity for our commercial Chandrayaan-2 has sent first pictures of purposes by 2045. Nine per cent of the $25 Earth as viewed in space. billion worth project is being borne by India as an ‘in kind’ contribution and 23 In a series of tweets, Isro shared the Earth’s July 2019 was a celebration of this pictures clicked by LI4 Camera of contribution.

https://www.firstpost.com/world/science-technol- ogy/after-chandraayan-2-another-milestone-for- indian-science-with-iter-a-global-effort-to-create- first-ever-nuclear-fusion-device-7095161.html

Chandrayaan 2: When will Lunar spacecraft reach Moon’s orbit? ISRO reveals date Financial Express, July 12, 2019 India’s second moon mission ‘Chandrayaan-2’ is expected to reach the moon’s orbit on August 20 and land on 10 Volume 11, Number 16 August 31, 2019

the lunar surface on September 7, Indian India, has just passed, and the lander in Space Research Organisation (ISRO) Chandrayaan-2, India’s ambitious lunar Chairman Dr K Sivan said on Monday. The mission that puts it in the elite club of spacecraft is all set to leave the earth’s orbit space-exploring nations, has been named after two days, he told reporters here. Sivan Vikram, an apt tribute. But, it is indeed was in the city to take part in the birth Isro’s success that is the most befitting centenary celebrations of Dr Vikram tribute to the vision of the Cambridge- Sarabhai, regarded as the father of India’s trained scientist who, at 28 years of age, space programme. laid the foundations of India’s space programme way back in 1947, by The 3,850-kg Chandrayaan-2, a three- persuading a handful of prominent module spacecraft comprising orbiter, business people to fund a research lander and rover, which was launched on institution near his home. That is how the July 22, would make a landing on the moon Physical Research Laboratory in on September 7, the ISRO chief said. “After Ahmedabad, the cradle of India’s space launching Chandrayaan-2 on July 22, we research, was born. Sarabhai, a did five maneuvers. The Chandrayaan-2 contemporary of Homi J Bhaba, the father composite body is now revolving around the of India’s nuclear programme, and served earth,” he said. The next very important and as the chairman of the Atomic Energy crucial maneuver will happen on Commission. Buoyed by the vision they Wednesday morning. shared on nation-building with Jawaharlal https://www.financialexpress.com/lifestyle/science/ Nehru, Sarabhai and Bhaba put India on chandrayaan-2-when-will-lunar-spacecraft-reach- the path to developing the technological moons-orbit-isro-reveals-date/1673586/ muscle it has today. Some of India’s top institutions—the Indian Institute of ISRO’s new commercial arm gets Management, Ahmedabad, and the Space first booking for launch Application Centre (under the aegis of Isro), to name two—owe their existence Johnson T A, The Indian Express, August 12, to Sarabhai’s vision and efforts. 2019 https://www.financialexpress.com/opinion/isros- The US provider, , announced on success-is-vikram-sarabhais-lasting-legacy/ August 8 that it has clinched a deal with 1674946/ NSIL for using the second developmental flight of the under-development SSLV rocket to launch a spacecraft for an “undisclosed B. China US-based satellite constellation customer”. New port will host sea-based Newspace India Limited (NSIL), the newly space launches created second commercial arm of the Zhao Lei, China Daily, August 1, 2019 Indian Space Research Organisation, has bagged its first contract. A private US space The State-owned space conglomerate services provider has booked ISRO’s Small China Aerospace Science and Technology Satellite (SSLV), which is yet Corp is working with the eastern coastal to be tested, for launching a spacecraft. province of to start construction of a port for sea-based space launches https://indianexpress.com/article/technology/ before the end of this year. The - science/isros-new-commercial-arm-gets-first- based space giant said on Tuesday that booking-for-launch-5897122/ during a recent visit by Ling Wen, deputy governor of Shandong, to the company’s ISRO’s success is Vikram headquarters, a strategic cooperation Sarabhai’s lasting legacy framework agreement was signed by the Financial Express, August 14, 2019 China Academy of Launch Vehicle Technology, city government of Yantai, The 100th birth anniversary of Vikram A and -headquartered China Sarabhai, the doyen of space research in International Marine Containers Group to 11 Nuclear, Missile & Space Digest

jointly build an eastern coastal space port interplanetary scintillation telescope and in Haiyang, a city administered by Yantai. an ultra-wideband solar radio dynamic spectrometer, the Xinhua News Agency The move aims to support future sea-based reported on Wednesday. Tan said those launches and boost the development of devices, “like eyes to a human,” will space-related businesses in Shandong. The enhance China’s ability to detect and warn project will make use of Yantai’s unique of severe spatial weather variation such location, existing harbors and local space as a cosmic ray storm. The decameter research and marine engineering facilities. wave radio heliograph would also fill in Upon completion, the port will consist of gaps on observation of a solar radio burst, support facilities for sea-based space according to Xinhua. missions and four research and production centers for carrier rockets, satellite http://www.globaltimes.cn/content/ equipment, sea-launch platforms as well as 1160054.shtml satellite data and applications. Commander of PLA Garrison in http://www.chinadaily.com.cn/a/201908/01/ HK says violence ‘totally WS5d4238f8a310d830564021f8.html intolerant’ Shanghai kicks off military China Military Online, August 1, 2019 recruitment, targeting college The commander of the Chinese People’s graduates Liberation Army (PLA) Garrison in the Global Times, August 1, 2019 Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) on Wednesday strongly Conscription in the metropolis started on condemned the recent violent acts in Hong Thursday and will end on September 30. Kong and vowed to firmly safeguard Chen Lixin, commander of the Shanghai national sovereignty. Chen Daoxiang Garrison Command and head of the made the remarks during a reception in conscription office of the Shanghai Hong Kong to mark the 92nd anniversary government, said that conscription in 2019 of the founding of the PLA. He noted that targets college students to ensure an a series of violent incidents have seriously increase of university students entering the undermined the overall prosperity and military in terms of number and proportion, stability of the HKSAR, challenged the rule according to the report. Young male of law and social order in Hong Kong and applicants with an education background threatened the safety of life and property above high school are qualified for the of Hong Kong residents. These violent acts conscription. have touched the bottom line of the “one country, two systems” principle and are http://www.globaltimes.cn/content/ “totally intolerant,” Chen said. 1159987.shtml http://eng.chinamil.com.cn/view/2019-08/01/ China builds more powerful ‘eyes’ content_9576436.htm to observe the sun 7th Military torch Liu Caiyu, Global Times, August 1, 2019 relay starts from Nanchang Chinese scientists are building new devices to watch the sun from North China, which China Military Online, August 1, 2019 will enhance China’s capability of detecting A torch-lighting ceremony for the 7th and forecasting spatial disasters caused by was held on solar variation. Researchers at the Ming’antu Thursday in Nanchang in East China’s Observing Station based in the Inner Jiangxi province, cradle of the People’s Autonomous Region are building Liberation Army (PLA). August 1 also three new devices to monitor the sun - a marks the 92nd anniversary of the decameter wave radio heliograph, an founding of the PLA. Over 10,000 12 Volume 11, Number 16 August 31, 2019

participants from more than 100 countries In his speech, Col. Gen. Fomin stressed and regions are expected to compete in the that relationship between China and event, which will be held in Wuhan, capital Russia has risen to an unprecedented of central China’s Hubei Province, between height, which would help ensure the October 18 and 27. Held in China for the stability of the international community. first time, the highest-standard multi-sport However, in current world, there is event for soldiers from across the globe, unfortunately a growing tension; the known as the “Olympics for the military aggressive rhetoric and frequent personnel”, is under the theme of “Military provocation is especially rampant. Under Glory, World Peace.” such circumstance, the cooperation between China and Russia will make http://english.chinamil.com.cn/view/2019-08/01/ much greater contribution to the content_9576432.htm maintenance of world peace and regional stability. China’s micro lunar orbiter crashes into Moon under control http://english.chinamil.com.cn/view/2019-08/ 02/content_9577029.htm Xinhua, August 2, 2019 China’s micro lunar orbiter Longjiang-2 has China opposes U.S. withdrawal crashed into the Moon under ground control from INF Treaty after it completed its mission, according to Xinhua, August 2, 2019 the Lunar Exploration and Space Program Center of the China National Space China deeply regrets and strongly opposes Administration. The micro satellite crashed the United States’ withdrawal from the into a predetermined area on the far side of Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces (INF) the Moon at 10:20 pm on July 31 (Beijing Treaty, a foreign ministry spokesperson Time), the center said Friday. Weighing 47 said on Friday. “Withdrawing from the kg, Longjiang-2 was sent into space on May INF is another negative move by the U.S., 21, 2018, together with the Chang’e-4 lunar ignoring its own international probe’s relay satellite “Queqiao,” and commitment and resorting to entered the lunar orbit four days later. It unilateralism,” spokesperson Hua operated in orbit for 437 days, exceeding its Chunying said at a press briefing. Hua’s one-year designed lifespan. remarks came after U.S. National Security Adviser John Bolton confirmed the United http://www.chinadaily.com.cn/a/201908/02/ States would withdraw from the treaty on WS5d43d539a310cf3e355638fe.html August 2.

Russian deputy defense minister: “We urge the U.S. to show restraint and China-Russian relations help not to take actions undermining other safeguard international stability countries’ security interests but to fulfill its responsibility as a major power and China Military Online, August 2, 2019 safeguard global and regional peace and security with the international On the evening of July 30, local time, the community,” Hua said. She also called on Chinese Embassy in the Russian Federation the international community to be aware hosted a reception to celebrate the 92nd of the severe consequences of the United anniversary of the founding of the Chinese States’ withdrawal from the treaty and People’s Liberation Army (PLA) which falls prevent the U.S. from shaking off its on Aug. 1st. Colonel General Alexander special and primary responsibility in Fomin, Russian Deputy Minister of Defense, nuclear disarmament. and other senior military officials, as well as representatives from Russian government, http://www.xinhuanet.com/english/2019-08/02/ Parliament, Veteran Fighters’ Committee. c_138279313.htm 13 Nuclear, Missile & Space Digest

China rebukes accusation of from the INF is another negative move by militarizing South China Sea the U.S., ignoring its own international commitment and resorting to Xinhua, August 2, 2019 unilateralism,” spokesperson Hua China rejected to be labeled as militarizing Chunying said at a press briefing. Hua’s the South China Sea, Chinese State remarks came after U.S. National Security Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi said Adviser John Bolton confirmed the United here on Friday. Wang made the remarks in States would withdraw from the treaty on response to accusations from a certain non- August 2. regional power regarding the South China http://www.xinhuanet.com/english/2019-08/02/ Sea issue during the ASEAN (the Association c_138279396.htm of Southeast Asian Nations) foreign ministers’ meeting and other related China urges Western nations not meetings. Wang said, with the joint efforts of China and ASEAN countries, the situation to intervene in Hong Kong affairs of the South China Sea has generally Xinhua, August 2, 2019 maintained stable and has been improving. Hua Chunying made the remarks when China, a safeguarding power of regional commenting on reports that U.S. President peace, pursues a national defense policy that Donald Trump had described what was is defensive in nature, Wang said, noting happening in Hong Kong as “riots for a that it is a legitimate right for a sovereign long period of time” that China will have state by international law to deploy to deal with itself. said President Trump is defensive facilities on its territory. The non- right in at least two sentences. “First, what regional great power criticizes China for is happening in Hong Kong is a kind of “militarization” in the South China Sea, but disturbance and riot. Second, Hong Kong it is the same country that boasts hundreds is a part of China,” Hua told a press of military bases across the world and briefing. “Hong Kong affairs are purely deploys hundreds of thousands of troops China’s internal affairs. The Chinese outside its own territory, Wang said. “How government will never allow any outside a country that muscles militarization all forces to intervene in Hong Kong affairs, around the world has the legitimacy and still less allow any attempt of outside forces rights to blame other countries for to disrupt Hong Kong.” “China strongly militarization? China would by no chance urges the United States and some other buy the label,” Wang said. Western countries to abide by international law and the basic norms of http://www.xinhuanet.com/english/2019-08/02/ international relations, honor their c_138279431.htm commitment not to interfere in Hong Kong affairs, and stop supporting violent China deeply regrets and strongly activities and interfering in Hong Kong opposes U.S. withdrawal from affairs in any form,” she added. nuclear Treaty http://www.xinhuanet.com/english/2019-08/02/ Xinhua, August 2, 2019 c_138279430.htm

“Withdrawing from the INF is another China destabilizing Indo-Pacific: negative move by the U.S., ignoring its own U.S. Defense Secretary international commitment and resorting to unilateralism,” foreign ministry Idrees Ali, Colin Packham, Reuters, August spokesperson Hua Chunying said at a press 4, 2019 briefing. China deeply regrets and strongly opposes the United States’ withdrawal from China is destabilizing the Indo-Pacific, the Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces U.S. Defense Secretary Mark Esper said on (INF) Treaty, a foreign ministry Sunday, charging Beijing with predatory spokesperson said on Friday. “Withdrawing economics, intellectual property theft and 14 Volume 11, Number 16 August 31, 2019

“weaponizing the global commons”. The China’s envoy has doubts about comments by Esper on his first overseas trip joining U.S. and Russia in a as U.S. defense secretary threaten to inflame nuclear deal already heightened tensions between Washington and Beijing as they wage an China Military Online, August 5, 2019 escalating trade war. China’s increasing China’s new ambassador to the United assertiveness, especially in the energy-rich Nations, Zhang Jun, said China regrets South China Sea, has raised concerns within that the United States is withdrawing the region and the United States is from the landmark 1987 nuclear missile challenging Chinese maritime hegemony pact with Russia and expressed doubt and seeking stronger ties with nations about joining the U.S. and Russia in a pushing back against Beijing. nuclear deal. “We made China’s position https://www.reuters.com/article/us-australia-usa- clear on many occasions on whether we china/china-destabilizing-indo-pacific-u-s- will participate in similar negotiations. defense-secretary-idUSKCN1UU045 Right now, we do not see any conditions or basis for China to join the negotiations Chinese light tank to get added between the U.S. and Russia. Russia also protection made public statements on this. It totally understands China’s position on the so- Liu Xuanzun, Global Times, August 4, 2019 called China-U.S.-Russia trilateral disarmament negotiation,” said China’s China’s made-for-export light tank, VT5, is Foreign Ministry spokesperson Geng expected to be outfitted with an active Shuang in July. protection system, state broadcaster reported, which will enable the thin- http://eng.chinamil.com.cn/view/2019-08/05/ armored tank to significantly expand its content_9579083.htm defense capability. An active protection system could detect incoming hostile China calls US officials’ remarks projectiles before firing interception rockets in Australia ‘unwarranted attacks’ to detonate them before they hit the tank, China Central Television (CCTV) reported Global Times, August 5, 2019 on Saturday. China announced the US officials’ recent remarks in Australia development of such a system in 2017, the are unwarranted attacks and slandering report said. against China, which exposed the “Compared to a heavy main battle tank, a lingering hegemonic mentality of certain light tank like the VT5 carries lighter armor, forces in the US, the Chinese Embassy in meaning weaker passive protection. Using Australia said. “Their intention is doomed an active protection system would be a great to fail,” reads a statement the embassy choice,” a military expert who requested released on its website on Sunday. US anonymity told the Global Times on Sunday. Defense Secretary Mark Esper and This system is small and light, CCTV said, Secretary of State Mike Pompeo met their making it viable on a light tank. The active Australian counterparts in Sydney on protection system is advanced technology Sunday at an annual security forum, that most tanks in the world are still not Reuters reported. equipped with due to high costs, the expert During the meeting, Esper accused China said. The tank is also equipped with a sensor of “destabilizing the Indo-Pacific region system that sends a warning when the tank with predatory economics, intellectual is aimed by a laser beam, which can notify property theft” and “weaponizing the the operators to take evasive maneuvers like global commons,” according to the report. releasing smoke, CCTV reported. In response, the Chinese Embassy said http://www.globaltimes.cn/content/ that the situation in the South China Sea 1160253.shtml remains generally stable, and it is the forces from outside of the region like the 15 Nuclear, Missile & Space Digest

US that are stirring up troubles and sowing China’s growing clean power demand has discord with ill intentions. boosted the rapid development of nuclear power in the country, making it among http://www.globaltimes.cn/content/ the few in the world to have independently 1160385.shtml developed third-generation nuclear power technology, with a complete industry Chinese team sets new record of chain, industry experts said. The first two “Suvorov Attack” race at int’l army reactor units using China’s homegrown games third-generation nuclear reactor technology Hualong One, or the No 5 and Xinhua, August 5, 2019 6 reactors in Fuqing Nuclear Power Plant A Chinese team refreshed the record for the in Fuzhou, Fujian province, are expected “Suvorov Attack” infantry combat vehicle to avoid time overruns, creating a record competition Sunday at the International in the construction of the first reactor in a Army Games 2019 in Korla, northwest nuclear power project. China’s Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous http://www.chinadaily.com.cn/a/201908/06/ Region. The Chinese crew finished a series WS5d48c09ca310cf3e3556408e.html of missions in 16 minutes and 12.95 seconds, including quick shot and obstacle crossing, outpacing eight other crews from China, China to counter U.S. deployment Iran and in the first group match. of intermediate-range missiles in Asia http://www.xinhuanet.com/english/2019-08/05/ c_138283442.htm China Military Online, August 6, 2019 China will take countermeasures if the U.S. China’s H-6K bomber expected to deploys intermediate-range missiles in be armed with hypersonic weapons Asia, said Fu Cong, director general of the Department of Arms Control at the Liu Xuanzun, Global Times, August 6, 2019 Chinese Foreign Ministry, at a press The main mission objective of China’s H-6K conference on Tuesday. U.S. Defense bomber is to strike key strategic points deep Secretary Mark Esper said on Saturday in within enemy territories, the state broadcaster Australia that he was in favor of placing revealed, leading experts to predict that the ground-launched, intermediate-range warplane could eventually be armed with missiles in Asia relatively soon, possibly hypersonic weapons that can destroy hostile within months. military hubs 3,000 kilometers away within “All of China’s land-based short- and minutes. Together with J-20 stealth fighters, intermediate-range missiles are deployed H-6Ks could devastate the enemy’s fighting within our territory, which testifies to the capability even before a war gets fully defensive nature of our defense policy,” underway, analysts said. “In a war, our main China’s new ambassador to the United objective is to launch attacks on an enemy’s Nations, Zhang Jun, said earlier on deep and vital positions, paralyzing their Saturday that China regrets that the facilities. This is what we especially excel at,” United States is withdrawing from the said H-6K pilot Li Ping, China Central landmark 1987 nuclear missile pact with Television (CCTV) reported on Tuesday. Russia and expressed doubt about joining http://www.globaltimes.cn/content/ the U.S. and Russia in a nuclear deal. “The 1160495.shtml United States is saying China should be a party in this disarmament agreement, but Nuclear power efforts gather speed I think everybody knows that China is not at the same level with the United States Liu Zhihua, China Daily, August 6, 2019 and the Russian Federation,” he said.

Third-generation technologies set to keep http://english.chinamil.com.cn/view/2019-08/ industry on even keel in nation, say experts 06/content_9581118.htm 16 Volume 11, Number 16 August 31, 2019

China might escort ships in Gulf missiles this part of the world,” Fu told under U.S. proposal: envoy reporters at a specially called briefing. He also advised other nations, particularly Alexander Cornwell, Reuters, August 6, 2019 South Korea, Japan and Australia, to China might escort Chinese commercial “exercise prudence” and not allow the vessels in Gulf waters under a U.S. proposal U.S. to deploy such weapons on their for a maritime coalition to secure oil shipping territory, saying that would “not serve the lanes following attacks on tankers, its envoy national security interests of these to the United Arab Emirates said on countries.” U.S. Defense Secretary Mark Tuesday. “If there happens to be a very Esper said in Asia over the weekend that he unsafe situation we will consider having our wanted to deploy midrange conventional navy escort our commercial vessels,” missiles in the Asia-Pacific within months. Ambassador Ni Jian told Reuters in Abu https://www.taiwannews.com.tw/en/news/ Dhabi. “We are studying the U.S. proposal 3759935 on Gulf escort arrangements,” China’s embassy later said in a text message. Lunar rover sleeps after record Washington is lobbying other nations to join a maritime security coalition at a time of travel heightened tensions with Iran, which the Zhao Lei, China Daily, August 9, 2019 United States has blamed for explosive blasts on tankers near the Strait of Hormuz, a China’s Yutu 2 lunar rover has entered its charge Tehran denies. eighth period of dormancy on the moon’s far side and is in good condition after https://www.reuters.com/article/us-mideast-iran- traveling 271 meters, according to China tanker-china/china-might-escort-ships-in-gulf- National Space Administration. In a under-u-s-proposal-envoy-idUSKCN1UW1DR statement sent to China Daily on Thursday, the administration said the China vows to counter US deployment rover, China’s second movable robot on of midrange arms in Asia the moon after Yutu, was switched to dormant mode at around 5:50 pm on Christopher Bodeen, Taiwan News, August 6, Wednesday after receiving signals from 2019 ground control. Yutu 2 is part of the China said Tuesday that it “will not stand Chang’e 4 robotic probe. idly by” and will take countermeasures if Before its dormancy, the machine had the U.S. deploys intermediate-range missiles traveled 271 meters on the lunar surface, in the Asia-Pacific region, which more than double the distance covered by Washington has said it plans to do within Yutu, which reached the moon in months. The statement from the director of December 2013 and worked there until the foreign ministry’s Arms Control July 2016. The administration said that on Department, Fu Cong, follows the U.S.’s the lunar day that just ended, Yutu 2 and withdrawal last week from the Chang’e 4’s lander, which has also entered Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces Treaty, a dormancy period, obtained a great deal a move Fu said would have a “direct of scientific data. negative impact on the global strategic stability” as well as security in Europe and http://www.chinadaily.com.cn/a/201908/09/ the Asia-Pacific region. Fu said China was WS5d4cca07a310cf3e35564bc9.html particularly concerned about announced plans to develop and test a land-based AI powers the way for improved intermediate-range missile in the Asia-Pacific lives “sooner rather than later,” in the words of one U.S. official. Xing Yi, China Daily, August 9, 2019

