Top News Columbia, Ohio Subs On Schedule, Despite Missile Tube Problems Breaking Defense China’s J-20 Stealth Fighter Today and Into the 2020s The Diplomat Next Generation NC3 Nautilus Institute for Security and Sustainability U.S. Nuclear Policy New supercomputer will help prevent nuclear weapon testing C4ISRNET8/15/2019 Dubbed El Capitan, the supercomputer will be used by the DOE’s National Nuclear Security Administration’s weapons design laboratories to run 3D simulations that are too difficult for today’s state-of-the-are supercomputers. Columbia, Ohio Subs On Schedule, Despite Missile Tube Problems Breaking Defense8/15/2019 The company that has experienced slip-ups in delivering missile tubes to the Navy might leave the business, leaving only a single company who can do the work. Air Force soliciting bids for small, medium satellite launch program Space News8/16/2019 The Air Force Space and Missile Systems Center’s Launch Enterprise is requesting industry bids for the Orbital Services Program-4. Middle East Bahrain solidifies Patriot buy Defense News8/14/2019 Bahrain has signed a letter of offer and acceptance with the U.S. government to buy the Patriot air and missile defense system, triggering contract negotiations for the foreign military sale between the U.S. and Patriot-maker Raytheon, according to a company statement. U.S. Arranges Secret Talks Between Israel, U.A.E. Over Iran The Wall Street Journal8/15/2019 Israel and the United Arab Emirates held secret meetings arranged by the U.S. in recent months to share information and coordinate efforts to counter what they see as the increasing threat posed by Iran, according to U.S. officials familiar with the clandestine diplomacy. East Asia North Korea Launches Sixth Missile Test In A Month And Rejects New Talks With South Korea Forbes8/16/2019 North Korea has rejected peace talks with the South Korea and launched its sixth test of short-range missiles in less than a month, in a pushback against South Korean President Moon Jae-in’s calls for reunification, and military exercises with U.S. forces. U.S. Blacklists China Nuclear Firms Accused of Aiding Military Bloomberg8/14/2019 The U.S. added four Chinese nuclear entities to a trade blacklist, accusing them of helping to acquire advanced U.S. technology for military use in China. Chinese, Russian Warplanes Test U.S. Patience in Skies Near South Korea The Wall Street Journal8/14/2019 ‘China and Russia are trying to poke holes in the U.S.-Japan-South Korea security system,’ ex-official says. China’s J-20 Stealth Fighter Today and Into the 2020s The Diplomat8/16/2019 What’s the current status of the J-20 and what may lie in the stealth fighter’s future going into the 2020s? Opinion/Analysis/Commentary China must reduce its nuclear arms to reassure the world The HillBradley A. Thayer, Lianchao Han 8/14/2019 China must reduce its nuclear arms to reassure the world To avoid an arms race, the international community and the People’s Republic of China (PRC) need to consider the strategic consequences of Beijing’s dangerous buildup of its nuclear forces. America Needs a “Dead Hand” War on the RocksAdam Lowther, Curtis McGiffin 8/16/2019 To maintain the deterrent value of America’s strategic forces, the United States may need to develop something that might seem unfathomable — an automated strategic response system based on artificial intelligence. Next Generation NC3 Nautilus Institute for Security and SustainabilityCurtis McGiffin 8/15/2019 In this essay, Curtis McGiffin outlines the imperative of educating the next generation of NC3 operators or NextGen NC3. “The next generation NC3 or NextGen NC3 will have to operate in an environment filled with time compressing technology, automation, and multi-domain threats. NextGen NC3 will have to perform the three dimensions of DETECT, DECIDE, and DIRECT faster, with greater accuracy, and in an even more demanding environment. Only if the adversary perceives they cannot beat the NextGen NC3 will the deterrence effect hold and peace prevail.” Special Interest Conventional Prompt Global Strike and Long-Range Ballistic Missiles: Background and Issues Congressional Research Service8/14/2019 Conventional prompt global strike (CPGS) weapons would allow the United States to strike targets anywhere on Earth in as little as an hour. This capability may bolster U.S. efforts to deter and defeat adversaries by allowing the United States to attack high-value targets or “fleeting targets” at the start of or during a conflict. Congress has generally supported the PGS mission, but restricted funding for several years. Recently, efforts to develop a long-range prompt strike capability, along with other efforts to develop extremely fast hypersonic weapons, have garnered increased support.