Nuclear Policy News – January 30, 2020

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U.S. deploys new low-yield nuclear submarine warhead
Federation of American Scientists

U.S. renews waivers on Iran nuclear work, sanctions Iran’s nuclear organization and its chief
Reuters

ANALYSIS: Russia is updating their nuclear weapons: what does that mean for the rest of us?
Carnegie Endowment

United States

U.S. deploys new low-yield nuclear submarine warhead
Federation of American Scientists1/29/20
The US Navy has now deployed the new W76-2 low-yield Trident submarine warhead. The first ballistic missile submarine scheduled to deploy with the new warhead was the USS Tennessee (SSBN-734), which deployed from Kings Bay Submarine Base in Georgia during the final weeks of 2019 for a deterrent patrol in the Atlantic Ocean.

Trump will seek 20% budget boost for nukes, says Inhofe
Defense News1/29/20
U.S. President Donald Trump has settled an internal battle over whether to seek $20 billion for the federal agency that maintains America’s weapons, or less money, Senate Armed Services Committee Chairman Jim Inhofe, R-Okla., confirmed Tuesday.

ANALYSIS: Nuclear damage limitation in an era of great power competition
Global Security ReviewRichard Purcell
1/23/20
With the apparent reemergence of great power competition in recent years, the possibility of military conflict with a nuclear-armed adversary has rekindled old debates about the role that damage limitation should play in U.S. nuclear planning.

East Asia

Pentagon official: ‘We don’t fully know the reasons’ North Korea didn’t fire ‘Christmas gift’
The Hill1/28/20
A top Pentagon official said Tuesday it’s unclear why North Korea did not take provocation action such as a missile test after warning the United States about a “Christmas gift” last year.

OPINION: Sanctions: This time it will work for sure!
38 NorthJoseph Dethomas
1/28/20
With the recent indicators of North Korean impatience with its engagement with Washington, there is certainly a need to consider what can be done if Pyongyang takes a more confrontational course.

Middle East

U.S. renews waivers on Iran nuclear work, sanctions Iran’s nuclear organization and its chief
Reuters1/30/20
The United States on Thursday said it will allow Russian, Chinese and European companies to continue work at Iranian nuclear sites to make it harder for that country to develop a nuclear weapon but has imposed sanctions on Iran’s nuclear entity and its top official.

OPINION: The U.S. has a backup plan to kill the Iran nuclear deal. It could spark a crisis at the U.N.
Bulletin of Atomic ScientistsJulia Masterson, Samuel Hickey
1/30/20
Early in January, the European members of the 2015 nuclear deal with Iran made a risky move by triggering the deal’s dispute resolution mechanism.

Russia/Europe

ANALYSIS: Russia is updating their nuclear weapons: what does that mean for the rest of us?
Carnegie EndowmentRose Gottemoeller
1/29/20
Russia is replacing older nuclear technology with more modern, more functional options. What are the implications for the United States, Europe, and the future of arms control?

South Asia

Pakistan rebukes India’s Modi over ‘war-mongering’ remarks
Voice of America1/29/20
Tensions between India and Pakistan remain high over the Kashmir territorial dispute, which brought the two nuclear-armed nations close to a fourth war last February.

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