“China will not stand idly by and be forced Wang Chaofeng lost both hands and to take countermeasures should the U.S. forearms in an accident more than 25 years deploy intermediate-range ground-based ago when he was fixing a high-voltage 17 Nuclear, Missile & Space Digest

wires while serving in the People’s Liberation Canada may have assisted China’s Army Air Force in Jinan, Shandong province. bio-warfare program with transfer “In the past two decades, I have gradually of lethal viruses accepted the reality and learned to live with it,” said Wang, 48. “But I still long to use Duncan DeAeth, Taiwan News, August 9, my hands to do things, just like other 2019 people.” He tried artificial limbs, but said A startling report from Canada on they could only perform a simple pincer-like Thursday (Aug. 8) reveals that Canadian movement. “I looked up some electronically health officials approved the transfer of controlled prostheses, but they were all too dangerous virus samples to China in expensive,” he said. March of 2019, which could potentially be But things changed for Wang last year, used to advance a dangerous bio-warfare when OYMotion Technologies, a Chinese program in the secretive communist state. startup, contacted him to take part in testing Officials from Canada’s National the company’s prototype of a myoelectric Microbiology Laboratory (NML) have artificial arm, an externally powered device defended the transfer of Henipavirus and controlled by electric signals generated by Ebola samples as part of an international the user’s muscles. With two sensors public health research campaign. embedded in his upper arms along with However, experts in the field are raising battery-powered mechanical hands, Wang alarm about the transfer, which is now can control the prothesis to perform more reportedly at the center of a government than a dozen different grips. investigation by the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP). http://www.chinadaily.com.cn/a/201908/09/ WS5d4cc8fba310cf3e35564bbe.html A senior scientist working with the Ebola samples at the Winnipeg-based NML, Two Tu-95 bombers conduct flights Xiangguo Qiu, was abruptly removed over Bering Sea from her position in mid-July. Her firing was made official after the scientist, her Global Times, August 9, 2019 husband Keding Cheng, and an unknown Two Russian Tu-95MS strategic bombers number of Chinese students were removed carried out 10-hour flights with the from the laboratory for an unspecified company of U.S. aircraft over the Bering Sea “policy breach” on July 5. as part of the Ocean Shield-2019 naval https://www.taiwannews.com.tw/en/news/ exercises, the Russian Defense Ministry said 3761093 Thursday. “Two Tu-95MS missile-carrying strategic bombers of the Russian Aerospace China, France pledge to enhance Forces performed flights over the neutral waters of the Bering Sea in the framework cooperation in easing tensions on of the Ocean Shield-2019 operational Iran nuclear issue exercise. The flight lasted for more than 10 Xinhua, August 9, 2019 hours,” the ministry said in a statement. China is willing to work with France to It added that the aircraft were escorted by prevent further escalation of tensions on F-22 and F-18 fighter jets of the U.S. Air Force the Iran nuclear issue, Chinese State at certain stages of the flights. Aircraft of Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi long-range aviation regularly conducted said on Friday in a phone conversation flights over international waters in the with Emmanuel Bonne, diplomatic Arctic region, the Atlantic Ocean, the Black counselor to French President Emmanuel Sea and the Pacific Ocean in strict Macron. During the phone talks, Wang compliance with the international rules for expressed China’s support for the the use of airspace, without violating other mediation efforts France has made to countries’ borders, the ministry said. resolve the stalemate on the Iran nuclear http://www.globaltimes.cn/content/1160851.shtml issue, saying that China has also made huge 18 Volume 11, Number 16 August 31, 2019

efforts in saving the Iran nuclear deal, jets, some 50 percent more than the officially known as the Joint Comprehensive country’s first, state broadcaster reported Plan of Action (JCPOA). Adhering to the on Tuesday. China’s first aircraft carrier, deal means safeguarding multilateralism, the Liaoning, can carry 24 J-15 fighter jets, safeguarding fairness and justice, and China Central Television (CCTV) reported, safeguarding regional security and stability, noting the new ship’s increased number said Wang. of fighter jets will add to its already considerable capability. http://www.xinhuanet.com/english/2019-08/09/ c_138296977.htm http://eng.chinamil.com.cn/view/2019-08/13/ content_9588884.htm \ China and Tajikistan kicks off joint counter-terrorism exercise Second aircraft carrier can carry 36 J-15 fighters Lu Peng and Wu Shike, China Military Online, August 12, 2019 Liu Xuanzun, Global Times, August 13, 2019 The opening ceremony of the “Cooperation- China’s second aircraft carrier can carry 2019” China-Tajikistan joint counter- at least 36 domestically developed J-15 terrorism exercise was held at the Jilondi fighter jets, some 50 percent more than the training range in Gorno-Badakhshan, country’s first, China’s state broadcaster Tajikistan,on August 7. It is learnt that the reported on Tuesday. China’s first aircraft joint counter-terrorism exercise will last till carrier the Liaoning can carry 24 J-15 the 16th. About 1,200 troops from both sides fighter jets, China Central Television joined the exercise, including approximately (CCTV) reported, noting the new ship’s 580 troops from various units and services of increased number of jets will add to its the Chinese PLA Western Theater Command. capability. Although the second carrier known as the Type 001A is similar to the http://english.chinamil.com.cn/view/2019-08/12/ Liaoning, it has an optimized flight deck, content_9587478.htm reduced weapon areas and a smaller superstructure with added deck areas, Li Reusable rocket completes third test Jie, a Beijing naval expert, told the Global Li Danqing, China Daily, August 12, 2019 Times on Tuesday. Li noted that it also has an enlarged hangar, but reduced space for A RLV-T5 rocket blasts off in a base in missile storage compared to the Liaoning. Northwest China’s Qinghai province on Aug 10, 2019. http://www.globaltimes.cn/content/ 1161288.shtml LinkSpace Aerospace Technology, a private space industry startup in Shenzhen, Satellite photos appear to show Guangdong province, completed its third test of a reusable rocket on Saturday Chinese APCs near Hong Kong morning. It flew as high as 300.2 meters AP News, August 14, 2019 before returning to the launchpad on its own after 50 seconds. Satellite photos show what appear to be armored personnel carriers and other http://www.chinadaily.com.cn/a/201908/12/ vehicles belonging to the China’s WS5d511226a310cf3e355653ec_2.html paramilitary People’s Armed Police parked in a sports complex in the city of China’s second aircraft carrier can Shenzhen, in what some have interpreted carry 50% more fighter jets than its as a threat from Beijing to use increased first force against pro-democracy protesters across the border in Hong Kong. The China Military Online, August 13, 2019 pictures collected on Monday by Maxar’s China’s second aircraft carrier can carry at WorldView show 500 or more vehicles least 36 domestically developed J-15 fighter sitting on and around the soccer stadium 19 Nuclear, Missile & Space Digest

at the Shenzhen Bay Sports Center just nuclear power enterprises to its Entity List, across the harbor from Asian financial hub restricting them from receiving US exports, that has been rocked by more than two will not affect China’s ongoing months of near-daily street demonstrations. transformation into a high-tech nuclear energy powerhouse, industry experts said. Chinese state media have said only that the The US Department of Commerce’s exercises had been planned before hand and Bureau of Industry and Security added were not directly related to the unrest in China General Nuclear Power Group and Hong Kong, although they came shortly its subsidiaries China General Nuclear after the central government in Beijing said Power Co, China Nuclear Power the protests were beginning to show the Technology Research Institute Co and “sprouts of terrorism.” Suzhou Nuclear Power Research Institute Co to its Entity List on Wednesday. https://www.apnews.com/ Companies on the list have to obtain a 3fe7654b146b4f85b8f34f8f68881133 special license from the US government for US materials and technology exports. In China no longer world’s factory practice, such approval is rarely granted. Taipei Times, August 15, 2019 Chinese companies previously added to Two decades ago, Taiwanese industry began the list include high-tech giant Huawei its decline as a result of China’s opening its Technologies Co and five other tech firms doors to the world. With its low labor, land in the fields of chips and supercomputing. and raw material costs, China turned itself Experts said the new US move is just part into the world’s factory. of its concerted efforts to hinder China’s fast-growing nuclear industry, but such This led to the hollowing out of Taiwanese attempts will be in vain. “The restriction industry as an increasing number of on CGN is another attempt to curb China’s companies relocated to China. The common development, similar to that against language and culture facilitated the process. Huawei,” said Hu Chi, a researcher at the State-Owned Assets Supervision and This made it more difficult for companies Administration Commission. “However, remaining in Taiwan to maintain their China has homegrown nuclear power competitive edge; the nation bled jobs; and technologies and is to design and its economic reliance on a hostile country manufacture most of the components and was exacerbated. devices domestically, while among the few However, the economic tide is turning once imported items, very few are from the US.” again. Alongside its economic development China could always turn to other countries and changes internationally, China has for similar imports or invest more in become a less attractive location for domestic research and development to companies seeking to enhance their avoid US imports, although existing competitiveness by reducing costs. Chinese nuclear power projects that use US firms seeking to avoid rising labor and land technologies are likely to be affected, he costs have also begun to relocate overseas. said.

http://www.taipeitimes.com/News/editorials/ CGN, one of China’s largest nuclear archives/2019/08/15/2003720496 energy companies, said the US move will have “basically manageable influence” on Nuclear firms slapped with US the company’s development. In October, restrictions the US government announced a new policy framework for civil nuclear Liu Zhihua, China Daily, August 16, 2019 cooperation with China which imposes significant restrictions on US exports of Move not expected to hinder China’s drive commercial nuclear technology, to become high-tech energy powerhouse. equipment and material to China. In 2016, The United States addition of four Chinese the US Department of Justice accused 20 Volume 11, Number 16 August 31, 2019

CGN of leading a conspiracy to steal US Du Zhixiong, a researcher at the Rural energy sector secrets. A senior nuclear Development Institute at the Chinese energy expert at Shanghai Jiao Tong Academy of Social Sciences, said China’s University, who asked to remain agricultural sector was plagued by anonymous, said the restriction may have inefficient production practices for many some influence on CGN’s Hualong One years, while annual output was highly project at the Bradwell nuclear power susceptible to changes in climate. For station in the United Kingdom, but it example, from 1959 to 1961 large parts of generally will have little impact on the the country experienced a severe drought. company and China’s nuclear power In 1961, the arid conditions reduced the industry. “China has achieved a high level total crop yield by 61 million metric tons, of domestic design and manufacturing a 30 percent fall from 1958. Since the early capability across the nuclear power 1980s, the central leadership has attached industrial chain. Although it still imports great significance to agricultural some design software and components from innovation. In 2015, investment in US, the three Chinese nuclear giants have scientific and technological research all been ramping up efforts in related fields reached 55 billion yuan ($7.8 billion at to reduce reliance on imports,” he said. today’s rates), compared with 720 million yuan in 1978, Du said. While the US tries to curtail China’s nuclear power sector, many other countries are more According to the ministry, more than 96 than happy to conduct commerce with percent of fields dedicated to the China due to China’s enormous investment cultivation of major crops, including rice, in the sector and its huge market, he added. corn and wheat, are sown with high-yield, However, the expert was worried about the resilient species. A number of crop- affect on academic communication between breeding platforms that employ Chinese and US scholars as such exchanges scientifically proven approaches-such as are not immune from the US attitude on the use of “dwarf-sterile” wheat, the China’s nuclear power sector. Lin Boqiang, “super rice” system and hybrid corn dean of Xiamen University’s China Institute breeding-have been established to fast- for Studies in Energy Policy, said the US track improvements in edible crops and restriction damages normal trade relations ensure the food supply is reliable and safe that are fully based on market competition in the long term. and supply and demand, and therefore the restriction harms everyone. The wide application of modern farming techniques has also helped farmers to raise http://www.chinadaily.com.cn/a/201908/16/ yields and reduce damage to the WS5d55e849a310cf3e35566085.html environment. At present, environmentally friendly methods are used to prevent and Science and technology help nation control pests on 56.7 million hectares achieve goals under cultivation, accounting for 15 percent of the total area affected by such Wang Xiaoyu, China Daily, August 16, 2019 pests. Meanwhile, smarter use of pesticides China is on track to achieve its goal of in demonstration areas has reduced the use boosting the contribution of scientific and of chemicals by 20 to 30 percent, the technological progress in agriculture to more ministry said. The use of fertilizers has than 60 percent by the end of next year. Last been further contained as a result of a year, innovations in the sector, including nationwide campaign launched in 2005. improved crop strains and more effective, It aims to tailor the use of synthesized environmentally friendly farming practices, fertilizers to suit local soil conditions and accounted for 58.3 percent of total growth, improve awareness of the scientific up more than 10 percent from 2005 and management of fertilizers among farmers. nearly 5 percent higher than seven years ago, To date, the program has been used on 123 according to the Ministry of Agriculture and million hectares of land. In 2017, about 58 Rural Affairs. 21 Nuclear, Missile & Space Digest

million tons of fertilizer were sprayed on China urges Japan to honor its farmland, a decline of nearly 1.25 million commitment, take actions to win tons from the previous year. The application Asian neighbors’ trust of fertilizer on land used for the cultivation of rice, wheat and corn has also been more Xinhua, August 15, 2019 productive, with the utilization rate-the China on Thursday urged Japan to amount of nutrients crops can absorb-rising earnestly honor the statement and from 35.2 percent in 2015 to 37.8 percent in commitment it has made so far, after 2017. As China continues to strengthen its Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe sent ability to secure the food supply under all a ritual offering to the war-linked natural conditions, crop losses due to natural Yasukuni Shrine in Tokyo. “China has disasters have remained at 5.7 percent every taken note of the negative move relating year in the past decade, having fallen by a to Yasukuni Shrine from the Japanese total of 3.6 percentage points from 1999 to side,” said Foreign Ministry spokesperson 2008. Hua Chunying, adding that this has once http://www.chinadaily.com.cn/a/201908/16/ again reflected some Japanese politicians’ WS5d5603f9a310cf3e3556613a.html erroneous attitude toward history. She said Japan needs to take practical actions to Washington blacklists Chinese win the trust of its Asian neighbors and nuclear firms for ‘helping military the international community. The offering by the Japanese prime minister came as acquire US technology’ Japan observed the 74th anniversary of its South China Morning Post, August 15, 2019 surrender in World War II. According to reports, some Japanese cabinet members The US added four Chinese nuclear entities and lawmakers also paid tribute to the to a trade blacklist, accusing them of helping controversial shrine. to acquire advanced American technology for military use in China. China General http://www.xinhuanet.com/english/2019-08/15/ Nuclear Power Group and its subsidiaries c_138312003.htm China General Nuclear Power Corporation (CGNPC), China Nuclear Power Technology China’s fighter drones possible Research Institute and Suzhou Nuclear with AI use: experts Power Research Institute were added to the so-called Entity List, according to a Federal Liu Xuanzun, Global Times, August 14, 2019 Register notice published on Wednesday. China’s plan to integrate artificial The move follows a crackdown on US intelligence (AI) for drones would make exports of civilian nuclear components and fighter drones possible, allowing them to materials in recent years. In 2016 the fly on their own, identify targets and make Department of Justice accused China decisions to enhance their combat General Nuclear Power, the country’s capability, Chinese military experts said on largest nuclear group, of a plot dating back Wednesday. Speaking on the future of to the 1990s to steal US technology. China’s military drones on a China Central Television (CCTV) program aired on The Pentagon has also warned about Monday, Li Yidong, chief designer of China’s plans to introduce floating nuclear China’s Wing Loong series drones, said, power plants on disputed islands and reefs “AI is a huge field with many basic in the South China Sea. technologies, which are developing. We are doing all sorts of work to apply these https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/ technologies on drones, and also piloted article/3022975/washington-blacklists-chinese- aircraft.” “We want [drones] to fly intelligently, nuclear-firms-helping-military have smart situational awareness, capable of identifying targets and automatically make some decisions,” Li said. 22 Volume 11, Number 16 August 31, 2019

Drones today are operated manually and last week. “We’re doing very well, as you remotely from ground stations, but the know, with Pakistan. I met a gentleman signals could be jammed in electric warfare who I liked a lot — as you know — last and the aircraft could lose their combat week, from Pakistan. I have a lot of respect capability, Wei Dongxu, a Beijing-based for him. We have a good friendship — a military analyst, told the Global Times on good feeling, good chemistry. I think Wednesday, noting that AI installed on Pakistan will help us, and I think others drones would solve this problem. “AI is also will get involved,” Trump told reporters a fundamental requirement for the at the White House. development of fighter drones,” Wei said. Since lag time occurs in remote control over https://gulfnews.com/world/asia/pakistan/ long distances, drones now have difficulty trump-pins-hope-on-pakistan-for-help-in- fighting air-to-air combat in which battle afghanistan-1.65609478 situations change very fast. But with AI, the drones can fight using their own judgment Experts see space for ample and without lag caused by data transmission, growth in Pakistan’s civil nuclear according to Wei. energy sector

AI developers must also consider the safety The News International, August 6, 2019 issue, as AI drones must still strictly follow Addressing a one-day seminar on the human commands and not take unwished peaceful use of nuclear energy at Karachi actions, analysts said. Technological issues University on Monday, Director General also need to be sorted out, like the Arms and Controls and Disarmament development of the hardware and if the size Brigadier Zahir ul Haider Kazmi said that of it can be fitted onto a drone, Wei said. Li Karachi was the first city in Pakistan that said that he is also developing drones that benefited from nuclear energy after the can fit into a whole combat system, 100-megawatt Karachi Nuclear Power exponentially boosting the system’s combat Project (KANUPP) was transmitted to the capability. Li did not give any detail on this grid on October 4, 1972, while KANUPP aspect. The Wing Loong series of drones are 2 and 3 would be linked to it by 2020 and domestically developed by the state-owned 2021 and would bring more energy to the Aviation Industry Corporation of China. As metropolis. of December 2018, 100 Wing Loong drones have been delivered for export, the Xinhua The Rabita Forum International in News Agency reported. They have fired collaboration with the University of more than 3,000 rounds of live munitions Karachi had organised the seminar. The on battlefields with an overall accuracy keynote speakers included Brigadier Kazmi, higher than 90 percent, according to a Quaid-e-Azam University’s Politics and separate CCTV report in March. International Relations Department Director Professor Dr Zafar Nawaz Jaspal, Karachi http://www.globaltimes.cn/content/1161430.shtml University Vice Chancellor Professor Dr Khalid Mahmood Iraqi, and KU’s C. Pakistan Department of International Relations Chairman Professor Dr Naeem Ahmed. Trump pins hope on Pakistan for help in Afghanistan https://www.thenews.com.pk/print/508871- experts-see-space-for-ample-growth-in-pakistan- Gulf News Asia, August 3, 2019 s-civil-nuclear-energy-sector US President Donald Trump on Friday hoped that Pakistan will help the US in Pakistan confronts with racist Afghanistan as peace talks with the Taliban ideology of Modi Govt: PM Imran has apparently entered its last phase. Khan Trump said he had developed a “good The News International, August 6, 2019 chemistry” with the Pakistan Prime Minister Prime Minister Imran Khan on Tuesday Imran Khan, whom he met at his Oval Office 23 Nuclear, Missile & Space Digest

said that Pakistan was confronted with the D. USA racist ideology of Modi government, which had been following the RSS (Rashtriya Mars 2020 rover gets radioisotope Swayamsevak Sangh) ideology and was fuel bent upon ethnic cleansing in secular India. World Nuclear News, August 1, 2019 “Whatever they did in the Occupied “The decision to begin fuelling the Kashmir to change its Special Constitutional MMRTG is another important milestone Status was according to their [BJP] ideology in keeping to our timetable for a July 2020 as they wanted to change demography of launch,” NASA Associate Administrator the Occupied Kashmir,” the Prime Minister for the Science Mission Directorate said in a policy statement at Joint Session of Thomas Zurbuchen said. the Parliament. The California Institute of Technology’s Jet The special Joint Session of the Parliament Propulsion Laboratory (JPL), which is was convened to discuss Modi government’s building and will manage operations of the decision to revoke special constitutional Mars 2020 Rover for the NASA Science status for the occupied Kashmir. Mission Directorate, describes an MMRTG as a “nuclear battery” which can provide https://www.thenews.com.pk/latest/509292- pakistan-confronts-with-racist-ideology-of-modi- about 110 watts of electrical power to a govt-pm-imran-khan spacecraft and its science instruments at the beginning of a mission. The excess heat UN chief warns against rising from the generator can help to keep the system warm enough to function in the tensions between nuclear-armed cold conditions of space and the Martian states surface.

Dawn, August 7, 2019 https://www.world-nuclear-news.org/Articles/ UN Secretary General António Guterres Mars-2020-rover-gets-radioisotope-fuel warned on Tuesday the world against rising tensions between nuclear-armed states, as US pulls out of nuclear arms a powerful American newspaper pointed control pact with Russia out that tensions in Kashmir were more menacing now than ever before as both Demetri Sevastopulo and Michael Peel, India and Pakistan possessed weapons of Financial Times, August 2, 2019 mass destruction. The US has withdrawn from a critical 1987 nuclear arms control treaty with Also, an international advocacy group — Russia after Moscow refused to destroy a Human Rights Watch — noted that basic new intermediate-range missile that freedoms were at risk in the occupied Washington and its Nato allies said Kashmir where Indian authorities had violated the cold war-era pact. arrested political leaders and severed communication lines. US president Donald Trump withdrew from the Intermediate-Range Nuclear As the news of India revoking Kashmir’s Forces Treaty on Friday, six months after special status sank-in, Kashmiris from both the US told Russia that failing to destroy sides of the Line of Control gathered at a its SSC-8 cruise missile would the restaurant near Washington on Monday collapse of the treaty. night to exchange notes on how to contact their relatives trapped in the valley. Mike Pompeo, US secretary of state, said Russia was “solely responsible” for the https://www.dawn.com/news/1498527/un-chief- demise of the pact, which was signed by warns-against-rising-tensions-between-nuclear- then US president Ronald Reagan and his armed-states Russian counterpart Mikhail Gorbachev at the White House more than three 24 Volume 11, Number 16 August 31, 2019

decades ago. The INF was a landmark treaty threatening for decades. While the that paved the way for a number of arms reclusive regime may have previously control pacts between the US and the then lacked the necessary weaponry, the North Soviet Union. now has the kind of capabilities to turn at least some of its threats into promises. https://www.ft.com/content/3417b426-b4f8-11e9- bec9-fdcab53d6959 https://nationalinterest.org/blog/buzz/could- america-stop-north-korean-nuclear-weapon- U.S. Defense Secretary says he headed-homeland-71096 favors placing missiles in Asia Wyoming approves first use of low Idrees Ali, Reuters, August 3, 2019 pH ISL uranium production U.S. Defense Secretary Mark Esper said on World Nuclear News, August 5, 2019 Saturday that he was in favor of placing ground-launched, intermediate-range The Wyoming Department of missiles in Asia relatively soon, a day after Environmental Quality (WDEQ) formally the United States withdrew from a approved an amendment to the Lance landmark arms control treaty. source materials licence on 31 July, notifying Peninsula Energy Ltd subisidiary Esper’s comments are likely to raise concern Strata Energy Inc the following day. The about an arms race and could add to an authorisation confirms that low pH in-situ already tense relationship with China. leach (ISL) methodology complies with the regulatory standards and requirements “Yeah, I would like to,” Esper said, when under the state regulator’s purview. asked whether he was considering placing such missiles in Asia. Peninsula CEO Wayne Heli described low pH recovery - widely used elsewhere in “I would prefer months ... but these things the world - as a “proven and effective” tend to take longer than you expect,” he told method. The company began the process reporters traveling with him to Sydney when to amend Lance’s licences in 2017, after asked about a timeline for when the missiles tests showed that using an acidic rather could be deployed. than alkaline mining solution could https://www.reuters.com/article/us-usa-asia-inf/u- potentially transform the project’s s-defense-secretary-says-he-favors-placing- operating performance and costs. “The missiles-in-asia-idUSKCN1UT098 final implementation of this initiative is anticipated to bring significant benefit for Could America Stop a North Korean our shareholders,” Heli said. Nuclear Weapon Headed for the http://world-nuclear-news.org/Articles/Wyo- Homeland? ming-approves-first-use-of-low-pH-ISL- uranium-p Ryan Pickrell, National Interest Blog, August 4, 2019 US Official: Nuclear Program For years, the world had heard warnings, Serves as ‘Ultimate Insurance but most doubted the day would ever come. Policy’ Most fall before allied defenses, but one VOA News, August 6, 2019 missile finds its mark — it’s the one that matters most. In a flash, hundreds of The head of the U.S. agency that maintains thousands, if not millions of people perish. the nation’s nuclear weapons arsenal said Tuesday the country is facing the most Would North Korea fire off a nuclear complex and demanding global security weapon? No one knows for certain, but environment since the Cold War. what we do know is that the above scenario is exactly what an aggressive and National Nuclear Security Administration increasingly-powerful North Korea has been chief Lisa Gordon-Hagerty outlined the 25 Nuclear, Missile & Space Digest

challenges while speaking to hundreds of Missile-Killer, Sensor and Spy people gathered for a small business expo Plane: What Can’t the F-35 Stealth in New Mexico. Fighter Do? “Amidst this increasing international David Axe, National Interest Blog, August turmoil, the effectiveness and credibility of 7, 2019 our nuclear deterrent reassures our friends and our allies and serves as the ultimate An F-35 stealth fighter indirectly insurance policy against a nuclear attack, transmitted data to U.S. Army missile- deterring those who would wish to harm defense systems during a June 2019 war us,” she said. game in Texas and California.

https://www.voanews.com/usa/us-official-nuclear- It was the latest test to underscore the program-serves-ultimate-insurance-policy radar-evading F-35’s ability to gather targeting information for other forces. The EIS process launched for US fast stealth fighter with its sophisticated radar neutron reactor and other sensors increasingly functions as a forward node in widespread military World Nuclear News, August 6, 2019 data networks. The F-35 demonstrated its data-transmission capability to send data A Notice of Intent was published yesterday during the Orange Flag Evaluation 19-2 in the US Federal Register, in which the at Palmdale, California, and Fort Bliss, DOE invites public comment on what should Texas. be included in the scope of the EIS in accordance with the National https://nationalinterest.org/blog/buzz/missile- Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) and its killer-sensor-and-spy-plane-what-cant-f-35- implementing regulations. The EIS will stealth-fighter-do-72066 evaluate alternatives for a versatile reactor- based fast-neutron source facility and US regulator invites comment on associated facilities for the preparation, Peach Bottom licence renewal irradiation and post-irradiation examination of fuels and materials. World Nuclear News, August 9, 2019

