Analysis / Next Gen CommunityRussia’s New Nuclear Weapons: Understanding Avangard, Kinzhal, and TsirkonByAkshai VikramPublished Aug 2, 2021The primary driver of Russia’s hypersonic build-up seems to be missile defense. President Putin said the development of these weapons was directly caused by the U.S. withdrawal from the Anti-Ballistic Missile Treaty in 2002.
Analysis / CommentaryReading the Nuclear Tea Leaves: Policy and Posture in the Biden AdministrationByRebecca Hersman and Joseph RodgersPublished Jun 14, 2021The nuclear policy community is once again in the grips of pervasive anxiety that U.S. nuclear policy—encompassing force modernization decisions, declaratory policy, and perceptions of adversary nuclear threat and risk—is either about to dramatically change or fail to change as dramatically as it should. In a polarized community characterized by mistrust and a highly politicized…
Analysis / CommentaryIt Is Time for a Realistic Bargain With North KoreaByEric Brewer and Sue Mi TerryPublished Mar 25, 2021Denuclearization Is Probably Out of Reach for Now—but It Might Be Possible to Reduce the Nuclear Threat
Analysis / Next Gen Community, ReportOn the Horizon: A Collection of the Papers from the Next GenerationByReja YounisPublished Feb 23, 2021The papers included in this volume comprise research from participants in the 2020 Nuclear Scholars Initiative and the PONI Conference Series. These papers explore such topics as the impacts of emerging technologies and capabilities, deep-diving on nuclear strategy and national policies, proposing paths forward for addressing proliferation challenges, and enhancing arms control in contentious environments. Series On The Horizon
Analysis / Commentary, Next Gen CommunityAdapting to the Hypersonic EraByIan WilliamsPublished Nov 2, 2020Conventional hypersonic strike weapons may undermine deterrence by complicating early-warning and increasing the vulnerability of forward-based forces to surprise attack below the nuclear threshold. Nevertheless, history shows that adaptation to strategically disruptive technologies is possible. Series Nuclear Nexus
Analysis / Commentary, Next Gen CommunityA Balance of Instability: Effects of a Direct-Ascent Anti-Satellite Weapons Ban on Nuclear StabilityByKaitlyn JohnsonPublished Oct 21, 2020How would new norms for testing space weapons affect nuclear stability and traditional deterrence? Would a direct-ascent ASAT limit or ban create stability or further destabilize the space and nuclear domains? Series Nuclear Nexus
Analysis / CommentaryToward a More Proliferated World? The Geopolitical Forces that Will Shape the Spread of Nuclear WeaponsByEric BrewerPublished Sep 2, 2020This joint CNAS-CSIS report identifies seven trends that are eroding the barriers to nuclear proliferation.
Analysis / CommentaryDecoding the Latest U.S. Report on Arms Control: Are Russia and China Really Cheating?ByRebecca HersmanPublished Apr 17, 2020On April 15, 2020, the State Department released the executive summary for the 2020 Adherence to and Compliance with Arms Control, Nonproliferation, and Disarmament Agreements and Commitments, more commonly known as the Compliance Report.
Analysis / ReportOn the Horizon Volume 2: A Collection of Papers from the Next GenerationBySimone Williams and Rebecca HersmanPublished Apr 14, 2020The papers included in this volume comprise research from participants in the 2019 Nuclear Scholars Initiative and the PONI Conference Series. Series On The Horizon
Analysis / CommentaryThe Deterrence and Assurance ConversationByRebecca HersmanPublished Jul 22, 2019As we survey the world today, we find the nuclear landscape to be more uncertain and precarious than it has been at any time since the end of the Cold War.