Arms Control Wonk: Leading Voices on Arms Control, Disarmament and Non-Proliferation

Tusk Muses About France’s Force De Frappe

ACW Podcast

Donald Tusk — not the indulgent follow up to the perfect Fleetwood Mac Album Rumours — mused recently about the future of deterrence in Europe. The discussion reminds of the challenges of extended deterrence, the oh so very French debate about nuclear weapons and European security, and the vibe shift that has raised questions about …

Kim Jong Un’s Early Valentine’s Day Present

Looks like Valentine’s Day came early this winter for Kim Jong Un. The North Koreans are significantly expanding the February 11 Plant (Feb 11) outside of Hamhung. We think we have identified a new missile assembly building under construction, an effort to increase the throughput of the plant. This post is elaborating on a piece …

IAEA Safeguards and Nuclear Disarmament Verification

Last month I published a journal article on this subject, part of a long-term policy research project to explore the concept of irreversibility in nuclear disarmament as called for under, inter alia, the 2000 NPT Review Conference Final Document. This project is underway at a consortium steered by King’s College London; it includes the Verification …

The Oreshnik IRBM

Russia launched an experimental, offensive missile into Ukraine, aimed at the PA Pivdenmash (former Yuzhmash) factory. This is a new world of missile combat, as this looks to be the first use of an IRBM (though not at IRBM ranges) and possibly MIRV (though conventional!) in combat.  Jeffrey and Aaron talk about Russia’s new Oreshnik …