US Energy Secretary Rick Perry said the The US Nuclear Regulatory Commission testing capability offered by the VTR would (NRC) has issued for public comment the be “essential” for the USA to modernise its draft supplemental environmental impact nuclear energy infrastructure and for statement (EIS) on Exelon Generation developing “transformational nuclear Company’s application for an additional energy technologies” to reduce waste 20 years of operation for Peach Bottom generation and enhance nuclear security. units 2 and 3. This would be a second “Lack of a domestic reactor with versatile licence renewal for the Pennsylvania plant fast-neutron-spectrum testing capability is and, if granted, would enable it to operate a significant national strategic risk affecting for 80 years. the ability of DOE to fulfil its mission to The regulator said it is interested in the advance the energy, environmental, and public’s views on its draft conclusion that nuclear security of the United States and environmental impacts “are not great promote scientific and technological enough to prevent the agency from innovation,” he said. considering issuance of the renewed http://world-nuclear-news.org/Articles/EIS- licences”. The NRC will accept comments process-launched-for-US-fast-neutron-reactor at a public meeting to be held in , Pennsylvania on 12 September, at which it will also present an overview of the draft plant-specific supplement to its generic environmental impact statement for plant licence renewal. It will consider written 26 Volume 11, Number 16 August 31, 2019

comments on the draft EIS until 23 substances were released, it said. Russia’s September. state nuclear agency Rosatom said early on Saturday that five of its staff members https://www.world-nuclear-news.org/Articles/US- died. regulator-calls-for-public-comment-on-Peach-Bot A spokeswoman for Severodvinsk, a city US regulator invites comment on of 185,000 near the test site in the Peach Bottom licence renewal Arkhangelsk region, was quoted in a statement on the municipal website as World Nuclear News, August 9, 2019 saying that a “short-term” spike in The regulator said it is interested in the background radiation was recorded at public’s views on its draft conclusion that noon Thursday. The statement was not on environmental impacts “are not great the site on Friday. enough to prevent the agency from https://www.reuters.com/article/us-russia-blast- considering issuance of the renewed usa/u-s-based-experts-suspect-russia-blast- licences”. The NRC will accept comments involved-nuclear-powered-missile- at a public meeting to be held in Delta, idUSKCN1UZ2H5 Pennsylvania on 12 September, at which it will also present an overview of the draft U.S. adviser Bolton to urge tougher plant-specific supplement to its generic environmental impact statement for plant UK stance on Iran and China licence renewal. It will consider written Steve Holland, Reuters, August 11, 2019 comments on the draft EIS until 23 September. John Bolton, U.S. President Donald Trump’s national security adviser, arrived Peach Bottom is co-owned by Exelon in London on Sunday for talks at which Generation and Public Service and Gas of he is expected to urge Britain to toughen New Jersey, and operated by Exelon. The its stance on Iran and Chinese two boiling water reactors began telecommunications firm Huawei. commercial operation in 1974 and were initially licensed to operate for 40 years. The As the United Kingdom prepares to leave original licences were renewed in 2003 and the European Union on Oct. 31, its biggest the units are currently licensed to operate geopolitical shift since World War Two, until 2033 for unit 2 and 2034 for unit 3. many diplomats expect London to become increasingly reliant on the United States. http://www.world-nuclear-news.org/Articles/US- regulator-calls-for-public-comment-on-Peach-Bot https://www.reuters.com/article/us-usa-britain/ u-s-adviser-bolton-to-urge-tougher-uk-stance- U.S.-based experts suspect Russia on-iran-and-china-idUSKCN1V10HU blast involved nuclear-powered missile Energoatom tests Holtec used fuel casks at Rovno plant Jonathan Landay, Reuters, August 10, 2019 World Nuclear News, August 12, 2019 U.S.-based nuclear experts said on Friday they suspected an accidental blast and The CSFSF will be a dry storage facility in radiation release in northern Russia this which the used fuel will be stored in week occurred during the testing of a double-walled stainless steel canisters. The nuclear-powered cruise missile vaunted by facility will mean Ukraine will no longer President Vladimir Putin last year. have to spend USD200 million each year on its arrangement with Russia to The Russian Ministry of Defense, quoted by transport and reprocess used nuclear fuel. state-run news outlets, said that two people died and six were injured on Thursday in The technology produced by the USA’s an explosion of what it called a liquid Holtec, which will be tested at unit 4 in propellant rocket engine. No dangerous October and at units 1 and 2 in November, 27 Nuclear, Missile & Space Digest

will be used to transport used nuclear fuel Replica simulators completed at to the Central Spent Fuel Storage Facility Southern plants (CSFSF) under construction at the site of the Chernobyl nuclear power plant. World Nuclear News, August 13, 2019

Energoatom said on 8 August that the tests Southern Nuclear decided to install second at unit 3, between 28 June and 5 August, simulators, with new training buildings, demonstrated that the equipment met the at its three nuclear power plants. This was requirements of the CSFSF systems and to improve the quality of life for workers project criteria in terms of quality and safety through less shift work; to avoid assurance. Pavel Pavlyshyn, director general maintenance related scheduling issues; of the Rovno plant, said the functional tests and to have all three plant sites on a had been carried out after work to common technology platform. In addition, reconstruct the transport corridors of the the simulators would have more modern reactor units. equipment and prepare for future training needs, such as severe accident training. https://www.world-nuclear-news.org/Articles/ Energoatom-tests-Holtec-used-fuel-casks-at- After receiving proposals for the new Rovno-p simulators from four North American vendors in August 2015, Baltimore, U.S. Officials Suspect New Nuclear Maryland-based GSE Systems was selected in October of that year with a contract Missile in Explosion That Killed 7 awarded the following March. Three Russians separate purchase orders were issued with Missile Defence Advocacy Alliance, August a three month delay between the start of 12, 2019 each simulator. American intelligence officials are racing to https://www.world-nuclear-news.org/Articles/ understand a mysterious explosion that Replica-simulators-completed-at-Southern-plants released radiation off the coast of northern Russia last week, apparently during the test Future of last nuclear pact of a new type of nuclear-propelled cruise between Russia and U.S. missile hailed by President Vladimir V. Putin uncertain: U.S. envoy as the centerpiece of Moscow’s arms race with the United States. Andrew Osborn, Reuters, August 14, 2019

American officials have said nothing publicly The last major nuclear arms control treaty about the blast on Thursday, possibly one between Russia and the United States is of the worst nuclear accidents in the region outdated and flawed, the U.S. ambassador since Chernobyl, although apparently on a to Moscow said on Wednesday, saying it far smaller scale, with at least seven people, could be scrapped altogether when it including scientists, confirmed dead. But the expires in 2021 and replaced with Russian government’s slow and secretive something else.\ response has set off anxiety in nearby cities The New START treaty limits the number and towns — and attracted the attention of of strategic nuclear warheads the world’s analysts in Washington and Europe who two biggest nuclear powers can deploy to believe the explosion may offer a glimpse of no more than 1,550, the lowest level in technological weaknesses in Russia’s new decades. It also curbs the number of arms program. nuclear launchers and deployed land- and https://missiledefenseadvocacy.org/threat-news/u- submarine-based missiles and nuclear- s-officials-suspect-new-nuclear-missile-in- capable bombers they can have. explosion-that-killed-7-russians/ https://www.reuters.com/article/us-usa-russia- arms/future-of-last-nuclear-pact-between-russia- and-u-s-uncertain-u-s-envoy-idUSKCN1V41R0 28 Volume 11, Number 16 August 31, 2019

US regulator approves latest Holtec violating European Union sanctions by transport cask taking oil to , a close ally of Iran. World Nuclear News, August 14, 2019 https://uk.reuters.com/article/uk-mideast-iran- tanker-gibraltar-usa/gibraltar-decides-to-free- The HI-STAR 100MB is an enhanced version seized-iranian-tanker-u-s-opens-new-case-to- of the HI-STAR 100 package - which was hold-it-idUKKCN1V50SV initially licensed in 1998 - to transport high burn-up fuel in either a multipurpose US blacklists Chinese nuclear canister (MPC) or in a basket. It is based on the HI-STAR 190 cask designed for retrieval company over theft of military of large-diameter canisters from US nuclear tech power plants with on-site storage facilities. Christian Shepherd, Financial Times, The HI-STAR 100MB is the counterpart that August 15, 2019 will retrieve medium-sized canisters containing fuel with high burn-ups and The US has put a major state-owned shorter cooling times than allowed by the Chinese nuclear power company, a HI-STAR 100. partner for the UK’s power generation programme, on its export blacklist, over “Among the technology differentiators of accusations of stealing US technology for the HI-STAR 100MB are its ability to ship military use. contents packaged in an MPC or in a ‘bare basket’, to transport both moderate burn-up China General Nuclear Power Group, or and high burn-up fuel in the various sizes CGN, and three of its subsidiaries were employed in light water reactors, and to placed on the commerce department’s transport fuel with as little as 3.5 years of “entity list”, according to an decay after discharge from the reactor,” the announcement on the US Federal Register, company notes. The placement effectively bans US companies from supplying the Chinese Holtec submitted its application for the HI- group without obtaining licences, which STAR 100MB to the NRC in February 2018. are rarely granted. At that time, the company said that as the cask and fuel package designs were directly https://www.ft.com/content/9601ebda-bf24- based on current designs approved by the 11e9-b350-db00d509634e NRC, it expected an “efficient review process”. US DOE orders exascale computer http://world-nuclear-news.org/Articles/US- World Nuclear News, August 15, 2019 regulator-approves-latest-Holtec-transport-cask Exascale supercomputers are capable of 18 Gibraltar decides to free seized executing a quintillion (10 ) calculations each second. This is much faster than the Iranian tanker; U.S. seeks to hold it fastest supercomputers in the world today Guy Faulconbridge, Marco Trujillo, Reuters, which solve problems at the petascale, or August 15, 2019 a quadrillion (1015) calculations per second. According to the Exascale Computing Britain’s Mediterranean territory Gibraltar Project - a collaborative effort of the decided on Thursday to free a seized Iranian DOE’s Office of Science and the NNSA - oil tanker, but did not immediately indicate exascale computers represent the next when or if the ship would set sail after the milestone in computing achievement. United States launched a new, last-minute Their ability to simulate more realistically legal bid to hold it. the processes involved in a range of areas The Grace 1 was seized by British Royal including precision medicine, climate Marine commandos in darkness off the coast modelling, materials science and nuclear of the territory at the western mouth of the physics will have profound impacts on Mediterranean on July 4 on suspicion of everyday life, it says. 29 Nuclear, Missile & Space Digest

“The Department of Energy is the world He urged Moscow and Washington to do leader in supercomputing and El Capitan is more to preserve the 2010 New START a critical addition to our next generation treaty, which limits strategic nuclear systems,” US Energy Secretary Rick Perry missiles. said. “El Capitan’s advanced capabilities for modelling, simulation, and Artificial https://www.reuters.com/article/us-russia-usa- Intelligence will help push America’s missiles-germany/germany-russia-and-u-s- competitive edge in energy and national must-uphold-remaining-arms-treaties-as-inf- accord-ends-idUSKCN1UR5AC security, allow us to ask tougher questions, solve greater challenges, and develop better solutions for generations to come.” France disagrees with U.S. sanctions on Iranian foreign https://www.world-nuclear-news.org/Articles/US- minister DOE-orders-next-exascale-computer Sarah White; Alison Williams, Reuters, E. Europe August 1, 2019 Germany: Russia and U.S. must France said on Thursday voiced concern over a U.S. move to impose sanctions on uphold remaining arms treaties as Iran’s foreign minister and said that along INF accord ends with Britain and Germany it disagreed Tassilo Hummel, Reuters, August 1, 2019 with the decision, the French Foreign Ministry said. Germany urged the United States and Russia on Thursday to preserve what is left of the “We consider that all diplomatic channels international arms control framework, a day should stay open, particularly in a context before the Intermediate-range Nuclear of high tensions,” the ministry said. Forces Treaty (INF) is set to run out. The United States, at loggerheads with Iran In a statement, Foreign Minister Heiko Maas over Gulf shipping and Iran’s nuclear suggested Moscow was to blame for the program, on Wednesday slapped expiration of the INF treaty, a landmark sanctions on Iranian Foreign Minister agreement of Cold War-era arms control Mohammad Javad Zarif, a pivotal player signed by Soviet leader Mikhail Gorbachev in the nuclear deal. and U.S. President Ronald Reagan in 1987. https://www.reuters.com/article/us-mideast- “...We regret that Russia failed to do what iran-france/france-disagrees-with-u-s-sanctions- was necessary to save the INF treaty,” Maas on-iranian-foreign-minister-idUSKCN1UR5EP said in the statement. At U.N., Britain, France, Germany By banning medium-range land-based urge North Korea to hold missiles, which are capable of reaching Russia from Western Europe and vice versa, ‘meaningful’ talks with U.S the treaty aimed to avert an arms race on Michelle Nichols, Reuters, August 1, 2019 the continent. The United States announced last year it was withdrawing from the pact, Britain, France and Germany called on accusing Russia of failing to comply with it. North Korea to engage in “meaningful” Moscow denies it has violated the treaty and talks with the United States and said says Washington is withdrawing because it international sanctions need to be fully wants to pursue a new arms race. enforced until Pyongyang has dismantled its nuclear and ballistic missile programs. “With the end of the INF treaty, Europe is losing part of its security,” Maas said. “I am The statement came after a closed-door convinced that today we must again succeed U.N. Security Council meeting on in agreeing rules on disarmament and arms Thursday on North Korea’s latest missile control in order to prevent a new nuclear launches. “International sanctions need to arms race.” remain in place and be fully enforced until 30 Volume 11, Number 16 August 31, 2019

North Korea’s nuclear and ballistic missile Poland says Russia responsible for programs are dismantled,” British U.N. nuclear treaty collapse Ambassador Karen Pierce said, with her French and German counterparts beside Alicja Ptak, Reuters, August 2, 2019 her. “It is vital that the Security Council Poland’s foreign ministry said on Friday shows unity in upholding its resolutions,” that Russia bears full responsibility for the she told reporters. collapse of the Intermediate-range Nuclear Trump then met North Korean leader Kim Forces Treaty (INF), after the United States Jong Un - their third meeting since June last formally withdrew from the landmark year - and agreed to revive stalled 1987 pact. denuclearization talks. “Russia’s lack of readiness to return to “We urge North Korea to take concrete steps compliance with the INF did not leave the towards its complete, verifiable and United States any choice,” the foreign irreversible denuclearization and to engage ministry said on Twitter. in meaningful negotiations with the U.S. as https://www.reuters.com/article/us-usa-russia- agreed between President Trump and Kim poland/poland-says-russia-responsible-for- Jong Un on 30 June,” Pierce said. nuclear-treaty-collapse-idUSKCN1US1AQ North Korea fired two short-range ballistic missiles on Wednesday, the South Korean UK blames Russia for nuclear military said, days after Pyongyang treaty collapse, says threatens launched two similar missiles intended to European security pressure South Korea and the United States Michael Holden, Reuters, August 2, 2019 to scrap upcoming military drills. The U.N. Security Council has banned North Korea’s British Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab use of ballistic missiles. said Russia was to blame after the United States withdrew from the landmark https://www.reuters.com/article/us-northkorea- nuclear missile pact (INF) between the two missiles-un/at-u-n-britain-france-germany-urge- countries, saying the United Kingdom north-korea-to-hold-meaningful-talks-with-u-s- fully supported NATO’s response. idUSKCN1UR5B8 “Russia has caused the INF Treaty to UK, France and Germany condemn collapse by secretly developing and North Korea missile launches deploying a treaty-violating missile system which can target Europe’s capitals,” Raab Edith M. Lederer, AP News, August 2, 2019 said on Twitter. The United Kingdom, France and Germany “Their contempt for the rules-based on Thursday condemned North Korea’s international system threatens European latest ballistic missile launches as violations security.” of U.N. sanctions and urged Pyongyang to engage in “meaningful negotiations” with https://www.reuters.com/article/us-usa-russia- the United States on eliminating its nuclear arms-britain/uk-blames-russia-for-nuclear- weapons. treaty-collapse-says-threatens-european-secu- rity-idUSKCN1US19U The three countries also urged North Korea “to take concrete steps toward its complete, Low river levels to affect French verifiable and irreversible denuclearization” and said international sanctions should nuclear power generation from remain in place and be fully enforced until August 8: EDF its nuclear and ballistic missile programs are Bate Felix, Reuters, August 3, 2019 dismantled. French utility EDF may curb power https://www.apnews.com/ generation at its 3,000 megawatt Chooz ab9f54bffec944f69af1ecc600b46c3d nuclear reactor in the north of France due 31 Nuclear, Missile & Space Digest

to the low flow rate of the Meuse river which nuclear program, has teetered on the brink it uses to cool the two reactors at the plant. of collapse since President Donald Trump pulled the United States out of it last year. “Due to flow forecasts of Meuse river, production restrictions are likely to affect Germany is expected to liaise with its EDF’s nuclear generating fleet on Chooz European partners in the coming days production units starting Thursday August about who could take Erbel’s place as the 8,” the company said. new Instex head.

EDF’s use of water from rivers as coolant is The three EU countries, also known as E3, regulated by law to protect plant and animal are trying to set up Instex as a barter-based life. It is obliged to reduce output during hot trade conduit with Iran, but an Iranian weather when water temperatures rise, or mirror mechanism has yet to be when river levels are low. established.

The utility has been forced to cut output and If the mechanism goes ahead, it would halt production at several reactors this initially deal only in products such as summer due to two spells of heatwave and pharmaceuticals and foods, which are not prolonged dry weather that has reduced subject to U.S. sanctions. Iranian officials river levels. have repeatedly said Instex must include oil sales or provide substantial credit https://www.reuters.com/article/us-france- facilities for it to be beneficial. electricity/low-river-levels-to-affect-french- nuclear-power-generation-from-august-8-edf- https://www.reuters.com/article/us-mideast- idUSKCN1UT06M iran-germany-instex/german-designated-to- head-iran-trade-vehicle-bows-out-at-last- TABLE-Swiss nuclear plant outages minute-idUSKCN1UZ1EU and restarts After Trump rebuke, France says it Vera Eckert, Reuters, August 6, 2019 speaks for itself on Iran The following table lists maintenance Richard Lough, Reuters, August 9, 2019 outages and unscheduled stoppages at Swiss nuclear power plants. Maintenance usually France does not need the permission of takes place in the spring and summer. other states to try to defuse tensions with Ownership of the plants is detailed under Iran, its foreign minister said on Friday (1,2,3...) after U.S. President Donald Trump accused President Emmanuel Macron of https://www.reuters.com/article/switzerland- sending “mixed signals” to Tehran. nuclear-outages/table-swiss-nuclear-plant- outages-and-restarts-idUSL8N24V602 “France speaks for itself on Iran as a sovereign power,” Foreign Minister Jean- German designated to head Iran Yves Le Drian said in a written statement. trade vehicle bows out at last “France is deeply committed to peace and minute security in the region, is committed to de- escalating tensions and does not need any Michael Nienaber, Reuters, August 9, 2019 authorization to do so.” Trump on Thursday had said no one was permitted European efforts to launch a barter-based to speak to Iran on behalf of the United trade conduit with Iran that would help States, after a report this week said offset the effects of U.S. sanctions on Tehran Macron had invited Iran’s President suffered a setback when its designated head Hassan Rouhani to this month’s G7 bowed out at the last minute. summit to meet the U.S. president. A The 2015 deal, under which many French diplomat denied the invitation had international sanctions against Iran were been made. Washington’s major European relaxed in exchange for Tehran curbing its allies Britain, France and Germany have 32 Volume 11, Number 16 August 31, 2019

been at odds with the Trump for termination of economic and financial administration over Iran since last year, sanctions. when Trump pulled the United States out of an international deal to give Iran access However, Donald Trump withdrew the to world trade in return for curbs to its U.S. from the UN-endorsed JCPOA in May nuclear program.While the Europeans say 2018 and imposed the toughest ever they share U.S. concerns about Iran’s sanctions against Iran in line with his regional behavior and missile program, they administration’s “maximum pressure” believe pulling out of the nuclear agreement policy against Tehran. was a mistake. https://www.tehrantimes.com/news/439219/ Iran will be a hot-button topic at the G7 UK-reiterates-support-for-nuclear-deal summit in Biarritz. The European countries still hope to salvage the nuclear deal, Norway detects radioactive iodine although Iran has begun to scale down its by Russian border days after blast cooperation with it in response to U.S. Lefteris Karagiannopoulos, Reuters, August sanctions. Britain was drawn deeper into the 15, 2019 confrontation last month when it seized an Iranian tanker accused of violating Norway’s nuclear safety authority is sanctions on Syria. Iran responded by analyzing tiny amounts of radioactive seizing a British tanker. London has since iodine detected in the air in northern said it will join a U.S.-led mission to boost Norway in the days after a deadly security in the Gulf; France and Germany explosion during a rocket engine test over have so far held back. the border in Russia.Russia’s state nuclear agency, Rosatom, said on Saturday that https://www.reuters.com/article/us-iran-nuclear- five people killed in the blast were its staff france-usa/after-trump-rebuke-france-says-it- members, and the accident involved speaks-for-itself-on-iran-idUSKCN1UZ1XZ “isotope power sources”, giving no further details. UK reiterates support for nuclear deal “At present it is not possible to determine if the last iodine detection is linked to the Tehran Times, August 13, 2019 accident in Arkhangelsk last week. DSA British Prime Minister Boris Johnson’s continues more frequent sampling and spokesman said on Monday that the United analysis,” DSA said. Kingdom’s position on the 2015 nuclear deal, Such radiation measurements are not known as the JCPOA, has not changed, unusual in Norway, as its monitoring His comments came as U.S. National stations detect radioactive iodine about six Security Advisor John Bolton visited London to eight times a year and the source is on Sunday to urge Britain to toughen its usually unknown. stance on Iran. Russia’s state weather service said on In an interview with Reuters in July, Johnson Tuesday that radiation levels in the city of expressed support for the JCPOA. Severodvinsk had spiked by up to 16 times last Thursday, while medics who treated Caroline Hurndall, the head of the British victims of the accident have been sent to Foreign Office’s department for Iran and Moscow for a medical examination, the Iraq, tweeted in July after a meeting of TASS news agency reported. JCPOA Joint Commission, “The UK remains committed to the deal.” https://www.reuters.com/article/us-russia-blast- norway/norway-detects-radioactive-iodine-by- Under the nuclear deal, Iran agreed to put russian-border-days-after-blast- limits on its nuclear activities in exchange idUSKCN1V510N 33 Nuclear, Missile & Space Digest

F. Russia Under One Roof: Russia’s Integrated Strategy for Spent Fuel Partnerships key to nuclear growth, Management says GE Steam Power CEO Nicole Jawerth, International Atomic World Nuclear News, August 1, 2019 Energy Agency, August 2, 2019 GE Steam Power is a unit of GE Power, the A one-stop-shop for spent fuel US energy technology company that is management is one way to describe owned by General Electric. It sells equipment Russia’s Mining and Chemical Complex to conventional islands for nuclear plants. (MCC) near Krasnoyarsk, Siberia. The In 2007, General Electric and complex is designed to handle spent fuel Atomenergomash (AEM) - at its different stages, all at one site. In Rosatom’s mechanical engineering division many countries, these activities — - established a joint venture company, involving fuel that is no longer useful but AAEM Turbine Technology, to supply still very radioactive — are performed at equipment for the conventional islands of separate facilities that are, in some cases, VVER nuclear power plants. In June this up to hundreds of kilometers apart. By year, they announced the start of taking an integrated approach, Russia’s manufacturing work in Belfort, in north- national strategy for spent fuel eastern France, of the Arabelle steam turbine management aims to improve efficiency, for Turkey’s first nuclear power plant. GE cut costs and optimize safety and security. Steam Power is supplying the four nuclear “Russia’s nuclear power industry is turbine generator sets for the Akkuyu plant continuing to develop and increase its under a contract awarded to AAEM. These contribution to the country’s overall include the Arabelle half-speed steam energy mix. So, we need to make sure that turbine, Gigatop 4-poles generator and the management of spent nuclear fuel is condenser vacuum pumps. reliable, sustainable, safe and secure,” said Keroullé, who became head of GE Steam Anzhelika Khaperskaya, a senior manager Power on 1 July, has described the 12-year in the Spent Nuclear Fuel Management history of AAEM as “visionary, especially Project Office of Russia’s State Atomic while the nuclear industry went through the Energy Corporation (Rosatom), and one toughest moments after 2013”. of the designers of the integrated approach. “The integrated complex will “Now the total capacity of the units built in help us cut down on the need to transport the framework of joint projects exceeds 13 nuclear materials or waste and allow us gigawatts,” he said. “We’re talking about to focus safety and security measures in new units being built in Finland, Turkey, one place, which is also better from an Hungary and Egypt. Given the large amount economic point of view.” of work, as well as the presence of cultural and legislative peculiarities in each of the https://www.iaea.org/newscenter/news/under- countries where we cooperate, it’s obvious one-roof--integrated-strategy-for-spent- fuel-management that successful implementation of such large- scale and diverse projects is not an easy task. In these circumstances, the word ‘partner’ Putin to Trump: We’ll develop new becomes particularly important.” nuclear missiles if you do

https://www.world-nuclear-news.org/Articles/ Andrew Osborn, Polina Devitt, Reuters, Partnerships-key-to-nuclear-growth-says-GE- August 5, 2019 Steam Russian President Vladimir Putin warned on Monday that Moscow would start developing short and intermediate-range land-based nuclear missiles if the United 34 Volume 11, Number 16 August 31, 2019

States started doing the same after the said five employees had died, in addition demise of a landmark arms control treaty. to the two military personnel previously confirmed dead, as a result of a test on The U.S. formally left the Intermediate Thursday morning involving “isotopic Nuclear Forces (INF) treaty with Russia on sources of fuel on a liquid propulsion unit.” Friday after determining that Moscow was violating the treaty and had already https://www.nytimes.com/2019/08/10/world/ deployed one banned type of missile, an europe/russia-explosion-radiation.html accusation the Kremlin denies. Russian Nuclear Agency Confirms https://www.reuters.com/article/us-usa-russia- Deaths During Engine Test arms-putin/putin-to-trump-well-develop-new- nuclear-missiles-if-you-do-idUSKCN1UV1GV Thomas Grove, The Wall Street Journal, August 11, 2019 Missile-Killer, Sensor and Spy Russia’s nuclear energy authority said Plane: What Can’t the F-35 Stealth Saturday that five of its employees were Fighter Do? killed in an accident during a test of a David Axe, The National Interest, August 7, nuclear-powered engine, raising questions 2019 over the severity of the blast that saw radiation levels briefly spike in the An F-35 stealth fighter indirectly transmitted northwestern Arkhangelsk region. The data to U.S. Army missile-defense systems announcement by Rosatom is the first during a June 2019 war game in Texas and indication of nuclear elements involved in California. the blast on Thursday and brings the number of deaths to seven. It was the latest test to underscore the radar- evading F-35’s ability to gather targeting https://www.wsj.com/articles/russian-nuclear- information for other forces. The stealth agency-confirms-deaths-during-missile-test- fighter with its sophisticated radar and 11565446468 other sensors increasingly functions as a forward node in widespread military data Evidence Grows That Russia’s networks. The F-35 demonstrated its data- Nuclear-Powered Doomsday transmission capability to send data during Missile Was What Blew Up Last the Orange Flag Evaluation 19-2 at Palmdale, California, and Fort Bliss, Texas. Week (Updated) Joseph Trevithick,, The Drive, August 12, https://nationalinterest.org/blog/buzz/missile- 2019 killer-sensor-and-spy-plane-what-cant-f-35- stealth-fighter-do-72066 Rumors and speculation continue to swirl around a radiological accident last week Russia Confirms Radioactive at a missile test site in northwestern Russia Materials Were Involved in Deadly even as officials held a memorial service Blast today for those who died in the incident. The Kremlin has now acknowledged that Andrew E. Kramer, The New York Times, the incident killed at least seven scientists August 10, 2019 and other personnel from a major state nuclear research laboratory, who were A mystery explosion at a Russian weapons working on a system that included a small testing range involved radioactive materials, nuclear reactor at the time. This same lab the authorities admitted on Saturday, as the is linked to the development of a nuclear- blast’s admitted death toll rose and signs of powered cruise missile called Burevestnik a creeping radiation emergency, or at the and U.S. intelligence officials are least fear of one, grew harder to mask. reportedly increasingly of the view that In a statement released at 1 a.m. Saturday, one of these weapons, or a test article Russia’s nuclear energy company, Rosatom, related to it, exploded in this mishap. 35 Nuclear, Missile & Space Digest

Late on Aug. 11, 2019, Valentin Kostiukov, Russia Wants Four Submarines the director of the Russian Federal Nuclear Armed with Nuclear Warhead Center-All-Russian Scientific Research Drones That Can Cause Tsunamis Institute of Experimental Physics, also known by the acronym RFNC-VNIIEF, National Interest Blog, August 14, 2019 along with the institute’s scientific director By now, two submarines appear to have Vyacheslav Solovyev and deputy scientific been built specifically to launch the director Aleksandr Chernyshev, held a Poseidon, starting with the Sarov, an televised press briefing regarding the experimental diesel-electric submarine accident. RFNC-VNIIEF falls under Russia’s with a small nuclear-reactor dedicated to top nuclear Corporation, Rosatom, which charging its batteries. first admitted its involvement in the incident at the Nyonoksa missile test site in the For decades, submarine nuclear country’s Arkhangelsk region and that the deterrence has been uniquely provided by explosion had occured during work on a the nuclear-powered ballistic missile system that included a nuclear “isotope submarine (SSBN), designed to loft missiles power source,” on Aug. 9, 2019. from beneath the waves into space before releasing multiple nuclear warheads that https://www.thedrive.com/the-war-zone/29380/ rain hellfire on cities and military bases evidence-grows-that-russians-nuclear-powered- below. SSBNs can remain submerged doomsday-missile-was-what-blew-up-last-week basically indefinitely thanks to their nuclear reactors, and are thus unlikely to Rosatom postpones fast be all hunted down prior to launch orders reactor project, report says being issued.

