USAF Center for Unconventional Weapons Studies (CUWS) Outreach Journal CUWS Outreach Journal 1191 13 November 2015 Feature Item: “National Biodefense: You’re Doing It Wrong”. Authored by Al Mauroni; published by War on the Rocks.com: 9 November 2015. http://warontherocks.com/2015/11/national-biodefense-youre-doing-it-wrong/ Recently, former Sen. Joe Lieberman and former Gov. Tom Ridge met with the Senate Homeland Security and Government Affairs Committee to deliver a message on the state of the nation’s biological defense capabilities. They were there to warn the committee that the capabilities were inadequate. The United States is unprepared for the “very real biological threats we face” from terrorists and naturally emerging diseases. Despite concerns about the outbreak of biological diseases over the past 15 years, they believe that “no one has yet taken the lead to address this threat in a strategic and coordinated fashion.” The panel takes the approach of combining military biological warfare agents, general bioterrorism threats, and naturally occurring infectious diseases under a single category: biological threats. While there is some overlap in the fact that they are all agents of biological origin and the medical community responds in a uniform manner against these threats, the actual approach to dealing with these three categories of threats are significantly different. The military has a short list of biological warfare agents that have been optimized as weapons of war, and the military requires particular concepts and equipment to defend against their use while conducting their main mission of defeating the enemy. This is biodefense. The medical community has a mission of protecting the public’s health from any threat, no matter the source. This is biosafety. Finally, there is biosecurity, in which arms control and antiterrorism experts try to reduce the possibility of intentional use of biological organisms from external actors. U.S. Nuclear Weapons 1. US Updating Nuclear Arsenal to Deter ‘Russian Aggression’ 2. Pentagon Wants to Make Its Nukes in Europe More 'Usable' U.S. Counter-WMD 1. Putin: Russia to Develop Strike Systems Capable of Penetrating any Missile Defense Shield 2. TV Channels Accidentally Air Images of Russia's New Secret Weapon U.S. Arms Control 1. Mystery Light over Ocean Was Missile Test 2. Navy Launches Second Test Missile off Southern California Coast 3. Russia Will Not Get Involved in Arms Race, but Has to Eliminate Shortfalls — Putin 4. Russia to Double Arms Tests for Strategic Missile Forces in 2016 Pentagon Studies New Mobile ICBM Issue No.1191, 13 November 2015 United States Air Force Center for Unconventional Weapons Studies| Maxwell AFB, Alabama http://cpc.au.af.mil \ https://twitter.com/USAF_CUWS Phone: 334.953.7538 | Fax: 334.953.7226 USAF Center for Unconventional Weapons Studies CUWS Outreach Journal Maxwell AFB, Alabama 5. Progress on New START Treaty ‘Important’ Given Poor US-Russia Relations Homeland Security/The Americas 1. Northrop's Long-Range U.S. Bomber Work Paused after Protest Asia/Pacific 1. N.K. Nuke Strategy moves toward ‘Limited Use’: Scholar 2. N. Korea Denounces U.S. for Denuclearization-First Policy 3. Pyongyang Official Said to Have Been ‘Re-Educated’ Europe/Russia 1. Jeremy Corbyn Accuses Head of UK Military of 'Breaching' Constitutional Principle of Neutrality on Trident 2. Rostec CEO: Russia’s Contract with Iran on S-300 Missile System Delivery Comes into Force 3. Michael Fallon Backs Forces Chief's Remarks on Corbyn Nuclear Stance 4. Putin TV: Russia’s Got a Dirty Bomb 5. Russian Radiation, Chemical Biological Defense Troops Get New Equipment Middle East 1. Termination of Sanctions Should Be Complete, Timely, Precise 2. Iran’s Top General Scolds US Defense Secretary for Inapt Comments 3. Rouhani: Iran to Modernize Arak Nuclear Reactor 4. Iran’s Recent Ballistic Missile Test a Game Changer: IRGC General 5. Spokesman: 4 Members of G5+1 to Cooperate with Iran in Redesigning Arak Reactor 6. Iran Will Receive Russian S-300 Missile System by Year-End: Dehqan 7. IAEA to Release Final PMD Report Late Nov. 8. Obama Renews 'State of Emergency' against Iran 9. Iran to Refuse Nuclear Deal Fulfillment if US Imposes New Sanctions 10. President Rouhani Says US Should Apologize to Iranians 11. Report: ISIL Trying to Make Biological Weapons in Iraq India/Pakistan 1. Ballistic Missile Agni-IV Test-Fired as Part of User Trial 2. US Paper Calls for Reigning in Pakistan's Nuclear Programme 3. COAS Expresses Confidence in Pakistan's Nuclear Security Commentary 1. Putin Shows Teeth in Russia’s Military Exercises 2. Revealed: Russia's Next Generation Nuclear Submarines 3. The Rapid Buildup of China’s Military: The 'Intentions' Question 4. Alexander Golts: The Kremlin’s Simulated Psychosis Issue No.1191, 13 November 2015 United States Air Force Center for Unconventional Weapons Studies| Maxwell AFB, Alabama http://cpc.au.af.mil \ https://twitter.com/USAF_CUWS Phone: 334.953.7538 | Fax: 334.953.7226 USAF Center for Unconventional Weapons Studies (CUWS) Outreach Journal 5. Analyst: Doomsday Nuclear Torpedo Leak Gives Insight to Russian Strategic Mindset, Ballistic Missile Defense Anxiety Return to Top The Times of Israel – Jerusalem, Israel US Updating Nuclear Arsenal to Deter ‘Russian Aggression’ Pentagon’s Carter says Washington not seeking new Cold War, but adapting ‘operational posture’ to deal with new moves by Moscow By Associated Press (AP) and Agence France-Presse (AFP) November 8, 2015 The United States is adapting its “operational posture” to counter Russian aggression, Defense Secretary Ashton Carter said Saturday. Carter on Saturday accused Russia of endangering world order, citing its incursions in Ukraine and loose talk about nuclear weapons, and said the U.S. defense establishment is searching for creative ways to deter Russian aggressive and protect US allies. “We are adapting our operational posture and contingency plans as we -– on our own and with allies -– work to deter Russia’s aggression, and to help reduce the vulnerability of allies and partners,” Carter told a defense forum at the Ronald Reagan Presidential Library in California. Carter said the United States was modernizing its nuclear arsenal, investing in new technologies such as drones and a new long-range bomber, as well as lasers, an electromagnetic railgun and new systems for electronic warfare. The defense chief hinted at additional new weapons that would be “surprising ones I really can’t describe here.” Additionally, “we’re updating and advancing our operational plans for deterrence and defense given Russia’s changed behavior,” Carter said. Carter also expressed concern about China’s expanding influence and growing military might. But he reserved his stronger words for Russia. Carter said Russia is undertaking “challenging activities” at sea, in the air, in space and in cyberspace. “Most disturbing, Moscow’s nuclear saber-rattling raises questions about Russian leaders’ commitment to strategic stability, their respect for norms against the use of nuclear weapons, and whether they respect the profound caution nuclear-age leaders showed with regard to the brandishing of nuclear weapons,” he said. His remarks were perhaps the strongest he has expressed about America’s former Cold War foe. “We do not seek a cold, let alone a hot, war with Russia,” he said. “We do not seek to make Russia an enemy. But make no mistake; the United States will defend our interests, our allies, the principled international order, and the positive future it affords us all.” Issue No.1191, 13 November 2015 United States Air Force Center for Unconventional Weapons Studies| Maxwell AFB, Alabama http://cpc.au.af.mil \ https://twitter.com/USAF_CUWS Phone: 334.953.7538 | Fax: 334.953.7226 USAF Center for Unconventional Weapons Studies CUWS Outreach Journal Maxwell AFB, Alabama The United States is adapting its “operational posture” to counter Russian aggression, Defense Secretary Ashton Carter said Saturday. Carter on Saturday accused Russia of endangering world order, citing its incursions in Ukraine and loose talk about nuclear weapons, and said the U.S. defense establishment is searching for creative ways to deter Russian aggressive and protect US allies. “We are adapting our operational posture and contingency plans as we -– on our own and with allies -– work to deter Russia’s aggression, and to help reduce the vulnerability of allies and partners,” Carter told a defense forum at the Ronald Reagan Presidential Library in California. Carter said the United States was modernizing its nuclear arsenal, investing in new technologies such as drones and a new long-range bomber, as well as lasers, an electromagnetic railgun and new systems for electronic warfare. The defense chief hinted at additional new weapons that would be “surprising ones I really can’t describe here.” Additionally, “we’re updating and advancing our operational plans for deterrence and defense given Russia’s changed behavior,” Carter said. Carter also expressed concern about China’s expanding influence and growing military might. But he reserved his stronger words for Russia. Carter said Russia is undertaking “challenging activities” at sea, in the air, in space and in cyberspace. “Most disturbing, Moscow’s nuclear saber-rattling raises questions about Russian leaders’ commitment to strategic stability, their respect for norms against the use of nuclear weapons, and whether they respect the profound caution nuclear-age leaders showed with regard to the brandishing of nuclear weapons,” he said. His remarks were perhaps the strongest he has expressed about America’s former Cold War foe. “We do not seek a cold, let alone a hot, war with Russia,” he said. “We do not seek to make Russia an enemy. But make no mistake; the United States will defend our interests, our allies, the principled international order, and the positive future it affords us all.” The backdrop to Carter’s remarks is the reality that after more than two decades of dominating great-power relations, the United States is seeing Russia reassert itself and China expand its military influence beyond its own shores.