World Nuclear News, August 13, 2019 https://nationalinterest.org/blog/buzz/russia- Rosenergoatom is expected to receive about wants-four-submarines-armed-nuclear-warhead- RUB280 billion (USD4 billion) less in state drones-can-cause-tsunamis-73606 funding for the construction of new nuclear reactors in Russia owing to the Failed Russian nuclear test: Is postponement of its fast neutron reactor Vladimir Putin developing a programme, Russian newspaper weapon that could crack US Kommersant reported last week, citing defenses? anonymous sources. Rosenergoatom is the nuclear power plant operator subsidiary of Matthew Rozsa, Salon, August 14, 2019 Russian state nuclear corporation Rosatom. A recent explosion likely related to an Rosatom’s investment plan received unsuccessful nuclear test suggests that preliminary approval during a meeting in Russian President Vladimir Putin is the Russian Energy Ministry on 2 August, exploring ways to bypass American missile defense systems. according to the article, with funding out to 2035 to total RUB880 billion and not the Five scientists were accidentally killed RUB1.16 trillion Rosatom had allocated for during military tests in northern Russia, the two new VVER-1200 units under according to Reuters. The incident that led construction for the Kursk II project, units 3 to their deaths involved engineering and and 4 for the Leningrad II project and a BN- technical support of isotope power sources 1200 fast reactor at Beloyarsk. on a liquid propulsion system. Although Commissioning of the BN-1200 has been Russian authorities did not provide further postponed to 2036, the article said, from the details, experts believe the accident was previous target of 2027. likely connected to a Russian nuclear- powered missile test. http://www.world-nuclear-news.org/Articles/ Rosatom-postpones-fast-reactor-project-report-say https://www.salon.com/2019/08/14/failed- russian-nuclear-test-is-vladimir-putin-develop- ing-a-weapon-that-could-crack-us-defenses/ 36 Volume 11, Number 16 August 31, 2019

Russia Touts Arctic Floating Norway detects radioactive iodine Nuclear Plant’s Safety Despite by Russian border days after blast ‘Chernobyl on Ice’ Concerns Reuters, August 15, 2019 Moscow Times, August 15, 2019 Norway’s nuclear safety authority is Russia is preparing to send its first floating analyzing tiny amounts of radioactive nuclear plant on a 5,000- iodine detected in the air in northern kilometer journey to provide electricity to a Norway in the days after a deadly remote resource-rich region, drawing explosion during a rocket engine test over comparisons to past nuclear disasters and the border in Russia. concerns over plans to sell the technology to other countries. Russia’s state nuclear agency, Rosatom, said on Saturday that five people killed in As a changing climate accelerates Arctic ice the blast were its staff members, and the melt, Russia has worked to capitalize on accident involved “isotope power newly opened trade routes and establish a sources”, giving no further details. strong military presence in the region, expanding its range of nuclear icebreakers, https://www.reuters.com/article/us-russia-blast- submarines and other technologies. norway/norway-detects-radioactive-iodine-by- Greenpeace has called the Rosatom state russian-border-days-after-blast- idUSKCN1V510N nuclear company’s floating plant, the Akademik Lomonosov, the “nuclear Titanic” and the “floating Chernobyl.” Russian nuclear agency committed crime by holding test near city: https://www.themoscowtimes.com/2019/08/05/ ecologist russia-touts-arctic-floating-nuclear-plants-safety- despite-chernobyl-on-ice-concerns-a66703 Tom Balmforth, Reuters, August 15, 2019 An ecologist in northern Russia said on Russia flies nuclear-capable Thursday the state nuclear agency bombers to region facing Alaska Rosatom had committed a crime by Andrew Osborn, Reuters, August 15, 2019 carrying out a mysterious test last week close to inhabited areas, which caused a Russia said on Wednesday it had flown two spike in radiation in his native city. nuclear-capable TU-160 bombers to a far eastern Russian region opposite Alaska as Rosatom has said that the Aug. 8 accident part of a training exercise that state media occurred during a rocket test involving said showed Moscow’s ability to park “isotope power sources” that was carried nuclear arms on the United States’ doorstep. out on a sea platform in the White Sea. At least five people were killed in the The Tupolev TU-160 strategic bomber, accident. nicknamed the White Swan in Russia, is a supersonic Soviet-era aircraft capable of The defense ministry initially said radiation carrying up to 12 short-range nuclear levels had remained normal, but officials missiles and of flying 12,000 km (7,500 in the northern city of Severodvinsk miles) non-stop without re-fuelling. recorded a brief spike. Days later, the state weather agency said radiation had risen Russia’s Ministry of Defence said in a by up to 16 times. statement that the planes had covered a distance of more than 6,000 km (3,728 miles) https://www.reuters.com/article/us-russia-blast- in over eight hours from their home base in crime/russian-nuclear-agency-committed-crime- western Russia to deploy in Anadyr in the by-holding-test-near-city-ecologist- Chukotka region, which faces Alaska. idUSKCN1V5202

https://www.reuters.com/article/us-usa-russia- bombers/russia-flies-nuclear-capable-bombers-to- region-facing-alaska-idUSKCN1V420D 37 Nuclear, Missile & Space Digest

WANO completes technical support and top commanders of mission at Leningrad II-2 the Islamic Revolution Guards Corps (IRGC). World Nuclear News, August 15, 2019 In his statement on blacklisting Zarif, US Russian state nuclear corporation Rosatom Secretary of State Mike Pompeo claimed said yesterday that WANO had monitored that the top Iranian diplomat is a “key the various modes of operation of the VVER- enabler” of Iran’s policies throughout the 1200 unit on a full-scale simulator, analysed region and the world. the design and technological documentation, and conducted interviews with operator The US Treasury Department also said in personnel. its statement that Zarif is Iran’s “primary spokesperson around the world,” and that Alexey Tararin, deputy chief engineer at the ban “is sending a clear message that Leningrad II, said: “Each new unit must pass Iran’s ”recent behavior is completely several inspections, the results of which unacceptable.” assess the level of its readiness for commissioning. The final pre-launch peer “The US’ reason for designating me is that check takes place on the eve of the physical I am Iran’s ‘primary spokesperson around start-up of the unit. the world’. Is the truth really that painful?” Zarif said in a tweet shortly after the “In order to evaluate the readiness of our power unit for this event, we invited designation, mocking the terms used by international and Russian experts. They will the US administration to describe his give us their recommendations on activities. administration, operation, fire safety, staff He also reiterated that the move by the US training and the use of operating experience administration “has no effect” on him or based on world practice. For us, this is a very his family, as they “have no property or important and responsible work that will interests outside of Iran.” allow us to carry out serious preparations for a key event - the physical launch of the https://www.tehrantimes.com/news/438817/ power unit.” US-imposes-sanctions-on-Iran-s-Foreign- Minister-Zarif http://www.world-nuclear-news.org/Articles/ WANO-completes-technical-support-mission-at- Lening?feed=feed Sanctioning Zarif is sanctioning diplomacy West Asia Tehran Times, August 2, 2019 G. Iran In separate statements on Wednesday, the US imposes sanctions on Iran’s U.S. Treasury and State Department announced imposition of sanctions against Foreign Minister Zarif Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Tehran Times, August 1, 2019 Javad Zarif, a move which was interpreted as a total rejection of diplomacy repeatedly In separate statements on Wednesday, the claimed by the Trump administration. US departments of State and Treasury announced the imposition of sanctions At home there was a huge torrent of against Zarif because he “acted or purported support for Foreign Minister Zarif who is to act for or on behalf of, directly or liked by the people and even his moderate indirectly, the Supreme Leader of the Islamic opponents. They all consider him a highly Republic of Iran”. qualified diplomat and treasure him for his rationality. Back on June 24, US President Donald Trump announced new sanctions against Vice President Es’haq Jahangiri lauded Iran targeting Leader of the Islamic Zarif’s diplomatic capability, saying, “Even Revolution Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei wise enemies are aware of his intellect, 38 Volume 11, Number 16 August 31, 2019

skill, his rare competence in negotiations, China, EU agree to safeguard creating opportunities, and avoiding conflict nuclear deal and war.” Tehran Times, August 2, 2019 “Sanctioning Zarif is another reason for (U.S.) hypocrisy and lying in calling for Both sides also agreed to safeguard the negotiations,” Jahangiri wrote on his Twitter United Nations-centered multilateralism account. and oppose the campaign of “maximum pressure,” while calling on relevant parties https://www.tehrantimes.com/news/438845/ to maintain restraint and prevent the Sanctioning-Zarif-is-sanctioning-diplomacy escalation of the situation, Xinhua reported. Cleric to U.S.: Go ahead with Zarif Britain, France, Germany, Russia, China, sanctions ‘if that pleases you’ and Iran have been trying to salvage the Tehran Times, August 2, 2019 pact since the U.S. withdrew from it in May 2018 and returned sanctions. Mohammad Javad Haj Ali Akbari, an interim Friday prayer leader in Tehran, has The European Union announced on June censured the U.S. sanctions on Foreign 28 that its special purpose vehicle for trade Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif, telling the with Iran, known as INSTEX, has gone White House to go right ahead with the into effect. sanctions “if that makes you happy.” Tehran says the mechanism is far short of “The U.S. diplomacy of begging reached Iran’s expectation. Iran has been insisting nowhere, therefore they sanctioned our that the mechanism should include Iran’s foreign minister,” Haj Ali Akbari told oil purchases. worshippers on Friday. “It seems that this makes them happy. Then go ahead if that The remaining JCPOA parties held an makes you happy.” emergency meeting in Vienna on Sunday to discuss Iran’s moves in reducing its The cleric further said the U.S. sanctions are nuclear commitments and explore ways a “source of pride” for the chief Iranian to save the nuclear deal. diplomat, and demonstrate “the fall of ethics and politics in America.” Abbas Araghchi, the deputy foreign minister and a top nuclear negotiator who The administration of U.S. President Donald represented Iran in the meeting, called the Trump imposed sanctions on Zarif on talks “constructive”. However, he warned Wednesday because he “acted or purported Iran would continue to reduce its nuclear to act for or on behalf of, directly or commitments if Europeans failed to indirectly, the Supreme Leader of the Islamic salvage the pact. Republic of Iran.” “The atmosphere was constructive. The U.S. Treasury Department also said in Discussions were good. I cannot say that its statement that Zarif is Iran’s “primary we resolved everything, I can say there are spokesperson around the world,” and that lots of commitments,” the senior nuclear the ban “is sending a clear message that negotiator told Reuters. Iran’s “recent behavior is completely unacceptable.” https://www.tehrantimes.com/news/438841/ China-EU-agree-to-safeguard-nuclear-deal https://www.tehrantimes.com/news/438837/ Cleric-to-U-S-Go-ahead-with-Zarif-sanctions-if- that-pleases 39 Nuclear, Missile & Space Digest

Iran’s IRGC, Army denounce U.S. nuclear accord in stages and may even sanctions on Zarif withdrew from the pact altogether unless the remaining signatories find ways to Tehran Times, August 3, 2019 shield its economy from U.S. sanctions. On Wednesday, the U.S. departments of Washington pulled out of the deal last year. state and treasury announced the imposition “The third step in reducing commitments of sanctions against Zarif because he “acted to (the nuclear deal) will be implemented or purported to act for or on behalf of, in the current situation,” he said. “We directly or indirectly, the Supreme Leader have said that if (the deal) is not of the Islamic Republic of Iran”. completely implemented by others then On Thursday, the IRGC announced its we will also implement it in the same condemnation of the “illegal” measure, incomplete manner. And of course all of saying the move was in line with the United our actions have been within the States’ policy of mounting maximum framework of (the deal).” Last month, pressure on the Islamic Republic, Mehr Iran threatened to restart deactivated reported. centrifuges and ramp up enrichment of uranium to 20% purity in a move away It said the U.S. move was ineffective and from the nuclear deal. foreseeable, and demonstrated the American rulers’ anger at the Islamic https://www.reuters.com/article/us-mideast- iran-zarif/iran-will-take-third-step-to-reduce- Revolution’s inspiring and anti-hegemonic commitments-to-nuclear-deal-iran-foreign- message for the world. minister-idUSKCN1UT04F The statement said the U.S. was furious with the way the top Iranian diplomat exposed Iran will take next step to scale their “wicked nature”. back nuclear activities if obligations not met: Zarif Back in April, the IRGC itself was blacklisted by the U.S. as a “foreign terrorist Tehran Times, August 3, 2019 organization”. In retaliation, the Iranian “It is the Islamic Republic of Iran who Supreme National Security Council named should take decision in this respect. This the United States Central Command step will be taken in continuation of (CENTCOM) a terrorist organization. previous actions if other sides do not fulfil Also on June 24, U.S. President Donald their obligations,” he told ICANA in an Trump announced new sanctions against interview published on Saturday. Iran, targeting office of Leader of the Islamic He noted that Iran’s actions are within the Revolution Ayatollah Ali Khamenei and top framework of the JCPOA, the official commanders of the IRGC. name for the nuclear agreement. https://www.tehrantimes.com/news/438835/Iran- s-IRGC-Army-denounce-U-S-sanctions-on-Zarif Paragraph 36 of the JCPOA has provided a mechanism to resolve disputes and allows one side, under certain Iran to further reduce commitments circumstances, to stop complying with the to nuclear deal: foreign minister deal if the other side is out of compliance. Reuters, August 3, 2019 Under the nuclear deal, Iran agreed to put Iran will take another step to reduce its limits on its nuclear activities in exchange compliance with a landmark 2015 nuclear for the termination of economic and deal, Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad financial sanctions. Javad Zarif said on Saturday without elaborating, according to parliamentary However, Donald Trump withdrew the news agency ICANA. Iran has repeatedly U.S. from the UN-endorsed JCPOA in May said it will reduce its commitment to the 2018 and imposed the toughest ever 40 Volume 11, Number 16 August 31, 2019

sanctions against Iran in line with his Tuesday in a speech broadcast live on state administration’s “maximum pressure” TV, warning once again that shipping policy against Tehran. might not be safe in the Strait of Hormuz oil waterway. Tensions have risen between https://www.tehrantimes.com/news/438882/Iran- Iran and the West since last year when the will-take-next-step-to-scale-back-nuclear-activities-if United States pulled out of an international agreement which curbed the Iran unveils three new precision- Islamic Republic’s nuclear program in guided missiles return for an easing of economic sanctions on Iran. “Peace with Iran is the mother of August 6, 2019 all peace, war with Iran is the mother of Iran unveiled three precision-guided missiles all wars,” Rouhani said at the Foreign on Tuesday, with the defense minister Ministry in a speech which also praised saying they show the country is ready to Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif defend itself in the face of US “viciousness after the United States imposed sanctions and conspiracies”. on him on July 31.

The new line-up of air-to-air missiles dubbed If the United States wants to have the “Yasin”, “Balaban” and a new series of negotiations with Iran then it must lift all the “Ghaem” were developed jointly by the sanctions, Rouhani said, noting that Iran ministry and Sa Iran, also known as Iran must be allowed to export oil. Fuelling Electronics Industries. fears of a Middle East war with global repercussions, the Guards seized British Defense Minister Brigadier-General Amir tanker Stena Impero near the Strait of Hatami hailed their launch as “another Hormuz in July for alleged marine significant achievement of power and violations, two weeks after British forces dignity for the Islamic Republic of Iran”. captured an Iranian oil tanker near Gibraltar accused of violating sanctions on “It shows that despite the viciousness and Syria. “A strait for a strait. It can’t be that conspiracies of the Great Satan America and the Strait of Hormuz is free for you and its mercenaries, the defense ministry will not the Strait of Gibraltar is not free for us,” hesitate for a moment to defend the Islamic Rouhani said. republic and to expand security,” he said, quoted by Fars news agency. https://www.reuters.com/article/us-mideast- iran-rouhani/war-with-iran-is-the-mother-of- The Yasin was a smart, guided missile with all-wars-iran-president-idUSKCN1UW0I9 folding wings that can be fired from a range of 50 km of its target from manned or Iran to unveil ‘Bavar-373’ air unmanned aircraft, Fars reported. defense system on August 22 The Balaban was guided by GPS and Tehran Times, August 7, 201 sensors, equipped with folding wings and The advanced air defense system will be could be mounted under aircraft, while the unveiled on the National Day of the Ghaem was a heat-seeking missile that could Defense Industry, which falls on August hit within 50 centimeters of a target. 22 this year, Tasnim quoted Hatami as http://saudigazette.com.sa/article/574086/World/ saying. Mena/Iran-unveils-three-new-precision-guided- missiles Speaking to reporters on the sidelines of a cabinet session, Hatami announced that the Defense Ministry will put on display War with Iran is the mother of all some of Iran’s latest air defense wars: Rohani achievements on August 22, and promised Reuters, August 6, 2019 to announce good news on the occasion. War with Iran is the mother of all wars, Bavar-373 is a domestically built long- Iranian President Hassan Rouhani said on range mobile air defense system which 41 Nuclear, Missile & Space Digest

was developed after the UN Security Council by the ministry and Sa Iran (Iran passed a resolution banning the sale of Electronics Industries). advanced weapons to the Islamic Republic, which in turn suspended Iran’s purchase of According to the Mehr news agency, the the Russian S-300. Yasin is a smart missile with folding wings that can be fired from a range of 50 However, the restriction was lifted after Iran kilometers (30 miles) of its target from and six world powers signed a nuclear deal manned or unmanned aircraft. in 2015 that restricted some aspects of Tehran’s nuclear program in exchange for The Balaban smart bomb is guided by sanctions relief. hybrid inertial navigation system (INS)/ Global Positioning System (GPS) guidance A distinguishing feature of Bavar-373 is its and sensors to boost its precision vertical launching system with square capabilities and is equipped with folding launchers, mostly used for air defense on wings and can be mounted under an warships. aircraft.

The missile system uses a long-range, phased The Qaem optic smart bomb meanwhile array fire-control radar, dubbed Me’raj-4. is a heat-seeking missile equipped with heat and cylinder seekers that allow the It employs three different types of missiles bomb to hit within 50 centimeters of a to hit targets at various altitudes. target. Similar to the Balaban, it can be Iranian military technicians have in recent installed on various kinds of unmanned years made great headways in aerial vehicles such as fighter jets and manufacturing a broad range of equipment, helicopters. making the armed forces self-sufficient in the https://www.tehrantimes.com/news/439025/ arms sphere. Iran-unveils-new-smart-bombs Tehran has always assured other nations that its military might poses no threat to Trump swats at Macron for Iran regional countries, saying that the Islamic diplomacy Republic’s defense doctrine is entirely based Tehran Times, August 9, 2019 on deterrence. “Iran is in serious financial trouble. They https://www.tehrantimes.com/news/439055/Iran- want desperately to talk to the U.S., but to-unveil-Bavar-373-air-defense-system-on- are given mixed signals from all of those August-22 purporting to represent us, including President Macron of France,” Trump Iran unveils new smart bombs wrote on Twitter. Tehran Times, August 6, 2019 “I know Emmanuel means well, as do all Iran on Tuesday unveiled three new others, but nobody speaks for the United precision-guided smart bombs, in a States but the United States itself,” Trump ceremony with Defense Minister Brigadier- continued. “No one is authorized in any General Amir Hatami, according to the way, shape, or form, to represent us!” Islamic Republic of Iran Broadcasting Website. The president’s posts follow reports that Iranian President Hassan Rouhani has The unveilings come amid tensions between shared several phone conversations with Iran and the United States along with Macron in recent weeks seeking to tamp Britain in the Persian Gulf. down tensions surrounding the 2015 nuclear deal and the rising tension in the The new air-to-air missiles revealed by Persian Gulf. Tehran are called the “Yasin” and the “Balaban” as well as a new series of the A French diplomat on Wednesday denied “Qaem” missile and were developed jointly a report that Rouhani had declined a 42 Volume 11, Number 16 August 31, 2019

proposal from Macron to meet Trump at the the mediation efforts France has made to G-7 summit in France later this month, resolve the stalemate on the Iran nuclear emphasizing that Rouhani had not been agreement, saying that China has also invited to the forum of world leaders. made huge efforts in saving the Iran nuclear deal, officially known as the Joint https://www.tehrantimes.com/news/439104/ Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA). Trump-swats-at-Macron-for-Iran-diplomacy Adhering to the deal means safeguarding UN says Iran’s letter protesting multilateralism, safeguarding fairness and sanctions on Zarif circulated to justice, and safeguarding regional security Security Council and stability, said Wang. Tehran Times, August 9, 2019 As a permanent member of the United Nations Security Council, China is willing He added the UN chief calls on all parties to to join hands with France to safeguard the avoid any actions that would escalate an authority and validity of the international already very tense situation, according to agreement, encourage all parties to show Xinhua. flexibility, and, in particular, prevent further escalation of the tensions, said In separate statements on July 31, the U.S. Wang. Treasury and State Department announced imposition of sanctions against Zarif, a move https://www.tehrantimes.com/news/439141/ which was interpreted as a total rejection China-France-to-work-on-reducing-tension-on- of diplomacy repeatedly claimed by the Iran-nuclear-issue Trump administration. Ambassador: U.S. sanctioning of President Hassan Rouhani said on Tuesday that the Iranian foreign minister is more 80 million Iranians equals “popular” and “powerful” than ever. ‘economic terrorism’

“You have been mistaken if you sanctioned Tehran Times, August 10, 2019 our foreign minister to cause division (among Iran’s ambassador to Iraq, Iraj Masjedi, Iranians),” he said. said on Saturday that the U.S. unilateral sanctions imposed on 80 million Iranians Foreign minister is the “representative of the amounts to “economic terrorism”. entire Iranian nation and not a group or faction,” the president remarked. Masjedi said the United States’ hegemonic government has violated all the legal https://www.tehrantimes.com/news/439099/UN- norms and the international humanitarian says-Iran-s-letter-protesting-sanctions-on-Zarif- law by imposing arbitrary sanctions on circulated Iran and initiating a full-scale economic war against the Iranian people, IRNA China, France to work on reducing reported. tension on Iran nuclear issue This economic war has been rightly Tehran Times, August 10, 2019 described as economic terrorism, the n a phone conversation on Friday with ambassador said. Emmanuel Bonne, diplomatic counselor to French President Emmanuel Macron, With the grace of God, the criminal acts Chinese State Councilor and Foreign of the U.S. and its allies will fail once again, Minister Wang Yi said Beijing is willing to he predicted. work with France to prevent further escalation U.S. President Donald Trump has imposed of tensions on the Iran nuclear deal. several rounds of sanctions on Iran after According to Xinhua, during the phone he withdrew the U.S. from the talks, Wang expressed China’s support for multinational nuclear deal last year. 43 Nuclear, Missile & Space Digest

Trump has even introduced full ban on to the country’s Atomic Energy Iran’s oil export, a move which has been Organization spokesman. described as an economic war against Tehran. Speaking on Tuesday, Behrooz Kamalvandi said, “We are currently https://www.tehrantimes.com/news/439136/ working at a good capacity. Our stockpile Ambassador-U-S-sanctioning-of-80-million- stands at least 60 to 70 kilograms above Iranians-equals-economic 300 kilogram, and it is growing fast too,” IRNA reported. Iran unveils ‘upgraded missile defense system’ August 10, 2019 https://www.tehrantimes.com/news/439197/ Iran-s-enriched-uranium-stockpile-hits-370-kg Reuters, August 10, 2019 Europe must fulfil JCPOA Iran unveiled on Saturday what authorities said was a locally upgraded radar system commitments: MP with a range of 400 km that could help Tehran Times, August 14, 2019 defend against cruise and ballistic missiles and drones. The announcement comes at a In an interview with the Tasnim news time of rising tension between Iran and agency published on Wednesday, he said United States. Iran shot down a US military that Iran’s talks with the European surveillance drone in the Gulf with a countries should be on the nuclear deal surface-to-air missile in June. Tehran says and not any other issue. the drone was over its territory, but According to the nuclear deal, Iran agreed Washington says it was in international to put limits on its nuclear activities in airspace. State television showed the Falaq, exchange for termination of economic and a mobile radar and a vehicle housing a financial sanctions. control room, which it said was an improved version of the Gamma, a system However, Donald Trump withdrew the that military experts said was of Russian U.S. from the UN-endorsed JCPOA in May origin. 2018 and imposed the toughest ever sanctions against Iran in line with his Western military analysts say Iran often administration’s “maximum pressure” exaggerates its weapons capabilities, though policy against Tehran. concerns about its long-range ballistic missile program contributed to Washington last The remaining parties, particularly the year exiting the pact that Iran sealed with European sides, have failed to honor their world powers in 2015 to rein in its nuclear commitments since the U.S. reimposed the ambitions in exchange for an easing of sanctions. economic sanctions. “This system has high capabilities and can detect all types of cruise On May 8, exactly one year after the U.S. and ballistic missiles and drones,” Brigadier abandoned the multi-nation nuclear General Alireza Sabahifard, commander of agreement and reimposed sanctions on the regular army’s air defenses, was quoted Iran, Tehran said its “strategic patience” as saying by semi-official news agency Mehr. is over and announced a partial withdrawal from some aspects of the pact, https://uk.reuters.com/article/mideast-iran- saying that the country would no longer missiles/iran-unveils-upgraded-missile-defence- adhere to some of the limits on its nuclear system-idUKL8N256046 activities. It also threatened to step up uranium enrichment if an agreement is not Iran’s enriched uranium stockpile made within 60 days to protect it from the hits 370 kg sanctions’ effects.

Tehran Times, August 13, 2019 https://www.tehrantimes.com/news/439248/ Iran’s enriched uranium stockpile has Europe-must-fulfil-JCPOA-commitments-MP increased to reach 370 kilograms, according 44 Volume 11, Number 16 August 31, 2019

Iran’s deterrence power cannot be relations, he said. “Next year we will tested: Army air defense chief celebrate the 30th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations Tehran Times, August 15, 2019 between China and Saudi Arabia. Thanks A top military commander said on to 30 years of joint effort, the more mature, Wednesday that Iran’s defense capability stable and profound China-Saudi relations cannot be tested, saying if the enemies don’t will further serve the common interests of dare to approach the Strait of Hormuz and the two countries.” are withdrawing their warships from the http://www.arabnews.com/node/1534636/saudi- Persian Gulf it is because of Iran’s deterrence arabia power.

“If the enemy is stopped at 200 miles from I. Egypt the Strait of Hormuz and withdrawing its Egypt denies connection between warships from the Persian Gulf it is because nuclear explosion in Russia and of the deterrence power of the armed forces,” Alireza Sabhi-Fard, commander of Dabaa project the army’s air defense unit, told the students Egypt Independent August 14, 2019 of the military academy. Egypt’s government has denied any The brigadier general added the Iranian connection between an explosion in Russia army, by upgrading its deterrence power, suspected to be a nuclear missile test, and has made the enemies to never think of the Dabaa nuclear power plant in Egypt violating “our country’s territorial integrity”. being constructed by the Russian company Rosatom. “The Nuclear Power Plants Authority (NPPA) said there is absolutely no connection between the test H. Saudi Arabia on a nuclear fuel missile and nuclear Saudi Arabia, China have power plants in general,” the government established ‘comprehensive said in a Facebook statement. This came after thousands of comments from strategic partnership’ Egyptians across social media expressed Lojien Ben Gassem, Arab News, August 3, fear and criticism over Russia’s ability to 2019 implement the Dabaa project safely. The statement stressed that “The nuclear Zhu Xinglong, counselor at the Chinese power plant in Dabaa is of the third Embassy in Riyadh, said Saudi Arabia and developed generation and has a double China have established a comprehensive containment building that can withstand strategic partnership. Discussing Chinese- the collision of a plane weighing 400 tons Saudi bilateral relations during an interview, loaded with fuel and fly at a speed of 150 he said: “The two countries have set up the meters per second.” China-Saudi Arabia high-level joint committee.” “The two sides have also https://egyptindependent.com/egypt-says-no- enhanced political trust and maintained connection-between-nuclear-explosion-in- good momentum in pragmatic cooperation russia-and-dabaa-project/ in the fields of economy, trade, energy, science, technology, education and culture, EMA head: Egypt not at risk from and have achieved fruitful results. Russia nuclear explosion The complementarity between the Belt and Al-Masry Al-Youm, August 14, 2019 Road Initiative and the Saudi 2030 Vision has great potential,” he said. Incorporating The Chairman of the Egyptian the Chinese language into the education Meteorological Authority (EMA) Ahmed curriculum in Saudi schools would have a Abdel Aal said that Egypt is far from the profound influence on China-Saudi path of radioactive dust caused by a 45 Nuclear, Missile & Space Digest

nuclear explosion in the Russian city of Karim al-Adham, Professor at the Severodvinsk. In a statement on Wednesday, Egyptian Nuclear and Radiation Control Abdel Aal added that Egypt during the Authority, said that there is no legitimate summer is not exposed to any air masses fear of a nuclear explosion similar to that coming from Russia, unlike winter which which occurred recently due to missile tests sees Egypt sometimes affected by the in the Russian city of Severodvinsk, extension of the Siberian high. Currently, pointing out that the technology used at Egypt is affected by India’s seasonal low lag Dabaa is the safest of its kind in the world. which brings in an air mass coming from southern Europe, accompanied by https://egyptindependent.com/official-source- northwestern winds turning to dabaa-nuclear-power-plant-has-the-safest- southwestern that raises temperatures to design-of-its-kind-in-the-world/ peak on Cairo for Thursday. Temperatures will return to normal from Friday. J. East Asia Meteorologists predict hot weather for the North Korea says it tested crucial western and eastern coasts on Thursday and very hot weather for the country’s remaining new rocket launch system parts during daylight. Temperatures will KIM TONG-HYUNG, AP News, August grow colder by night throughout the 1, 2019 country. North Korea said Thursday leader Kim https://egyptindependent.com/ema-head-egypt- Jong Un supervised the first test firing of a not-at-risk-from-russia-nuclear-explosion/ new multiple rocket launcher system that could potentially enhance its ability to Official source: Dabaa Nuclear strike targets in South Korea and U.S. Power Plant has the safest design of military bases there. its kind in the world The report by North Korea’s official Al-Masry Al-Youm, Egypt Independent, Korean Central News Agency differed August 15, 2019 from the assessment by South Korea’s military, which had concluded The International Atomic Energy Agency Wednesday’s launches were of two short- (IAEA) has reviewed the Dabaa project’s range ballistic missiles. safety measures in Egypt, said an official source with the Nuclear Power Plants The launches from the eastern coastal Authority, adding that Dabaa has the safest town of Wonsan were North Korea’s design of its kind in the world. The source second weapons test in less than a week added that Egypt is particularly keen to and were seen as a move to keep up secure safety measures for the plant, and pressure on Washington and Seoul amid that’s why it selected the third generation a stalemate in nuclear negotiations. developed reactors, the latest in the world. Pyongyang has also expressed anger over Egypt and Russia are cooperating with the planned U.S.-South Korea military drills. IAEA, which monitors nuclear projects and ensures their compliance with international KCNA said Kim expressed satisfaction standards, the source said. According to the over the test firing and said the newly source, IAEA experts visited Egypt last developed rocket system would soon serve January upon the invitation of the Egyptian a “main role” in his military’s land combat Nuclear and Radiological Regulatory operations and create an “inescapable Authority and provided support in distress to the forces becoming a fat target reviewing the Dabaa project documents, of the weapon.” especially with regard to the site assessment and the project’s radiological impact on the https://www.apnews.com/ environment. 09c7059291d846a091e139183fe7c4b7 46 Volume 11, Number 16 August 31, 2019

North Korea test-fired new rocket (Intercontinental Ballistic Missile) launch,” system under leader’s supervision: said the report to the U.N. Security Council state media North Korea sanctions committee by independent experts monitoring The Korean Times, August 1, 2019 compliance over the past six months.

North Korea said Thursday it tested a new The North Korean mission to the United rocket system in launches conducted the Nations did not respond to a request for previous day, raising questions about South comment on the report, which was Korea’s assessment that the communist submitted to the Security Council nation is believed to have fired short-range committee last week. ballistic missiles. The experts said North Korea “used Leader Kim Jong-un “guided a test-fire of a cyberspace to launch increasingly newly developed large-caliber multiple sophisticated attacks to steal funds from launch guided rocket system on July 31,” the financial institutions and cryptocurrency Korean Central News Agency said. exchanges to generate income.” They also used cyberspace to launder the stolen “The test-fire scientifically confirmed that money, the report said. the tactical data and technical characteristics of the new-type large-caliber https://www.reuters.com/article/us-northkorea- guided ordnance rocket reached the cyber-un/north-korea-took-2-billion-in-cyber- numerical values of its design, and verified attacks-to-fund-weapons-program-u-n-report- the combat effectiveness of the overall idUSKCN1UV1ZX system,” the KCNA said. ‘We will make them pay’: North “After learning about the result of the test- fire, (Kim Jong-un) said that it is very great Korea launches missiles, and it would be an inescapable distress to condemns U.S.-South Korea drills the forces becoming a fat target of the Josh Smith, Joyce Lee, Reuters, August 5, weapon,” it added. 2019 The KCNA did not mention any country as North Korea fired missiles into the sea off its potential target, but the report appears its east coast for the fourth time in less than to be referring to Seoul, which is apparently two weeks, South Korea said on Tuesday, within the range of the weapon. as Pyongyang warned that hostile moves against it “have reached the danger line.” http://www.koreatimes.co.kr/www/nation/2019/ 08/103_273209.html The North, criticizing the U.S.-South Korean drills and their use of high-tech North Korea took $2 billion in weapons, has fired a series of missiles and cyberattacks to fund weapons rockets since its leader Kim Jong Un and program: U.N. report U.S. President Donald Trump agreed at a June 30 meeting to revive stalled Michelle Nichols, Reuters, August 5, 2019 denuclearization talks.

North Korea has generated an estimated $2 North Korea has said it is committed to billion for its weapons of mass destruction diplomacy and it will wait until the end programs using “widespread and of the year for the United States to soften increasingly sophisticated” cyberattacks to its policy of sanctions and political pressure steal from banks and cryptocurrency over Pyongyang’s nuclear weapons and exchanges, according to a confidential U.N. ballistic missile programs. report seen by Reuters on Monday. https://www.reuters.com/article/us-northkorea- Pyongyang also “continued to enhance its missiles/we-will-make-them-pay-north-korea- nuclear and missile programmes although launches-missiles-condemns-u-s-south-korea- it did not conduct a nuclear test or ICBM drills-idUSKCN1UV29Q 47 Nuclear, Missile & Space Digest

North Korea fires unidentified conceal nor whitewash its aggressive short-range projectiles: JCS nature in any manner,” Ju told the forum. North Korea on Friday fired “What is more serious is that the United unidentified short-range projectiles States is inciting military tension hostile to the off its east coast, South Korea’s military DPRK by deploying a large amount of latest offensive military hardware in South Korea in said, its third launch in a week. disregard of its commitment to suspend joint Korean Times, August 6, 2019 military exercises made at summit level.”

The Joint Chiefs of Staff said the projectiles This compelled North Korea to “develop, test were fired at 2:59 a.m. and 3:23 a.m. from and deploy the powerful physical means Yonghung, South Hamgyong Province, into essential for our national defense”, Ju said. the East Sea. U.S. disarmament ambassador Robert Wood “We are monitoring the situation in case of took the floor to reject the allegation: “Let me additional launches and maintaining a just make very clear, the United States is not readiness posture,” the JCS said. inciting military pressure.

Last week, North Korea test-fired two short- https://www.reuters.com/article/us-northkorea- range ballistic missiles off its east coast, missiles-un/north-korea-says-u-s-is-inciting- saying it sent a “solemn” warning to South military-tension-idUSKCN1UW0XG Korea over its planned military exercises with the United States this month. AUGUST 7, 2019 / 2:52 AM / 19 On Wednesday, North Korea fired two more DAYS AGO such missiles, according to the JCS. North North Korea’s Kim says missile Korea disputed the assessment, saying it had launches are warning to U.S., tested a new rocket launch system. South Korea over drill: KCNA http://www.koreatimes.co.kr/www/nation/2019/ Joyce Lee, Hyonhee Shin, Reuters, August 08/103_273275.html 6, 2019 North Korea says U.S. is inciting North Korean leader Kim Jong Un said his military tension country’s latest launch of tactical guided missiles was a warning to the United Reuters, August 6, 2019 States and South Korea over their joint North Korea accused the United States on military drills that began this week, state Tuesday of “inciting military tension” by media KCNA reported on Wednesday. holding joint exercises with South Korea and said Pyongyang would take measures Tuesday’s missile launch, the North’s to defend itself. fourth in less than two weeks, came amid stalled denuclearization talks with Ju Yong Chol, a North Korean diplomat in Washington and U.S.-South Korea Geneva, told the U.N.-sponsored military exercises, although Washington Conference on Disarmament that and Seoul played down the tests. Pyongyang would have to “reconsider the major steps we have taken so far”. Kim said the latest missile test was “an occasion to send an adequate warning to He did not mention North Korea’s latest the joint military drill now underway by firing of missiles into the sea off its east coast the U.S. and South Korean authorities”, for the fourth time in less than two weeks according to KCNA. on Tuesday. The “new-type tactical guided missiles”, “Although U.S. and South Korean launched from the western area of North authorities are playing every trick to justify Korea, flew across the peninsula over the this military exercise, they can neither capital and the central inland region to 48 Volume 11, Number 16 August 31, 2019

“precisely hit the targeted islet” in the sea K. South Korea off the North’s east coast, KCNA said. Its report confirmed the South Korean military’s No discussions on US missile analysis of their trajectories on Tuesday. deployment in S. Korea: ministry

The launches “clearly verified the reliability, Yonhap, The Korean Herald, August 5, security and actual war capacity” of the 2019 weapon, KCNA said, echoing analysts who South Korea has had no discussions with said the launches showed North Korea’s the United States on the possible confidence in its missile technology. deployment of US intermediate-range missiles on its soil, nor does it plan to do https://www.reuters.com/article/us-northkorea- missiles/north-koreas-kim-says-missile-launches- so, the defense ministry said Monday. are-warning-to-u-s-south-korea-over-drill-kcna- Some media outlets have speculated that idUSKCN1UW2CR South Korea could be one of candidate sites for US missiles, after Washington North Korea fires missiles as US- pledged to deploy them in Asia and South Korea drill begins elsewhere to maintain deterrence after withdrawing from an anti-missile treaty Kim Yoo-chul, The Korean Times, August 6, 2019 with Russia. North Korea fired two “short-range ballistic missiles” into the sea from North Hwanghae “Our government did not have any official Province early Tuesday morning, South discussions with the US on the possible Korea’s Joint Chiefs of Staff (JCS) said, introduction of intermediate missiles (on Tuesday. South Korean soil). We have not internally reviewed the issue and have no plan to do The launches came a day after President so,” defense ministry spokesperson Choi Moon Jae-in issued a rather “nationalistic Hyun-soo told a regular briefing. request” for closer economic cooperation with the North as his apparent leverage http://www.koreaherald.com/ against Japan. Also, this year’s joint military view.php?ud=20190805000602&ACE_SEARCH=1 drill between the United States and South Korea had de facto begun, Monday, to verify S. Korea, US kick off combined the South Korean military’s basic combat military exercise despite NK readiness for the transfer of wartime warnings operational control. Korean Hereld, August 5, 2019 “The South Korean military detected two South Korea and the United States began projectiles 5:24 a.m. and 5:36 a.m., a joint military exercise as scheduled respectively, which were fired into the sea Monday, sources said, even though North from North Hwanghae Province. They are Korea has strongly complained against the believed to be short-range ballistic missiles,” maneuvers and rattled its sabers with a the JCS said. The missiles flew some 450 series of missile launches. kilometers east across the Korean Peninsula before splashing down into the East Sea, The “crisis management staff training” reaching an altitude of 37 kilometers and a kicked off earlier in the day as a maximum speed of Mach 6.9. preliminary session in the runup to the command post exercise (CPX) aimed at Tuesday morning’s actions mark the fourth strengthening the allies’ combined posture set of missile launches by North Korea in just and capabilities to cope with contingencies 13 days. Pyongyang had earlier fired missiles on the Korean Peninsula, according to the on July 25, 31 and Aug. 2, according to the sources. JCS. The staff training is expected to last until http://www.koreatimes.co.kr/www/nation/2019/ 08/113_273510.html around Thursday, and the main part of 49 Nuclear, Missile & Space Digest

the exercise is set to run from Sunday for between US President Donald Trump and about two weeks, they added North Korean leader Kim Jong-un in February. How many service personnel were involved from both sides and the exact duration, as http://www.koreaherald.com/ well as the official name of the exercise, were view.php?ud=20190809000589&ACE_SEARCH=1 not available, as neither Seoul nor Washington officially disclosed details in an S. Korea says NK apparently eyes apparent effort not to provoke Pyongyang. nuclear talks with US after “Preparations are underway for a combined military drills end exercise this year to verify our basic The Korean Herald, Aug 12, 2019 operational capabilities for the transfer of wartime operational control (OPCON) North Korea appears to be seeking the (from Washington),” defense ministry resumption of working-level nuclear talks spokesperson Choi Hyun-soo told a regular with the United States after ongoing joint briefing, without further elaborating. military drills between Seoul and Washington end, South Korea’s http://www.koreaherald.com/ presidential office said Monday. view.php?ud=20190805000701&ACE_SEARCH=1 A senior Cheong Wa Dae official was S. Korean, US defense chiefs vow to responding to a statement issued by a support diplomacy for NK North Korean foreign ministry official Sunday that contains strong condemnation denuclearization against South Korea and blasted Seoul for The Korean Times, August 9, 2019 staging the allies’ military exercis South Korean Defense Minister Jeong “(The North Korean statement) appears Kyeong-doo and US Defense Secretary to demonstrate the country’s willingness Mark Esper agreed Friday to work together to hold working-level talks (with the US to support diplomatic efforts to denuclearize over denuclearization) after the drills North Korea despite Pyongyang’s saber- end,” the presidential official said, without rattling amid stalled nuclear talks. commenting on Cheong Wa Dae’s stance over the message. During the defense talks held in Seoul, Esper also asked for South Korea to play a role in When asked by reporters whether Cheong the US-led coalition to safeguard the Strait Wa Dae felt uneasy about the North’s of Hormuz, according to officials. The two belligerent message, the official said, defense chiefs “reaffirmed their “Statements issued by North Korea use commitments to supporting their diplomatic different languages, compared with ours.” efforts for the complete denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula and the establishment Meanwhile, the office of President Moon of a lasting peace,” according to their joint Jae-in dismissed a Japanese media report press release. saying the US supported Tokyo’s claim that South Korean court rulings over Stressing the importance of continued and Japan’s wartime forced labor violate the close coordination for such efforts, the two 1965 bilateral treaty that normalized the sides agreed to maintain communication as Seoul-Tokyo ties. well as their steadfast alliance, which is crucial for the stabilization of the http://www.koreaherald.com/ surrounding regions, the statement said. view.php?ud=20190812000591&ACE_SEARCH=1

The nuclear negotiations between Washington and Pyongyang have been stalled since the no-deal Hanoi summit 50 Volume 11, Number 16 August 31, 2019

NK says US missile deployment plans that led operator Tokyo Electric will turn S. Korea into ‘bullet- Power Co. to deploy a crane that was not shield’ up to the task. The Korean Herald, Aug 14, 2019 The exhaust stack, which is 120 meters tall and 3.2 meters in diameter, was used for North Korea’s official news agency on the No. 1 and No. 2 reactors. Wednesday warned South Korea not to host US intermediate-range missiles on its soil, http://www.asahi.com/ajw/articles/ saying the deployment would be a “reckless AJ201908020037.html act of escalating tension” in the region. Moon calls for ‘peace economy’ Earlier this month, the US formally pulled with N. Korea, slams Japan out of the Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces treaty with Russia and vowed to begin Kim Tong-Hyung, AP News, August 5, testing new missiles and deploy them 2019 around the world. South Korea’s president on Monday Shortly after the withdrawal, US Secretary described the country’s escalating trade of Defense Mark Esper said Washington will war with Japan as a wake-up call to consult with its allies to decide where to revamp its economy and issued a deploy intermediate-range missiles in Asia nationalistic call for economic cooperation and elsewhere to maintain deterrence. Some with North Korea, which he said would media outlets have speculated that South allow the Koreas to erase Japan’s economic Korea could be one of candidate sites. superiority in “one burst.”

Apparently referring to the media reports, President Moon Jae-in made the comments the Korean Central News Agency said in a in a meeting with senior aides to discuss commentary that the deployment would be Japan’s imposition of trade curbs on South a “path to self destruction” that could turn Korea. They came as a surprise since North South Korea into a “bullet-shield.” Korea has raised tensions in recent weeks with tests of new short-range weapons “It is a reckless act of escalating regional that pose a threat to South Korea’s tension, an act that may spark off a new security. Cold War and arms race in the Far Eastern region to deploy a new offensive weapon in “The advantage Japan’s economy has over South Korea,” the commentary said. us is the size of its (overall) economy and domestic market. If the South and North http://www.koreaherald.com/ could create a peace economy through view.php?ud=20190814000702&ACE_SEARCH=1 economic cooperation, we can catch up with Japan’s superiority in one burst,” L. Japan Moon said in the meeting at Seoul’s presidential Blue House. Work begins to topple dangerous exhaust stack at Fukushima plant https://www.apnews.com/ f09bce1130ec432fada58c58dc6e1f74 The Asahi Shimbun, August 2, 2019 Delicate work got under way Aug. 1 at the Questions raised over future of crippled Fukushima No. 1 nuclear power nuclear power at Keidanren meet plant to dismantle an unstable exhaust stack The Asahi Shi,bum. August 6, 2019 that is so highly contaminated by radiation the task must be done by remote control. Business leaders questioned the future of the nuclear power industry at a meeting Initial plans had called for the work to start of Japan’s largest business group, with in March, but the project was delayed by a some arguing that renewable energy failure among other things to confirm design solutions are more in line with global trends. 51 Nuclear, Missile & Space Digest

While Keidanren (Japan Business Given that the range of Tomahawk is 2 Federation) has consistently favored restarts 400 km, Northeast China and the southern of suspended reactors across the nation, Russian Far East come within its range, to arguments among members have also say nothing of the Korean peninsula. emerged over related issues such as the high associated costs of nuclear power Aegis Ashore to be deployed in Japan, generation. both in name and reality, targets not only the Korean peninsula but also China and The brainstorming session on energy issues, Russia. a major theme of the group’s summer forum, was held July 19 at a hotel in Karuizawa, On December 19 last year, Japan’s Asahi Nagano Prefecture. Shimbun said in an article entitled “The defence programme goes beyond the While many of the 10 business leaders boundary line” that the main object of the expressed positive opinions on “assisting defence programme is to cope with the with the resumption of operations of idle threat of China which is pushing military reactors,” Fumiya Kokubu, chairman of upbuilding, adding the decision to deploy major trading house Marubeni Corp., raised the missile defence system is aimed at doubts, asking, “Is this really the best coping with China’s missiles. choice?” http://www.pyongyangtimes.com.kp/ http://www.asahi.com/ajw/articles/ ?bbs=30904 AJ201908060003.html Hiroshima urges Japan to ratify Japan’s military buildup what for? anti-nuke treaty at 74th ceremony Song Jong Ho, Pyongyang Times, August, Sonoko Miyazaki, Asahi Shimbun, August 2019 6, 2019 Japan’s moves to build up military capability With Prime Minister Shinzo Abe looking are giving rise to serious concern of on, Hiroshima Mayor Kazumi Matsui neighbouring countries. urged Japan to ratify an international treaty banning nuclear weapons at the Recently, the Japanese defence ministry peace ceremony on Aug. 6 marking the made public that it was going to organize a 74th anniversary of the atomic bombing. special space unit involving a hundred personnel under the Air Self-Defence Force. “Firmly listen to the voices of survivors Despite the strong opposition of the locals, asking Japan to sign and ratify the Treaty it is now trying to carry on the deployment on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons,” of the ground-based missile defence system Matsui said in his remarks, referring to the Aegis Ashore. treaty approved July 7, 2017, at a U.N. conference. Aegis Ashore, which can mount SM-3 Block 2A new-type intercepting missiles, is known However, Abe in his speech at the as a weapon system that can intercept ceremony failed to touch on the treaty for ballistic missiles in outer space. the second consecutive year.

As this missile defence system includes a Amid heavy rain, an estimated 50,000 vertical launching system, it can easily turn people, including ambassadors and other into an offensive weapon if it is loaded with diplomats of 92 countries to Japan, atomic Tomahawk cruise missiles. Japan specified bomb survivors and bereaved families, the possession of long-range cruise missiles were in attendance. that can attack the enemy in its defence programme which was instituted at the end http://www.asahi.com/ajw/articles/ of last year. AJ201908060036.html 52 Volume 11, Number 16 August 31, 2019

‘Atomic-bombed cross’ returns to Work to remove fuel debris from Nagasaki as a symbol of hope No. 2 reactor may start in 2021 The Asahi Shimbun, August 8, 2019 Naoya Kon, The Asahi Shimbun, August 9, 2019 A Christian cross that survived the 1945 atomic bombing of Nagasaki and cemented Pebble-like nuclear fuel debris in the No. 2 an otherwise-unlikely friendship between a reactor at the Fukushima No. 1 nuclear Japanese bishop and a U.S. Marine has plant (Provided by International Research returned home to Urakami Cathedral here Institute of Nuclear Decommissioning) after 74 years. Work to remove melted nuclear fuel debris Clasping the gold-trimmed wooden artifact, from the No. 2 reactor at the crippled Mitsuaki Takami, the 73-year-old Fukushima No. 1 nuclear power plant is archbishop of Nagasaki, said Aug. 7, “I am expected to start in 2021, it was announced delighted the cross is alive.” Aug. 8.

“Atomic bomb victims will die, but the cross The plan, announced by the Nuclear Damage will remain as a living witness to what Compensation and Decommissioning happened in Nagasaki,” he added. Facilitation Corp., is part of the decommissioning of the plant, which Over the years, the cross was kept by Walter experienced meltdowns at three reactors Hooke, a U.S. Marine who was stationed in triggered by the 2011 Great East Japan Nagasaki from October 1945 until February 1946. Earthquake and tsunami. The corporation decided to remove debris from the No. 2 http://www.asahi.com/ajw/articles/ reactor first because radiation exposure to AJ201908080033.html workers would be lower than at the other reactors and a route to transport equipment Nuke ban urged, as Nagasaki marks to where the debris is located has mostly 74 years since bombing been confirmed. Toko Tamaka, The Asahi Shimbun, August 9, http://www.asahi.com/ajw/articles/ 2019 AJ201908090055.html The mayor of this city urged greater action 4 companies consider jointly from Japan and the nuclear powers, owing operating nuclear power plants to concerns of the rising danger of a nuclear disaster, at a peace ceremony here on Aug. The Asahi Shimbun, August 9, 2019 9 marking the 74th anniversary of the atomic To deal with rapidly rising costs and other bombing. difficulties, four major companies are During the Peace Declaration at the considering jointly constructing and ceremony, Nagasaki Mayor Tomihisa Taue operating nuclear power plants, sources said. said, “The achievements of humankind and Tokyo Electric Power Co. Holdings Inc., the results of our longstanding efforts to rid Chubu Electric Power Co., Hitachi Ltd. the world of nuclear weapons are collapsing and Toshiba Corp. are aiming to reach a one after another, and the danger of a basic agreement in late August toward the nuclear calamity is mounting.” joint plan, according to the sources.

Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, Izumi Since the accident at the Fukushima No. 1 Nakamitsu, the U.N. high representative for nuclear power plant in 2011, nuclear disarmament affairs, and ambassadors and power generation businesses have been diplomats of 66 nations to Japan, including struggling. Subsequently, the four firms are six nuclear nations, were in attendance at aiming to maintain their businesses by the event in Nagasaki Peace Park. jointly tackling the costs, they said.

http://www.asahi.com/ajw/articles/ http://www.asahi.com/ajw/articles/ AJ201908090047.html AJ201908090059.html 53 Nuclear, Missile & Space Digest

Ballooning costs give lie to notion 60% of spent nuclear fuel in Japan nuclear power is cheapest energy to be stored in metal casks in the The Asahi Shimbun, August 12, 2019 future, research shows Soaring costs borne by operators of nuclear Japan Times, August 15, 2019 power plants to safeguard their facilities Over 60 percent of the some 15,200 tons against natural disasters and terrorist of spent nuclear fuel in Japan could be attacks suggest the government is wrong in stored in metal casks in the future, as the its longstanding contention that nuclear cooling pools that currently hold them are power is the nation’s cheapest energy source. filling up, Kyodo News research showed Wednesday. A study by The Asahi Shimbun found that the overall estimate for the cost of safety The survey of utility companies’ plans measures by 11 operators stood at 5.074 revealed the potential volume at a time trillion yen ($48.32 billion) as of July. The when each firm is looking at dry casks to operators include those whose nuclear boost storage capacity for the ever- facilities are still under construction. increasing, highly radioactive byproduct of nuclear power generation. The combined figure for the 11 companies represents an increase of about 660 billion They believe the leak-tight canisters will yen from a year earlier. be safer than storing the spent fuel in pools. But keeping them in dry cask storage http://www.asahi.com/ajw/articles/ facilities, which do not need water or AJ201908120062.html electricity to keep spent nuclear fuel cooled, will only be a temporary solution. South Korea urges dialogue with Japan in measured World War Two https://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2019/08/15/ anniversary message national/majority-spent-nuclear-fuel-japan- likely-stored-metal-casks-future-pools-fill/ Hyonhee Shin, Linda Sieg, Reuters, #.XWA0xGgvO7g August 15, 2019 On the anniversary of Japan’s World War M. Taiwan Two surrender, South Korea’s president on AIT events mark month of focus Thursday urged Japan to contemplate its on security links wartime past and offered to engage in talks to repair strained ties, while Japan pledged Taipei Times, August 2, 2019 to never repeat the horrors of war. The American Institute in Taiwan (AIT) Relations between Japan and South Korea is hosting a series of events this month to are arguably at their lowest ebb since they mark Security. Cooperation Month as part normalized ties in 1965, strained over the of a year-long celebration of the 40th issue of South Korean forced labor during anniversary of the US’ Taiwan World War Two and a bitter trade row. Relations Act (TRA). AIT has assigned a In a speech marking Korea’s independence theme to each month of this year to from Japanese rule, Moon dialed down his highlight aspects of recent harsh rhetoric towards Japan. the bilateral partnership. “For decades, the https://www.reuters.com/article/us-southkorea- United States and Taiwan have enjoyed a japan-labourers-anniversar/south-korea-urges- deep and dialogue-with-japan-in-measured-world-war-two- anniversary-message-idUSKCN1V506U robust security cooperation relationship,” AIT said in a statement yesterday. 54 Volume 11, Number 16 August 31, 2019

The AIT@40 Security Cooperation Month is pending the naming of a permanent a “recognition of the multifaceted nature of successor to Amano. the security cooperation activities that benefit both Taiwan and the United States,” https://www.apnews.com/ it said. The first of this month’s events is to 956311931bb6466b996a1f0c87b30ea2 be the screening on Monday of The Lost Black Cats, a documentary about the Black Bangladesh, Russia to ink nuclear Cat Squadron, formally known as the 35th fuel supply deal Squadron of the Republic of China Air Force, Dhaka Tribune, August 5, 2019 which flew U-2 surveillance planes over China from 1961 to 1974 on intelligence- Bangladesh is set to sign a nuclear fuel gathering missions. Over more than 200 supply agreement with Russia on Tuesday missions, 12 of the planes were shot down for the Rooppur Nuclear Power Plant and 10 pilots were killed. AIT Director Brent (RNPP) project. Christensen is to give a policy address on security cooperation at an exhibition to open As the implementing agency of the RNPP in Taoyuan on Aug. 14 titled “Strong project, Bangladesh Atomic Energy Foundation, Bright Future: AIT@40, Commission (BAEC) will ink the contract with the Russian state-owned nuclear fuel U.S.-Taiwan Relations Since 1979.” On firm TVEL Joint Stock Company in this Aug. 15, he is to speak at the opening regard. ceremony of the Taipei Aerospace and According to a proposal approved by the Defense Technology Exhibition in Cabinet Division’s Economic Affairs Taipei.Security Cooperation Month comes Committee, TVEL Joint Stock Company after the US Department of State on July 8 will supply fuel for the ‘entire lifetime’ of announced a US$2.22 billion arms package the 2,400 MW RNPP project. to Taiwan that includes 108 M1A2T Abrams tanks, 250 Stinger missiles and related https://www.dhakatribune.com/bangladesh/ equipment, via contractors Raytheon Missile government-affairs/2019/08/05/bangladesh- Systems Co and General Dynamics Land russia-to-ink-nuclear-fuel-supply-deal Systems. The US government is still mulling Taiwan’s plan to buy 66 F-16V jets. Fuel supply contract for http://www.taipeitimes.com/News/taiwan/ Bangladeshi plant archives/2019/08/02/2003719784 World Nuclear News, August 6, 2019 N. Miscellaneous and World A ceremony was held today to mark the exchange of documents between TVEL UN nuclear watchdog to appoint JSC - the nuclear fuel manufacturer of new head in October Russian state nuclear corporation Rosatom - and the Bangladesh Atomic Energy AP, August 1, 2019 Commission (BAEC) finalising a contract The United Nations’ nuclear watchdog aims signed in late 2018 for the supply of fuel to name a new leader in October following for the Rooppur nuclear power plant the death last month of Yukiya Amano, its under construction in Bangladesh. director general for the past decade. The Rosatom in February 2011 signed an International Atomic Energy Agency said as agreement for two 1000 MWe-class its board of governors met in Vienna reactors to be built at Rooppur for BAEC. Thursday that nominations for the job According to that agreement, Bangladesh is should be submitted by Sept. 5 and the new required to procure nuclear fuel from director general is expected to be appointed TVEL for the entire operating life of the in October. The new leader should take office plant. by Jan. 1. Cornel Feruta, a Romanian diplomat and the IAEA’s chief coordinator, The 1200 MWe VVER-1200 reactor model is serving as the acting director general was subsequently selected for Rooppur. 55 Nuclear, Missile & Space Digest

The initial contract for the project, worth including how to identify the concerns of USD12.65 billion, was signed in December a diverse group of stakeholders and deliver 2015. Under that contract, Rosatom will key messages to optimize engagement. maintain the plant for the first year of its commercial operation before handing over Initially released in 2007, the toolbox has to the Bangladesh authorities, and will bear been overhauled to include an enhanced, fuel costs for the first year of operation. more user-friendly layout as well as According to a report in Energy Bangla, significantly expanded content which Bangladesh has already signed a deal with reflects the evolving landscape of Russia to procure the required uranium for communication tools, particularly social the first two years of operation of the media. The toolbox is now divided into four Rooppur plant. main sections: basics of communication; methods for establishing and operating an http://world-nuclear-news.org/Articles/Fuel- effective communication programme; tools supply-contract-signed-for-Bangladeshi-plant for implementing a communication plan; and an InfoCentre with links to IAEA Massive Wildfire Cloud Sheds Light pages on related topics in nuclear science On Nuclear War’s Impact and technology. Todd Bates, Futurity, August 8, 2019 https://www.iaea.org/newscenter/news/iaea- launches-revamped-nuclear-communicators- The new finding will help scientists model toolbox the climate impacts of nuclear war.

The pyrocumulonimbus (pyroCb) cloud— Strengthening International the largest of its kind ever observed—was Standards for Nuclear Safety: quickly dubbed “the mother of all pyroCbs.” IAEA Safety Publications When the smoke reached the lower Restructured stratosphere, it was heated by sunlight and “self-lofted” from 7 to 14 miles up within Nathalie Mikhailova, International Atomic two months. Energy Agency, August 15, 2019 Achieving high levels of safety in the many The pivotal ingredient was black carbon areas in which countries use nuclear (soot), which absorbed solar radiation, technologies requires a robust and heating the air and fueling the smoke’s rapid comprehensive international safety rise. The smoke lasted more than eight framework. The IAEA this year completed months because the stratosphere has no rain a structural revision that has further to wash it out. strengthened the IAEA safety standards, https://www.futurity.org/wildfire-cloud-nuclear- a series of publications which outline the war-climate-2128532-2/ international consensus recommendations for protecting people and the environment IAEA Launches Revamped Nuclear from the harmful effects of ionizing Communicator’s Toolbox radiation. Matt Fisher, International Atomic Energy The IAEA safety standards highlight how Agency, August 13, 2019 authorities and other stakeholders can ensure the safety of activities such as the The toolbox, an online resource designed for operation of nuclear installations, technical staff as well as communication transport and use of radioactive material, professionals, provides information on core management of radioactive waste, as well principles and methodological approaches as the application of radiation sources in for effectively engaging with relevant medicine, industry, agriculture, education stakeholders on the use of nuclear and research. Developed in close technologies. It offers quick and easy access cooperation with governments and to reference information for crafting and organizations, the contents of these implementing a communication plan, publications are the result of knowledge 56 Volume 11, Number 16 August 31, 2019

and experience gained from the use of will be landing on the lunar surface on nuclear technologies and from the application September 7. Chandrayaan-2 is an Indian of the safety standards themselves. lunar mission, in which ISRO planned to go to the Moon’s South Polar Region, https://www.iaea.org/newscenter/news/strengthen- where no other country has ever gone ing-international-standards-for-nuclear-safety- before. This achievement also adds iaea-safety-publications-restructured another feather to the Indian Space O. Op-Ed Research Organisation’s cap. Our country has also become the only nation to have India prospered in the Mars mission in its very India’s growing clamour is space first attempt. and why the country needs a https://thehansindia.com/technology/tech-news/ separate Space Force isro-history-and-journey-that-we-all-are-proud- of-554938 Ajay Lele, Financial Express, August 2, 2019 During July 25-26, 2019 India’s newly A history: India’s star treks since established Defence Space Agency (DSA, independence April 2019) conducted a table-top first-ever Deccan Herald, August 15, 2019 space war exercise called ‘IndSpaceEx’. As per the media reports along with the serving India reached a new benchmark this year officers from Army, Air Force, and Navy, with the launch of Chandrayaan 2, which scientists from DRDO & Defence Space has gained appreciation from space Research Agency (DSRO) and few other research organisations across the world. experts had participated in this exercise. The Indian Space Research Organisation One of the main purpose of this exercise was (ISRO) currently holds the fifth rank in to evolve strategies which could help to space technology. Here’s a timeline of develop a doctrine for space warfare. The ISRO achievements since independence. broad idea behind this brainstorming for two-days was to work towards preparing https://www.deccanherald.com/national/a-history- the country for future space wars. The far- -star-treks-since-independence-754348.html reaching outcome of this exercise is that ‘a Pakistan specialist cadre needs to be formed to address issues concerning space warfare.’ Imran-Trump Summit: a win-win This exercise took place at the backdrop of situation for Pakistan India’s ASAT test and the formation of DSA. Hence, these aspects become a start point Ahmed Saeed, The Express Tribune, for the development of any future space August 3, 2019 architecture. Naturally, it could be in order to debate the rationale for undertaking Prime Minister Imran Khan’s summit ASAT and formation of DSA before arguing meeting with US President Donald Trump for the necessity of evolution of new structure last month resulted in unprecedented to address issues concerning space security. positives for Pakistan. The visit can be categorised as one of the most successful https://www.financialexpress.com/defence/indias- bilateral visits by a Pakistani head of state growing-clamour-is-space-and-why-the-country- since President Ayub Khan’s visit in 1961. needs-a-separate-space-force/1664082/ Very conveniently, the success of the visit ISRO- History and journey that we can be attributed to the political and all are proud of military leadership’s sincerity of purpose that has brought them on the same page. Kahekashan, The Hans India, August 15, 2019 Both want to contest Pakistan’s case Today is a proud day for our nation. As we without asking for any economic aid. all know Chandrayaan 2 is expected to reach the moon’s orbit on August 20 and Imran Khan’s statement that “we do not 57 Nuclear, Missile & Space Digest

want aid but desire that the US must India’s nuclear posturing inclined understand Pakistan’s point of view on towards Pakistan national, regional and global issues” was instrumental in raising Pakistan’s national Syeda Saiqa Bukhari, Daily Times, August stature in the US. 14, 2019

https://tribune.com.pk/story/2026801/6-imran- India and Pakistan share a long history of trump-summit-win-win-situation-pakistan/ hostility, which has long cast a dark shadow on regional peace, security and Launching into space economic cooperation. Both countries have fought three major wars and have been The Express Tribune, August 3, 2019 involved in a number of clashes with each As the world celebrated the 50th anniversary other. In the recent crisis of February 2019, of man stepping onto the moon, the Federal this historical animosity again prevailed Science and Technology Minister, Fawad when both countries came dangerously Chaudhry, announced that Islamabad too close to a full-fledged war. was planning to send the first Pakistani into During the crisis, Indian fighter aircrafts space. violated Pakistan’s airspace; greatly The news was widely welcomed as a intensifying tensions between the two coming-of-age of Pakistan’s nascent space nuclear-armed rivals. Pakistan responded programme. He then recently sat down rationally and purportedly shot down two with The Express Tribuneand offered much- Indian jets while capturing Indian Air needed clarity on proclamations of sending Force Wing Commander Abhinandan. He a Pakistani into the vast empty void of space was later released by Pakistan as a peace in a mere three years. gesture. Through this, Pakistan conveyed to the international community that it has The first bit of clarity was that the entire always remained in favour of peacefully burden, whether monetary or technological, settling its outstanding issues with India would not be borne by Pakistanis. Rather, it at the negotiating table instead of the will be a Chinese mission which will battlefield. essentially carry Pakistan along with it. The minister pointed out that the plan to send a https://dailytimes.com.pk/446968/indias- Pakistani into space dated back to the early nuclear-posturing-inclined-towards-pakistan/ Musharraf era which had set the target of a space flight for 2015. Pakistan’s desperation over https://tribune.com.pk/story/2026792/6-launch- Kashmir is evident as it plays ing-into-space/ Afghanistan card, threatens nuclear war in South Asia Kashmir crisis: Will nuclear-armed Sreemoy Talukdar, Firstpost, August 14, Pakistan go to war with India again? 2019 Ben Farmer, The Telegraph, August 8, 2019 As diplomatic options become scarce, Pakistan has downgraded diplomatic ties Pakistan is turning increasingly desperate with India and suspended trade with its on Kashmir and showing signs of falling neighbour as the political row over the back on the few leverages it has on this disputed territory of Kashmir escalates. issue in an already constrained hand. Its moves to link Afghanistan conflict — India’s announcement that it will abolish where the US is frantically seeking an exit self-rule for Kashmir has been denounced strategy — and naked fearmongering over as illegal in Islamabad, with the country’s ‘nuclear war’ in south Asia are aimed at military warning it will “go to any extent” blackmailing the Donald Trump to support Kashmiris. administration and the United Nations into intervening into an issue that until https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2019/08/08/kashmir- recently was a bilateral dispute between crisis-will-nuclear-armed-pakistan-go-war-india/ 58 Volume 11, Number 16 August 31, 2019

India and Pakistan but since 5 August has week, with an American withdrawal on turned into India’s “internal matter”. Friday and a Russian withdrawal on Saturday. Although the United States The blow has been stealthy, swift and lethal. abided by the terms of the treaty, Russia According to analysts, a fuming Pakistan is violated it by fielding more than 100 also getting ready to simultaneously exercise banned intermediate-range missiles, and its covert options that involve deploying China, which was never bound by it, jihadi assets to infiltrate into Jammu and fielded thousands. The United States has Kashmir. However, none of the overt and none. covert options To fix this gap, it is time for the https://www.firstpost.com/india/pakistans- Department of Defense to develop and desperation-over-kashmir-is-evident-as-it-plays- field conventionally armed, ground- afghanistan-card-threatens-nuclear-war-in-south- launched, intermediate-range missiles. The asia-7164171.html I.N.F. was a good treaty that reduced tensions and contributed to the peaceful USA end of the Cold War. After signing it in 1987, the Soviet Union and the United With a Democrat, a Cooler Head States eliminated ground-launched Would Prevail on Iran missiles with ranges of approximately 310 to 3,417 miles. Those missiles were Carol Giacomo, The New York Times, problematic because, if they were armed August 2, 2019 with nuclear warheads, they could, given While President Trump has escalated their short flight time, be used for pressure on Iran, even coming close to launching devastating surprise attacks against allies a military strike, most Americans want the United in Europe and against the Soviet Union. States to reduce tensions and return to the The elimination of those missiles provided 2015 nuclear agreement from which Mr. a greater sense of stability between the Trump withdrew, according to a new Soviet Union and the United States and poll by the Center for American Progress. its allies.

The leading contenders for the Democratic https://www.nytimes.com/2019/08/05/opinion/ presidential nomination are on that inf-treaty-putin-trump.html wavelength. Most would rejoin the deal provided that Iran resumed full compliance, The Danger of A Nuclear although there were variances in how the Catastrophe Is Greater Than candidates would go about it, according to During the Cold War questions I sent to the candidates who rated at least 2 percent in the RealClearPolitics Hunter DeRensis, National Interest Blog, polling average — former Vice President Joe August 7, 2019 Biden; Senators Cory Booker, Kamala Harris, “Why should the U.S. tie its own hands Bernie Sanders and Elizabeth Warren; Mayor with that policy?” CNN correspondent Pete Buttigieg of South Bend, Ind.; and the Jake Tapper asked Sen. Elizabeth Warren former House member Beto O’Rourke. (D-MA). https://www.nytimes.com/2019/08/02/opinion/ This leading question during last week’s editorials/democrats-iran-nuclear-deal.html Democratic debate immediately opened up a longtime policy fissure over U.S. America Could Lose a Real War nuclear strategy. The policy in question is Against Russia the venerable “no first use” pledge, in Timothy A. Walton, The New York Times, which the United States would forswear August 5, 2019 being the first nation to deploy nuclear weapons during a military conflict. Under After more than 30 years, the Intermediate the pledge the United States would still Nuclear Forces (I.N.F.) Treaty ended last reserve the right to massive retaliation. 59 Nuclear, Missile & Space Digest

While President Barack Obama privately chapters in arms control history. There is mulled over the pledge, he decided against much about the INF story that bears officially endorsing it. The United States has recalling, as it provides lessons for the always retained a “first use” option that conduct of US diplomacy and policy preserves Washington’s ability to launch making in the uncharted waters ahead. nuclear weapons at any time, even For decades, the combination of deterrence unprovoked. and arms control has shaped US policy. However, the strategic landscape and https://nationalinterest.org/feature/danger-nuclear- weapons technologies have changed catastrophe-greater-during-cold-war-72061 dramatically since the INF negotiations in the 1980’s, in which I played a role as The Return of Doomsday The New deputy negotiator. Under the Trump Nuclear Arms Race—and How Administration, it increasingly appears Washington and Moscow Can Stop It that the policy balance is swinging to greater and perhaps sole reliance on Ernest J. Moniz And Sam Nunn, Foreign deterrence. The administration has spoken Affairs, September/October 2019 about 21st-century arms control, but The year is 2020. The Russian military is beyond involving China, it is unclear what conducting a large exercise in Kaliningrad, this means. The US-Russian strategic a Russian exclave on the Baltic Sea that dialogue that got underway in July is borders the NATO member states Lithuania encouraging, but it remains to be seen and Poland. An observer aircraft from the whether new approaches to stemming the Western alliance accidentally crosses into nuclear arms race, as well as rivalries in Russian airspace and is shot down by a space and cyber warfare, will emerge. surface-to-air missile. NATO rushes air https://thebulletin.org/2019/08/the-inf-treaty-is- squadrons and combat vessels into the done-but-lessons-for-policy-remain/ region. Both sides warn that they will consider using nuclear weapons if their vital interests are threatened. Already on edge Are We Headed for Another after the invasion of Crimea, rising tensions Expensive Nuclear Arms Race? in the Middle East, the collapse of arms Could Be. control agreements, and the deployment of Steven Erlanger, The New York Times, new nuclear weapons, NATO and Russia August 8, 2019 are suddenly gearing up for conflict. In Washington, with the presidential campaign After the recent death of the treaty well under way, candidates are competing covering intermediate-range missiles, a to take the hardest line on Russia. In new arms race appears to be taking shape, Moscow, having learned that anti- drawing in more players, more money and Americanism pays off, the Russian more weapons at a time of increased leadership is escalating its harsh rhetoric global instability and anxiety about against Washington. nuclear proliferation.

https://www.foreignaffairs.com/articles/russian- The arms control architecture of the Cold federation/2019-08-06/return-do War, involving tens of thousands of nuclear weapons, was laboriously The INF Treaty is done, but lessons designed over years of hard-fought for policy remain negotiations between two superpowers — the United States and the Soviet Union. John Woodworth, Bulletin of the Atomic The elaborate treaties helped keep the Scientists, August 2, 2019 world from nuclear annihilation. The Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces https://www.nytimes.com/2019/08/08/world/ Treaty, or INF, ends on August 2, bringing europe/arms-race-russia-china.html to a close one of the most remarkable 60 Volume 11, Number 16 August 31, 2019

It’s time to pick the winners in Without INF treaty, world nuclear energy becomes vulnerable Zabrina Johal, The Hill, August 8, 2019 The New Delhi Times, August 12, 2019 In May 1958, President Eisenhower The Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces inaugurated Shippingport Atomic Power (INF) Treaty between the United States Station, the world’s first commercial nuclear and the Soviet Union was signed in 1987 power plant. It was a capstone to the process prohibiting both countries from having he began five years earlier with his “Atoms land-based missiles of 500-5,500 for Peace” initiative, but it launched kilometres range. This was the first-ever something much larger. In just 30 years, pact signed between Washington and nuclear would grow from providing 0 Moscow on nuclear disarmament and percent of U.S. electricity to over 20 percent. became a major step forward in restricting the arms race during the Cold War years. That wasn’t an accident. Eisenhower Other treaties, dialogue platforms and provided the inspiration, but the work of mechanisms on arms control for strategic making it happen was the legacy of one man, balance followed later. Hyman Rickover, the legendary admiral often called “The Father of the Nuclear The US will return to INF only if it is Navy.” renegotiated including China as a member. But China refuses to join stating https://thehill.com/opinion/energy-environment/ its nuclear strategy is for self-defence; 456569-its-time-to-pick-the-winners-in-nuclear- committed to no first use and non- energy participation in arms race; steady nuclear policy over decades; and modest nuclear Nuclear Power and The 2020 arsenal compared to America and Russia. Presidential Candidates https://www.newdelhitimes.com/without-inf- James Conca, Forbes, August 8, 2019 treaty-world-becomes-vulnerable/ With very serious issues like gun control, Russian tampering, prison reform and Russia health care, it’s unlikely that a narrow issue Want Your Own Nuclear Arsenal? like a candidate’s stance on nuclear power will sway anyone about voting for them or Russia Lost 2 Nuclear Weapons in not. Even if it is part of the more overall the Ocean. critical issue of energy and climate. Robert Farley, The National Interest Blog, But it is good to know which candidates just August 3, 2019 accept fear-mongering over science or K-8, the third November boat, entered actually care to understand a scientific issue service in the Soviet Northern Fleet in late by talking to scientists in that field. 1960. In one of her first cruises, she suffered a coolant incident that almost The Green New Deal has become a resulted in the loss of the ship; many of significant talking point in the 2020 her crew members were exposed to high Presidential election. Republican leadership levels of radiation. Drastic action saved the and the President just mock it, but most boat, and she returned to port for repairs. Democrats, with several exceptions, support some form of it. The Bay of Biscay is one of the world’s great submarine graveyards. In late World https://www.youtube.com/ War II, British and American aircraft sank watch?v=uc6QxD2_yQw&t=4s nearly seventy German U-boats in the Bay, which joined a handful of Allied and German subs sunk in the region during World War I. On April 12, 1970, a Soviet 61 Nuclear, Missile & Space Digest

submarine found the same resting place. in “constant fear” of such a turn of events. Unlike the others, however, K-8 was Women are more unquiet about the propelled by two nuclear reactors, and possibility of a nuclear war than carried four torpedoes tipped by nuclear men (68%), as well as seniors over 60 years warheads. of age (68%). At the same time, 46% of those polled, primarily men (64%), are not https://nationalinterest.org/blog/buzz/want-your- concerned about the use of nuclear own-nuclear-arsenal-russia-lost-2-nuclear- weapons. weapons-ocean-71086 https://tass.com/society/1072142 In 1981, a British Submarine Crashed into a Nuclear Russian Sub Is Russia Testing Nuclear Weapons Again? Sebastien Roblin, National Interest Blog, August 4, 2019 Mark B. Schneider, National Interest Blog, August 8, 2019 Immediately ordering the boat to periscope depth, the Delta III’s sonar team detect In May 2019, Lt. Gen. Robert P. Ashley, propeller noise on a bearing 127 degrees. Jr., Director of the Defense Intelligence The contact was judged to be a submarine. Agency, in an important speech at the Hudson Institute, stated: On May 23, 1981 the Soviet submarine K- 211 Petropavlovsk cruised quietly at nine Russia’s development of new warhead knots, one hundred and fifty feet below the designs and overall stockpile management surface of the Arctic Barents Sea. The huge efforts have been enhanced by its 155-meter-long Delta III (or Kalmar)-class approach to nuclear testing. The United submarine was distinguished by the large States believes that Russia probably is not boxy compartment on its spine which adhering to its nuclear testing moratorium accommodated the towering launch tubes in a manner consistent with the “zero- for sixteen R-29R ballistic missiles, each yield” standard. carrying three independent nuclear warheads. https://nationalinterest.org/blog/buzz/russia- testing-nuclear-weapons-again-72101 https://nationalinterest.org/blog/buzz/1981- british-submarine-crashed-nuclear-russian-sub- No, this Russian family is not 71026 looking at a nuclear explosion near their city, dear MSM viewers In Hiroshima’s shadow: Poll unveils Russians’ nuke fears and grasp of Russian Times, August 13, 2019 first atomic bombing An image of three people gazing at a TASS News Agency, August 6, 2019 powerful explosion mushrooming in the distance is too good not to be used in a The Russian Public Opinion Research Center story about a mysterious rocket engine has revealed that the majority of Russians failure that sparked speculation about a (72%) can recall that nuclear weapons were Russian doomsday weapon. actually used in military conflicts, while one- fifth (21%) could not say when this took An explosion during a rocket engine test place, according to a poll that was published in Russia last week, which claimed five on the center’s website on Tuesday. lives and apparently caused small radiation spikes detected in a nearby city, The survey indicated that more than half of has sent the media rumor mill into Russians (52%) are troubled by the prospects overdrive. While Russian officials are of nuclear war to a various extent. Thirty- reluctant to offer much detail about what three percent are slightly worried, while was tested, except that some radioactive 14% are deeply anxious, and 5% said to be material was involved, speculation 62 Volume 11, Number 16 August 31, 2019

suggests it was Russia’s lauded nuclear- Who is to blame for military powered Burevestnik cruise missile, or tension? Skyfall, as NATO chose to designate it. Pongyang Times, August 5. https://www.rt.com/news/466403-nuclear- explosion-russia-fake/ Despite the warnings and objections at home and abroad, the south Korean East Asia authorities launched into joint military exercises with the US on August 5. North Korea It is blatant neglect and open violation of Stocking up on missiles the Panmunjom Declaration and the September Pyongyang Joint Declaration— Donald Kirk, The Korean Times, agreements for establishing a lasting and August 15, 2019 durable peace regime on the Korean peninsula. So much is said and written about North Korea’s missile tests that it is possible to In the military agreement for forget they are hardly the most dangerous implementing the Panmunjom threats posed by flying “projectiles.” Declaration, the north and south agreed to totally discontinue hostile acts of all That’s not to minimize their importance, or kinds, the source of military tension and to side with Donald Trump when he conflict, against each other in all spaces of dismisses them as short-range, not in the ground, sea and air. violation of anything, while praising Kim Jong-un for the love letter he got from him The DPRK, in order to put an end to the the same day Kim ordered another set of history of confrontation with the fellow tests. countrymen and open up a new era of peace and prosperity on the peninsula, has There are two points here. The first is, we refrained from all military actions since have a lot more to fear from Russia’s early 2018 lest they should get on the burgeoning missile ambitions, and China’s nerves of the other party. too, than from North Korean missiles. Second, North Korea is basically throwing Though they had a handshake of its direly needed resources away on nukes “reconciliation and peace” on the and missiles, whatever the range, when negotiating table, the south Korean there’s no way Kim is about to have them authorities have incessantly staged joint affixed with warheads and fired for real. military exercises with outside forces targeting the fellow countrymen. Saving that second point for later, the Russian danger has just increased with This year alone witnessed lots of their war Trump’s decision to jettison the INF treaty. games. South Korea staged a joint aerial Banning Russia and the U.S. from making rescue drill codenamed Pacific Thunder land-based missiles with ranges from 500 to with the US in simulation of contingency 5,500 kilometers, the Intermediate Nuclear on the Korean peninsula, a joint military Forces Treaty was?reached by President rehearsal in March and a general flight Ronald Reagan and Soviet leader Mikhail drill for a fortnight from late April by Gorbachev 31 years ago. Trump’s innermost bringing in the US and Australian air forces. advisers, notably John Bolton, convinced http://www.pyongyangtimes.com.kp/?bbs=31059 him the Russians had been violating the treaty all along, making new missiles while making a show of destroying old ones, while Why Rocket Man is going ballistic the Chinese, not bound by anything, were with short-range missiles making many more of them. Duyeon Kim, Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists, August 8, 2019 http://www.koreatimes.co.kr/www/opinion/2019/ 08/137_273925.html North Korea is on an arms-testing binge. 63 Nuclear, Missile & Space Digest

It began to fire short-range ballistic missiles Trump administration is now prepared to in May, flaunted what apparently is a recognize that the North is unwilling, at ballistic missile-carrying submarine on July least at the present time, to give up its 23, fired two more rounds of what appeared nuclear weapons—and whether, as a to be similar short-range missiles on July 25, result, the administration is now prepared another two rounds on July 31, another two to consider an agreement that imposes on August 2, and yet another two on significant constraints on DPRK August 5. Even though US President Donald capabilities but falls short of requiring Trump and North Korean leader Kim Jong complete denuclearization in an agreed Un agreed to hold them soon after their time frame. To be sure, such an agreement impromptu meeting at the inter-Korean is not the ideal outcome that the US border in late June, negotiations on North government and all other interested Korea’s nuclear program have yet to governments would like to see. However, convene. a less ambitious agreement should be compared not with the ideal but It now seems that any working-level talks unattainable goal of complete, time-bound between Washington and Pyongyang on the elimination but with its most likely North’s nuclear program will be pushed back alternative—a US strategy of pressure, until some uncertain point after US-South containment and ultimately regime Korean military drills end in a couple of change. weeks, marking mid-September as the earliest that bilateral negotiations could start, https://www.38north.org/reports/2019/08/ if conditions are right under Pyongyang’s reinhorn080219/ terms. But why is Pyongyang conducting such frequent fireworks now? North Korea South Korea typically has several objectives for every official action and statement on security GSOMIA decision: Moon Jae-in’s matters, and so this is not a single-answer nuclear option question. One reason for these launches: Oh Young-jin, The Korean Times, August Trump has given Pyongyang a pass on 26, 2019 | short-range ballistic missile tests, most recently repeating his mantra of “I have no Not long after President Roh Moo-hyun problem, we’ll see what happens but short- took office in 2003, he gathered range [missiles] are very standard.” So the presidential aides and discussed how to regime is freely testing them to strengthen lead and govern the nation. its military capabilities, the main objective of the July 31 tests, based on the North’s There was near-consensus against Roh’s reporting of the tests through its Workers visit to the United States, espoused by Party newspaper, the Rodong Sinmun, former activists among the Roh aides who which is aimed at domestic audiences. saw the U.S. as a supporter of the previous dictatorships they fought against. They https://thebulletin.org/2019/08/why-rocket-man- were the so-called “386 generation” ¯ born is-going-ballistic-with-short-range-missiles/ in the 1960s, attending college in the 1980s and aged in their 30s. They belonged to US-DPRK Negotiations: Time to the age when Korea was getting wealthy Pivot to an Interim Agreement and starting to assert its national identity. Robert Einhorn, 38 North, August 2, 2019 Their objection to Roh’s U.S. visit was based on their wish to break the tradition If and when US-DPRK working-level talks of a newly elected president visiting resume, as agreed by US President Donald Washington as his first overseas Trump and Chairman Kim Jong Un at their destination to gain America’s recognition. brief June 30 meeting at the Demilitarized But a few experienced hands who insisted Zone, prospects for overcoming the current on the importance of the ROK-U.S. impasse will depend heavily on whether the alliance torpedoed their effort. 64 Volume 11, Number 16 August 31, 2019

Ironically, those young cadres of Roh and Japan the president himself were still cautious about going into the uncharted realm How to deal with another nuclear beyond the alliance’s boundaries. In May, crisis 74 years after Hiroshima Roh made his first visit to the U.S. and met The Asahi Shumbun, August 7, 2019 President George W. Bush. It set a pattern for Roh to protect the alliance by even A desolate landscape spreads out before alienating his support base in pushing for a the international community on the 74th free trade agreement with the U.S. and sending anniversary of the atomic bombing of troops to the Middle East, as requested. Hiroshima, which was Aug. 6.

https://www.koreatimes.co.kr/www/opinion/2019/ Hopes for “a world free of nuclear 08/667_274432.html weapons,” which surged a few years ago, have fizzled out since, and the world’s Moon’s illusory ‘peace economy’ major nuclear nations are now poised to with North Korea revert to arms expansion. Kim Myong-Sik, The Korean Herald, Aug 14, Some world leaders are even talking of 2019 making nuclear weapons “more usable,” as if in deliberate denial of the inhumanity The physical world we live in is governed of the heat rays that scorched hibakusha by constructive power and destructive 74 years ago and brought the power. Constructive power can be uncontrollable “hellfire.” measured by the value of things that individuals or groups create over a period International public opinion deems of time. They call it GDP on the national level. unequivocally that every nuclear war, Destructive power is estimated by looking without exception, is an act of inhumane at the things that can be destroyed and lethal destruction that must never be (annihilated) in a conflict; it represents condoned. security threats between adversaries. But the world is steadily deviating from North Korea is believed to have stored 20 to this understanding and the basic principle 30 nuclear bombs, each having the of the Nuclear Weapon Ban Treaty. destructive energy of up to 250 kilotons of TNT. (The atomic bomb that fell on http://www.asahi.com/ajw/articles/ Hiroshima was equivalent to 16 kilotons.) It AJ201908070025.html is quite an impressive destructive power the North has, although the international Abe turning deaf ear to voices community has yet to recognize it as a from Hiroshima and Nagasaki nuclear power. On the constructive side, international researchers have arrived at The Asahi Shimbun, August 10, 2019 widely differing but generally miserable figures for this enigmatic state. Prime Minister Shinzo Abe seems to have callous disregard for the desperate calls The United Nations surprisingly ranked coming from Hiroshima and Nagasaki for North Korea 198th among 211 countries the elimination of nuclear weapons. and territories of the world in 2016, estimating its gross domestic product at It is difficult to think otherwise, given $16.8 billion (or $654 per capita). On the UN Abe’s remarks and the words of survivors chart for 2017, the North had risen to 115th of the 1945 atomic bombings of the two place with $17,364 million in GDP. The US Japanese cities and local government CIA World Factbook 2014 gave a somewhat leaders on this year’s anniversaries of the higher estimate of $40 billion in GDP ($1,800 nuclear devastation. per capita) based on purchasing power parity. In an Aug. 9 ceremony at Nagasaki Peace http://www.koreaherald.com/ Park to mark the 74th anniversary of the view.php?ud=20190813000808&ACE_SEARCH=1 city’s atomic bombing, Yoshiro Yamawaki, 65 Nuclear, Missile & Space Digest

85, speaking as the representative of Soviet missiles with a range of 500 hibakusha atomic bomb survivors, urged the kilometers to 5,500km from Europe at the government to “demonstrate a resolute end of the Cold War, this Treaty’s demise commitment to pursue the goal of on August 2, 2019 is good news for eliminating nuclear weapons while Taiwan on three levels. hibakusha are still alive.” First, the Treaty’s demise means that the As he wanted to connect with a wider United States is free to redress a audience about his experiences in the atomic destabilizing imbalance of power with bombing of Nagasaki, Yamawaki had China and North Korea. When President taught himself English and narrated his own Donald Trump announced his decision to hibakusha stories overseas as well. withdraw from the INF Treaty on February 1, 2019, the White House also explained http://www.asahi.com/ajw/articles/ that China had “more than 1,000 INF AJ201908100021.html Treaty-range missiles.”

Japan must resist call to join U.S.- http://www.taipeitimes.com/News/editorials/ led coalition in Middle East archives/2019/08/12/2003720324 The Asahi Shimbun, August 14, 2019 P. Think Tanks Japan should never deviate from its intended role even at the urging of an ally. Loss of “an Invaluable Brake on Nuclear War” During his first visit to Japan on Aug. 7, U.S. Defense Secretary Mark Esper met with Missile Defence Advocacy Alliance, Defense Minister Takeshi Iwaya and called on August 2, 2019 Japan to consider joining a “coalition of the willing” to protect shipping in and around “All allies announced today that we agree the Strait of Hormuz in the Middle East. with the U.S. decision to withdraw from the treaty because of the ongoing Russian Iwaya cited Japan’s need to secure a stable violation of the treaty.” – NATO Secretary supply of crude oil, relations with the United General Jens Stoltenberg on August 2, States and friendly ties with Iran, and said 2019. the government will examine the matter from every aspect before making a We recognize the former trust between comprehensive judgment. two super powers that gave critical stability and an era of peace between the Japan now has a Maritime Self-Defense United States and Russia that enabled Force destroyer and patrol aircraft deployed great prosperity in Europe and North off Somalia as protection against piracy. To America for the past 31 years partly to the avoid provoking Iran, the government is said cornerstone of Intermediate-range Nuclear to be considering reassigning them to the Forces (INF) Treaty. The INF was an arms Gulf of Oman outside the Persian Gulf, control treaty between the United States rather than dispatching a new fleet. and the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics http://www.asahi.com/ajw/articles/ (USSR) that eliminated all, nuclear and AJ201908140024.html non-nuclear, land-based ballistic and cruise missiles in the ranges of 500 to 5,500 Taiwan kilometers, but did not include air- or sea- launched missiles. This deep trust of a The INF Treaty’s demise is good credible arms control agreement in the news for Taiwan heights of the Cold War allowed the safe breakup of the Soviet Union in 1991 and Richard D. Fisher, Jr., Taipei Times, August the fall of the Berlin Wall. It is to be noted 12, 2019 that China, at the time the treaty was signed in 1987, was not seen as a nuclear While the 1987 Intermediate Nuclear Forces peer and competitor as they are today by (INF) Treaty eliminated United States and 66 Volume 11, Number 16 August 31, 2019

the United States and as such, was not those missiles. pursued like other nuclear nations (United Kingdom, France, and India) were at that Guterres urged the two nations “to avoid time to sign to this treaty. destabilizing developments” and agree on a new arms control path. He said they https://missiledefenseadvocacy.org/alert/loss-of-an- should extend the New START treaty, the invaluable-brake-on-nuclear-war/ last major U.S.-Russia arms control pact, which expires in 2021. Hiroshima, Nagasaki, and no first use https://www.apnews.com/ 3a9f960ef1ab480488639471c933d6c1 Elaine Scarry and Zia Mian, Bulletin of the Atomic Scientist, August 5, 2019 Who will win 21st century? On August 6 and August 9, we again take Joschka Fischer, The Korean Times, August time to contemplate the US atomic bombing 4, 2019 of Hiroshima and Nagasaki in 1945. The The first two decades of the 21st century arrangements that permitted a US president are beginning to cast a long shadow over to drop an atomic bomb on tens of the Western world. We have come a long thousands of civilians continue to be in place way since the turn of the century, when today. The United States has a “presidential people everywhere, but particularly in first use” policy which means that President Europe, indulgently embraced the “end of Trump, acting alone, can issue the order for history.” According to that illusory notion, a nuclear strike, even if our own country is the West’s victory in the Cold War ¯ the not under nuclear attack. This concern has last of the three great wars of the 20th been raised in the Democratic Party century ¯ had given rise to a global order presidential primaries for the 2020 election, for which there could be no alternatives. with some candidates arguing for a shift to Thenceforth, it was thought, world history a US policy of no first use of nuclear would march steadily toward the weapons. There is already legislation universalization of Western-style pending in Congress to this effect. democracy and the market economy. The https://thebulletin.org/2019/08/hiroshima- new century would merely be a nagasaki-and-no-first-use/ continuation of the previous one, with a triumphant West extending its dominion. UN chief: World to lose brake on The world is wiser now. The web of nuclear war with treaty end alliances and institutions that sustained the West’s dominance is proving to be a AP News. August 2, 2019 product of the 20th century, its future now in doubt. U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres says that “the world will lose an invaluable http://www.koreatimes.co.kr/www/opinion/ brake on nuclear war” when the 1987 2019/08/137_273273.html Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces treaty between Moscow and Washington expires A nuclear world in disarray Friday. Ramesh Thakur, Australian Strategic Policy He told reporters Thursday that the INF Institute, August 7, 2019 treaty “is a landmark agreement that helped stabilize Europe and end the Cold War” and We are in a uniquely dangerous period in its end “will likely heighten, not reduce, the the atomic age. Geopolitical tensions have threat posed by ballistic missiles.” spiked in Europe, in the Middle East, on the subcontinent and in East Asia. The In February, the U.S. began withdrawing nuclear arms control architecture is from the treaty, accusing Russia of fraying and crumbling, but no developing missiles that do not comply with negotiations are underway to reduce the pact. Russia has until Friday to destroy global nuclear stockpiles. 67 Nuclear, Missile & Space Digest

A hostile international security environment, https://thebulletin.org/2019/08/why-rocket- the proliferation of nuclear weapons and the man-is-going-ballistic-with-short-range- emergence of new space, cyber and AI missiles/ technologies have increased the risk of accidental or deliberate use of nuclear As arms treaty fails, big powers weapons. The growing strategic risks and risk new missile race uncertainty in turn fuel the vicious cycle of renewed interest among US allies in a Peter Apps, Reuters, August 9, 2019 nuclear deterrent as a hedge against For those who worried about the risk of receding US primacy and reliability. the Cold War ending in catastrophe, the At the conclusion of a United Nations early- to mid-1980s were the most conference on 7 July 2017, 122 states parties alarming period since the 1962 Cuban of the Nuclear Nonproliferation Treaty missile crisis. adopted a new Treaty on the Prohibition of Late U.S. President Ronald Reagan (R) and Nuclear Weapons. All nine countries that former Soviet leader Mikhail Gorbachev possess the bomb (China, France, India, sign the Intermediate-Range Nuclear , North Korea, Pakistan, Russia, the UK Forces (INF) treaty in the White House, and the US) boycotted the conference and December 8, 1987. rejected the treaty. They have done their very best since then to validate the concerns On both sides of the Iron Curtain, behind the drive to adopt it. paranoia and alarm about the adversary’s intentions was the order of the day. The https://www.aspistrategist.org.au/a-nuclear- world-in-disarray/ United States and the Soviet Union were both deploying a new generation of Why Rocket Man is going ballistic medium-range nuclear rockets which experts worry could make it easier for a with short-range missiles limited atomic war to escalate out of Duyeon Kim, Bulletin of the Atomic control. Scientists, August 8, 2019 The result, after almost a decade of North Korea is on an arms-testing binge. It diplomacy, was the 1987 Intermediate began to fire short-range ballistic missiles in Range Nuclear Forces Treaty, which culled May, flaunted what apparently is a ballistic an entire generation of missiles with a missile-carrying submarine on July 23, fired range of 500-5,500 km (310-3,400 miles). two more rounds of what appeared to be It forced Moscow and Washington to rely similar short-range missiles on July 25, on longer-range ballistic missiles and air- another two rounds on July 31, another two launched weaponry to maintain their on August 2, and yet another two on nuclear “balance of terror”, making it August 5. Even though US President Donald easier for each side to track each other’s Trump and North Korean leader Kim Jong actions and get early warning of an attack. Un agreed to hold them soon after their impromptu meeting at the inter-Korean This crucial confidence-building measure border in late June, negotiations on North opened the door to further detente Korea’s nuclear program have yet to between the superpowers and ushered in convene. It now seems that any working- three decades in which worries of global level talks between Washington and nuclear war all but vanished. But last Pyongyang on the North’s nuclear program week, the treaty finally collapsed will be pushed back until some uncertain completely amid wider international point after US-South Korean military drills tensions, particularly between end in a couple of weeks, marking mid- Washington, Moscow and Beijing. September as the earliest that bilateral https://www.reuters.com/article/us-apps-arms- negotiations could start, if conditions are column/as-arms-treaty-fails-big-powers-risk- right under Pyongyang’s terms. new-missile-race-idUSKCN1UZ11C 68 Volume 11, Number 16 August 31, 2019

Russia Showcases ‘Kinzhal’ Goal 13 (Take urgent action to combat Nuclear-Capable Air-Launched climate change and its impacts); and the Ballistic Missile at Air Show prospects for synergies between nuclear power and other low carbon energy Missile Defence Advocacy Alliance, sources. August 13, 2019 https://www.iaea.org/newscenter/multimedia/ Two Russian MIG-31K interceptors, each videos/growing-populations-time-to-talk-about- carrying one Kh-47M2 nuclear-power Kinzhal (“Dagger”) air-launched ballistic missile (ALBM), for the first time took part P. Interviews in an airshow at the Dubrovichi testing range in the Ryazan Region in U.S. Quietly Waives Some central Russia, as part of this year’s Sanctions To Allow Key Part Of Aviadarts 2019 international competition on Iran Nuclear Deal To Continue August 10, according to a Russian defense ministry statement. National Public Radio, August 1, 2019

The the Aviadats competition is part of the AUDIE CORNISH, HOST: The Trump International Army Games, hosted by the administration has been sending mixed Russian military, and involves the air forces signals on Iran this week. It imposed of China, , and Russia. sanctions on Iran’s foreign minister and is taking other steps to isolate the country. https://missiledefenseadvocacy.org/threat-news/ But the administration also quietly waived russia-showcases-kinzhal-nuclear-capable-air- some sanctions to allow a key part of the launched-ballistic-missile-at-air-show/ Iran nuclear deal to continue. Joining us now to talk about why is NPR’s Michele Growing Populations: Time to Talk Kelemen. And Michele, I want to start about Nuclear Power? with the sanctions that have been waived. What’s the significance of this? International Atomic Energy Agency, August 14, 2019 MICHELE KELEMEN, BYLINE: So the administration says that it’s allowing some The IAEA is organizing the 2019 projects to continue. These are, you know, International Conference on Climate Russian, Chinese, European companies Change and the Role of Nuclear Power in that are working on projects that are Vienna from 7 to 11 October 2019. central to the nuclear deal. That’s the deal The conference will provide a platform to the Trump administration left, which limits discuss objectively the scientific and Iran’s nuclear activity and ensures that it technical aspects of the role of nuclear would take at least a year for Iran to power in combating climate change. produce enough material for a bomb. The State Department says that these are Topics covered in the conference will limited nonproliferation activities that do include: challenges and opportunities for not help Iran; instead, they help restrict existing nuclear power plants with respect and constrain Iran’s nuclear program. So to their continuous contribution to the it’s things like redesigning a reactor and avoidance of greenhouse gas (GHG) support for the Bushehr reactor so that emissions; factors necessary to support high Iran doesn’t need to enrich uranium for rates of deployment, including for advanced that. nuclear power technologies, consistent with achieving the climate change goals, CORNISH: But the Trump administration including those established in the Paris withdrew the U.S. from this deal, which Agreement, and the Sustainable President Obama negotiated. So in some Development Goals (SDGs), namely Goal 7 sense, is this administration (Ensure access to affordable, reliable, acknowledging that it’s keeping part of it sustainable and modern energy for all) and alive? 69 Nuclear, Missile & Space Digest

KELEMEN: Well, as some critics have said, funds supporting nuclear safety and it’s on life support. It may not be for long. security in Eastern Europe: Nuclear Safety Listen to how national security adviser John Account; Chernobyl Shelter; Bohunice, Bolton described this decision in an interview Ignalina and Kozloduy International with the Fox Business Network. Decommissioning Support Funds; Nuclear Window of the Northern Dimension https://www.npr.org/2019/08/01/747368659/u-s- Environmental Partnership Support quietly-waves-some-sanctions-to-allow-key-part- (NDEP); and Environmental Remediation of-iran-nuclear-deal-to-conti Account for Central Asia (ERA). Interview: EBRD nuclear safety The EBRD has provided commercial director forms long-term view financing - jointly with Euratom, providing EUR300 million each - for safety upgrade World Nuclear News, August 7, 2019 work at Ukraine’s nuclear power plants, but this is currently the only loan the bank The European Bank for Reconstruction and provides to the nuclear sector. Before that, Development may consider the commercial modernisation work was completed at financing of nuclear safety and Khmelnitsky unit 2 and Rovno unit 4. This decommissioning projects as it looks beyond has been a “fairly controversial” project its traditional remit of legacy projects for some of the bank’s shareholders, supported by donor funds, Balthasar Lindauer said, but as it completes the Lindauer, director of the EBRD’s Nuclear legacy issues, the bank may look beyond Safety Department, said in an interview with donor funds to other financing models for World Nuclear News at the bank’s London its future activities in nuclear safety. headquarters on 22 July. “That’s fairly difficult of course. We would “Longer term I think we need to move away need to convince our banking colleagues from dealing with legacies and work with and our shareholders and, last but not countries interested in financing safety least, need to prove ourselves in the improvements and waste management market,” he said, stressing that any form projects,” Lindauer said. of support the bank offers would need to be compatible with its mandate. The department has provided commercial financing once so far - for safety upgrade “Most of what we have done so far is very work at Ukraine’s nuclear power plants. targeted at certain legacy issues, like More recently, it has started talks with the Chernobyl in Ukraine, where you can say regulator in Turkey, which is developing a these countries historically did not have nuclear power programme. time to build up enough funds or the expertise to do these things, and we are “I think we’re getting to the point where we ready to help because it is in the need to find our position on this. It may well international interest to sort these issues be that we as an organisation will have done out,” he said. “Such cases may arise again, our bit on nuclear safety, with the legacy but they are limited. The business model issues, but I want to make sure this is a is there if major donors want to tackle a conscious decision on the basis of planning complex programme. Totally and not as an accident. We are currently still hypothetically, what happens if North very busy with the funds that we have so Korea changes its position and agrees to there is no immediate need for decision decommission its nuclear facilities. If they making, but we do need to prepare for that were to decide on decommissioning this question.” would be something the international Funding community might want to support and the bank, with its experience in implementing The EBRD is owned by 69 countries, as well such programmes, could consider doing as the European Union and the European so if asked by its shareholders.” Investment Bank. It manages seven donor 70 Volume 11, Number 16 August 31, 2019

New build change is, and increasingly will be, a top priority.” The EBRD will not fund new nuclear build, but may offer its expertise and loans to Asked about the European Commission’s nuclear newcomer countries that lack the work through the technical expert group organisational competence and on sustainable finance to determine infrastructure required for a nuclear power whether an economic activity is programme. Nor has the bank considered environmentally sustainable, the so-called financing projects to build final repositories EU taxonomy, Lindauer said: “Whenever for radioactive waste, since it is the countries or organisations like the responsibility of each country to ensure European Union decide that this is an funding is available for this, he said. important aspect for them, and they may on that basis review their policies on The bank’s energy policy does not allow nuclear energy, we are certainly available investment in nuclear new build and its to help with the safety, decommissioning board has not discussed the topic for a long and waste management aspects if it takes time, he said, but the role of nuclear power place in our countries of operation. But we in solving climate change is a “very will not be at the forefront of advocating interesting debate that has really gathered nuclear energy as a solution to reduce momentum in the last few years”. carbon emissions, certainly not for the time being and it would entirely depend on a “Australia is starting to think whether it debate among our shareholders.” should review its policy [towards nuclear power] and this is the right place for that But the bank is willing to work with debate - in countries. We as an organisation nuclear newcomer countries, such as for are not in favour of or against nuclear instance Turkey, within the framework of energy; we simply operate within the its existing mandate. “We cannot get mandate we are given. We don’t have a involved in funding a new build, but we nuclear energy department here at the bank, can certainly help with questions only a nuclear safety department,” he said. surrounding the infrastructure and Any change to its mandate, such as towards organisation that is required to ensure nuclear power, would require the “broad high safety and security standards. I’m consensus” of the bank’s shareholders, he very keen to explore the possibilities,” he said, but the fact remains they include said. countries that are phasing out nuclear power, such as Germany, or which “opted Asked if these talks were about a loan, he out of nuclear energy from the start”, such said, “What this would look like in as Austria and Denmark. concrete terms remains to be seen and in the end our loans need to be approved by The EBRD’s Sustainable Energy Initiative our board. We have to make a business makes no reference to nuclear power, even case for every loan that we provide.” though other international organisations, Asked whether the Nuclear Safety including the International Energy Agency Department has to appeal to the bank’s and Intergovernmental Panel on Climate shareholders for funding, or can appeal Change, have highlighted its important role directly to the bank’s donor department, as a low-carbon and sustainable source of he said, “In this regard, we are very energy. The bank is not financing coal power independent. There is certainly a need to generation anymore and gas only as a coordinate the approach to donors so that ‘transitional’ fuel. Lindauer said: we don’t go to them two, three, four times “Shareholders take decisions on the basis of and ask them different things. But our policy documents and business cases experience has shown that nuclear safety prepared by management of the bank. There is dealt with by other departments in our are trade-offs to be made and projects need donor governments than other to be bankable, but you don’t need to be a development.” prophet to see that the impact of climate 71 Nuclear, Missile & Space Digest

But the Nuclear Safety Department cannot countries ‘committed to and applying the decide unilaterally to work in a new region. principles of multi-party democracy [and] “Our existing geography is defined by the pluralism’. A good example of this shareholders and if they decide to expand, requirement is Central Asia. then obviously we take our nuclear safety expertise with us.” The Environmental Remediation Account for Central Asia was set up in 2015 to Preserving progress rehabilitate high-priority sites in the Kyrgyz Republic, Tajikistan and The medium-term strategy is to ensure all . Framework agreements have that has been achieved with the bank’s been signed with all three countries. legacy projects is preserved, he said, highlighting work to decommission and “It is an assessment for the bank to make dismantle an RBMK nuclear power plant - whether we can operate in a given Ignalina in Lithuania. The bank has country or not according to our Article 1, successfully managed this project for 15 which requires ‘transition to market years and is well-placed to offer other economy and democracy’. We have countries with RBMKs the required expertise nuclear safety and decommissioning funds and experience, thus helping them to in eight countries currently and they are manage the costs and timeframes involved, all countries of operation of the bank,” he said. Lindauer said.

Another example, he said, is to ensure an Asked how the ERA had come about, he “integrated strategy” at Chernobyl, where said: “We had set aside a small budget line the bank and its partners have recently almost 10 years ago to see if there were completed the project to build a New Safe any other needs in nuclear Confinement over unit 4. The bank’s decommissioning where we could use our programme also includes a liquid radioactive expertise and help in solving them. We waste treatment facility and a used fuel found that uranium mining remediation storage facility. was one of the topics being discussed in various international fora. There was a Asked what the overarching organisation UN resolution to help Central Asia with for an integrated approach at the Chernobyl these issues back in 2013 and lots of site could be, he said: “I have offered EBRD’s organisations started doing something, assistance in this process. Ukraine is just in mostly on a very low level and small scale, the process of forming a new government but there was no drive actually to and we are keen on speaking with the new implement remediation projects. We authorities as soon as possible. The bank teamed up with the European Commission could add value to that because it’s very easy who understood that this [lack of progress] to lose sight of the overall approach and was somewhat unsatisfactory and we there are risks from delaying certain decided to set up a fund similar to the decisions and the whole operation can other ones we already operated, pool become much more expensive than required. resources and coordinate with other Longer term I think we need to move away organisations. We started engaging with from dealing with legacies and work with the recipient countries.” countries interested in financing safety improvements and waste management The bank has made most progress with projects.” , he said, which has shown it is “opening up as a democratic society - Political will that government decisions are subject to parliamentary views, there are elections The EBRD is the only international financial and a fairly open press”. institution engaged in nuclear safety and decommissioning programmes and, “Kyrgyzstan is certainly one of those cases uniquely for a development bank, it has a where we are very happy to support the political mandate in that it assists only those country because we see that, though there 72 Volume 11, Number 16 August 31, 2019

are difficulties of course, they are on a good The EBRD maintains cooperation with track. We have not been able to operate in Russia in spite of changes to the political Uzbekistan for a long period of time due to context five years ago, he said. The fundamental differences with the previous European Council in July 2014 decided to regime, but they have started to open up impose sanctions against Russia and the and to develop in a way that makes it next day a majority of EBRD shareholders possible for us to engage again. The bank in informed the bank’s management that, general re-engaged in Uzbekistan since under current circumstances, they were September 2016 and started fairly quickly not in a position to approve any new setting up quite a number of projects. The investment projects in the Russian signing of a framework agreement under Federation. The Nuclear Safety which Uzbekistan could benefit from Department still manages its existing uranium mining remediation, in March portfolio there, under the NDEP Nuclear 2017, was one of the first projects agreed Window donor fund. during a visit [there] by EBRD President [Suma] Chakrabarti. “We have developed fairly good relations for the programme that we have in “We intend to work with Tajikistan, but it northwest Russia,” he said. “We have been is more a complicated case. We have signed dealing with [decommissioning] the Lepse a framework agreement there too, but for ship for a very long time. It is now more than three years now it has been under essentially complete but we are still review for ratification in parliament.” funding the defueling operation for another year-and-a-half. And we have About EUR90 million is needed for the seven fairly good coordination in Central Asia, sites the bank has identified as priorities in where Russia has its own programme for these three countries. remediation of uranium mines. And I’m “We have, together with the European very happy that Russia made a significant Commission mainly, made an appeal to contribution to the Chernobyl programme.” donors to provide additional funding and the response has been fairly good. We https://www.world-nuclear-news.org/Articles/ organised a pledging conference at the EBRD Interview-EBRD-nuclear-safety-director-forms-long in November 2018 and now we have an Chandrayaan 2: Godrej Aerospace overall amount of close to EUR35 million plays a very important role in which allows us to start operations,” Lindauer said. several ISRO missions, says top company official “EUR90 million is a tentative figure because we don’t yet have experience of Huma Siddiqui, Financial Express, August implementing the actual projects. The 8, 2019 estimate is for 10 years but, again, something ISRO’s Chandrayaan 2: Godrej Aerospace we have learned is that once you are there has built critical components for all the you find out what is really required and major missions including the recently programmes tend to be longer than we launched Chandrayaan 2 by ISRO. originally thought.” Chandrayaan 2: Godrej Aerospace has The bank has held a tender for the project been committed to the cause of indigenous management units for Kyrgyzstan and manufacturing for India’s Space programs Uzbekistan, and the former now has one in for about three decades. The company has place, he said. “We are also currently built critical components for all the major discussing the first tender for our first missions including the recently launched remediation project in Kyrgyzstan. In Chandrayaan-2 by the Indian Space Uzbekistan recently there was a total Research Organisation (ISRO). SM reorganisation of the administration and we Vaidya, Executive Vice President and were affected by that as we were assigned a Business Head, Godrej Aerospace, talks to new counterpart. We plan to go to Uzbekistan Huma Siddiqui about its journey with in October to restart our effort.” ISRO. Following are excerpts. 73 Nuclear, Missile & Space Digest

How long has been your association with Will Godrej Aerospace be involved in the Indian Space Research Organisation the Human mission? (ISRO)? Yes, under the guidance of ISRO, Godrej Godrej Aerospace’s association with ISRO is currently developing a high thrust goes back a long way, beginning in 1985 engine (semi cryo) for Human mission. with the supply of precision machined parts for various ISRO projects. Over the past How do you compare yourself with other three decades, we have been entrusted with private sector companies which are increasing work from ISRO and this has interested in the Space sector? resulted in increased participation, especially for complex equipment such as liquid Godrej has the advantage of working with propulsion engines for PSLV and GSLV ISRO over last three decades. We have rockets, thrusters for satellites and antenna passed through learning and absorption systems. phase and are ready with exclusive manufacturing facilities, trained and Which are the programmes the company qualified manpower and attested quality has worked with ISRO? systems. This helps us to optimise and deliver as per schedule or take tasks on Godrej is involved in all the programs of developing new systems. ISRO since 1985 be its remote sensing, Tele education, Tele-medicine or interplanetary https://www.financialexpress.com/lifestyle/ missions. Godrej has been associated with science/chandrayaan-2-godrej-aerospace-plays-a- ISRO for various programmes such as PSLV, very-important-role-in-several-isro-missions- GSLV including GSLV Mk III – the heaviest says-top-company-official/1670418/ satellite launched from India including Chandrayaan 1 (2008), Mangalyaan (2014) U.S. Experts Want Details On and Chandrayaan 2 in 2019. Blast At Russian Missile Test Site The company Godrej & Boyce has been David Welna, National Public Radio, proudly committed to the cause of August 14, 2019 indigenous manufacturing for India’s space programs which are a key to strengthen At least five Russians were killed last week India’s technological prowess. in an explosion at a missile test site. It may have involved an experimental nuclear Were you involved with Mars Programme powered missile that Russian President and is the company going to be part of the Putin had boasted about. planned Space Station by ISRO? RACHEL MARTIN, HOST: The successful insertion of the Mars orbiter spacecraft in the designated Mars orbit is American scientists and intelligence indeed a very proud and historic moment experts are trying to understand what for India. It was a proud moment for happened in an explosion at a Russian everyone at Godrej Aerospace to have been missile test site last week. At least five a part of this prestigious project. India is the Russians died in that blast. It’s believed to first country to achieve this milestone at the have involved an experimental nuclear- very 1st attempt and at a fraction of the cost powered missile that Russian President of an international launch. Vladimir Putin boasted about last year. NPR’s David Welna reports. The company built mission-critical items such as the liquid engine used in the Polar DAVID WELNA, BYLINE: Russian (PSLV), precision officials have been vague about what components for the Orbiter Thruster as well caused a spike in background radiation in as the ground system antenna together with the area surrounding last Thursday’s the onboard antenna. explosion. 74 Volume 11, Number 16 August 31, 2019

ANKIT PANDA: What we do have is an WELNA: No other country, he added, has acknowledgement by the Russians that there developed anything like this. was radioactive dispersal. PANDA: There is an element of deception WELNA: Ankit Panda is an adjunct senior in many activities that Russia does fellow at the Federation of American undertake around its weapons programs. Scientists. WELNA: Still, Ankit Panda things Russia PANDA: Official data released by the really is trying to fly a missile with a nuclear Russian government regarding the reactor on board. personnel that were tragically killed in this accident suggests that they were involved PANDA: This may have been something with a part of the Russian defense brought out of the archives. Somebody establishment that was known to have been managed to convince the Russian working on this nuclear-powered cruise leadership that this was a good idea, but missile. it may not be going anywhere.

JEFFREY LEWIS: I think Russia was testing WELNA: The Russians, though, appear a nuclear-powered cruise missile, which is anything but deterred by this mishap, says a crazy kind of doomsday weapon and one Lewis. that seems to have gone rather badly. LEWIS: The Russians were quite clear that WELNA: That’s Jeffrey Lewis, a nuclear they were going to press on. All of the weapons expert at the Middlebury Institute Russian statements took a very cold tone for International Studies. He says all signs of saying this is the kind of thing that suggest this blast involved a new kind of happens when a country is developing missile. new military technologies.

LEWIS: That doesn’t just have a nuclear WELNA: Lewis notes that this follows the warhead but in fact has a tiny nuclear termination earlier this month of the long- reactor on board. That’s a pretty finicky standing intermediate range missile treaty technology. The United States looked at between the U.S. and Russia. doing that in the 1950s and ’60s but gave up because it was a technical and ecological LEWIS: What we have seen is a complete nightmare. collapse of arms control efforts between the United States and Russia. And in its WELNA: President Trump weighed in place is a kind of arms race. And this earlier this week, tweeting that, quote, “the weapons system, crazy as it sounds, I United States is learning much from the think is part of that brewing arms race. failed missile explosion in Russia.” He also said the U.S. has, in his words, similar WELNA: One expert on Russia, the though more advanced technology. This my International Crisis Group’s Olga Oliker, missile is better than your missile one- thinks Moscow might simply be trying to upmanship got started last year by Trump’s lure the U.S. back to the negotiating table. Russian counterpart. OLGA OLIKER: You know, maybe not WELNA: In a televised address, Russian all of this stuff would need to be built. President Putin told his Federal Assembly Maybe there’s a negotiation to have here. that a new nuclear-powered, low-flying stealth missile with a nuclear warhead had WELNA: But there are no signs been successfully tested. Washington’s moved any closer to the negotiating table, particularly after last WELNA: Putin claimed no present or future week’s blast. David Welna, NPR News, defense system could stop this missile that Washington. had virtually no limit on how far it could fly. Putin showed a video simulation of the https://www.npr.org/2019/08/14/751027839/u- missile heading toward what looked like the s-experts-want-details-on-blast-at-russian- coast of Florida. missile-test-site 75 Nuclear, Missile & Space Digest

Mystery Surrounds Last Week’s Tuesday, there were reports the village Nuclear Accident In Russia closest to the test site was being evacuated which were then denied by local Lucian Kim, National Public Radio, August authorities. A regional news site is 15, 2019 reporting doctors who treated victims of A week after an explosion at a Russian the accident have been sent to Moscow for missile test facility that killed at least five medical examinations after signing non- people, there’s still confusion about what disclosure agreements. exactly blew up, and how much radiation The Kremlin has hardly commented on the might have been released. incident. President Vladimir Putin’s DAVID GREENE, HOST: spokesman has advised journalists to rely on information provided by government Whatever happened in Russia last week is agencies and insists the health and safety still largely a mystery. Some kind of nuclear of local residents have been fully insured. accident took the lives of at least five people. All the secrecy may have to do with the It appears to have involved a top-secret type of weapon that was being tested. super missile. The scope of radiation contamination seems to have been limited, KIM: In a speech last year, Putin unveiled but still so many questions here. NPR’s a new arsenal under development, Lucian Kim is in Moscow. including a nuclear-powered cruise missile nicknamed Skyfall. In a tweet Monday, LUCIAN KIM, BYLINE: Information about President Trump advanced the theory the accident has been released in drips and Skyfall may have been involved in the drabs, and much of it is contradictory. accident. Moscow defense analyst Almost the only thing that can be said with Alexander Golts calls the project a new toy certainty is that there was an explosion at for Putin. an Arctic military testing site some 600 miles north of Moscow. What exactly blew up, ALEXANDER GOLTS: (Speaking how much radiation was released and what Russian). danger local residents were exposed to are KIM: Golts says, “Russia is essentially in all the subject of speculation. Even the an arms race with itself, developing casualty count is unclear, though Rosatom, weapons unnecessary to keep strategic Russia’s nuclear corporation, has confirmed parity with the U.S. and posing a danger that five of its employees were killed and to its own citizens.” Lucian Kim, NPR three hospitalized. News, Moscow.

RASHID ALIMOV: The main danger is in https://www.npr.org/2019/08/15/751365950/ this local region. mystery-surrounds-last-weeks-nuclear-accident- in-russia KIM: That’s Rashid Alimov, a radiation specialist with Greenpeace Russia. Q. Original Documents ALIMOV: The question is mostly about the Issuance of CBW Act-related safety measures for those people living there, Executive Order; Publication of and the question is about radioactive contamination of the water there as well. CBW Act Directive and Frequently So all those questions need answers from the Asked Questions official authorities. US Department of the Treasuary, August KIM: Official statements on the release of 3, 2019-08-22 radiation vary wildly, with the Defense On August 1, 2019, the President issued a Ministry denying there was any, Rosatom new Executive Order (E.O.) acknowledging a brief twofold spike and “Administration of Proliferation Sanctions Russia’s weather service saying it could have and Amendment of Executive Order been up to 16 times normal levels. On 12851”, this E.O. is related to the Chemical 76 Volume 11, Number 16 August 31, 2019

and Biological Weapons Control and Warfare Elimination Act of 1991, as amended (“CBW Act”). Pursuant to the CBW Act, the Department of the Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) is issuing a Russia-related Directive (CBW Act Directive). The CBW Act Directive will have an effective date of August 26, 2019. OFAC is also publishing new FAQs relating to the CBW Act Directive.

https://www.treasury.gov/resource-center/sanc- tions/OFAC-Enforcement /Pages/ 20190803.aspx 77 Nuclear, Missile & Space Digest

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