TOP NEWS Lead Dems back bill to ban live nuclear tests Defense News OPINION: The case of a layered missile defense of the U.S. homeland The Hill New document consolidates Russia’s nuclear policy in one place Russia Matters United States Lead Dems back bill to ban live nuclear tests Defense News6/5/20 The Senate’s top Democrat, Sen. Chuck Schumer, is co-sponsoring legislation meant to prevent the Trump administration from restarting explosive nuclear weapons testing. AFRL Targets Space Ops In New Orbits Breaking DefenseTheresa Hitchens 6/5/20 The Air Force Research Laboratory’s next big space project will focus on “nontraditional orbits,” says the lab’s head of the Space Vehicles Directorate Col. Eric Felt, such as the area near the Moon and very low orbits where satellites need constant boosting to keep from plummeting back to Earth. MDA issues RFI on SM-3 Block IIA Missile interceptor production, integration services Executive Biz6/4/20 The Missile Defense Agency is looking for a potential contractor to provide Standard Missile-3 ballistic missile interceptor rounds and support the technology’s integration into U.S. Navy vessels and Aegis Ashore combat facilities in Europe. OPINION: The case of a layered missile defense of the U.S. homeland The HillRobert Soofer 6/4/20 While we are confident in our ability to defend the homeland against current missile threats by rogue states, the risks are anything but static. Europe/Russia New document consolidates Russia’s nuclear policy in one place Russia Matters6/4/20 On June 2, the Russian Federation published a brand new document titled “Foundations of State Policy of the Russian Federation in the Field of Nuclear Deterrence.” In this six-page document, Russia has laid out its official position on nuclear deterrence. Middle East Russia defends Iran satellite launch against U.S. opposition Associated Press6/5/20 Russia is defending Iran’s right to launch a satellite, dismissing U.S. claims that Tehran was defying the U.N. resolution endorsing the 2015 nuclear deal between Iran and six major powers by sending it into space. ANALYSIS: Iran regime won’t negotiate with U.S. until after 2020 presidential election Arab NewsMajid Rafizadeh 6/4/20 At this critical time, although the Iranian regime is cash-stripped and facing an unprecedented level of pressure domestically, it will most likely wait to negotiate until the US presidential elections are held in November and the outcome becomes clear. East Asia North Korea lashes out, says U.S. will be overshadowed by China The Hill6/4/20 North Korea lashed out at the U.S. on Thursday, asserting that its ally China was quickly overshadowing the U.S. amid an ongoing spat between Washington and Beijing. New Cold War risks nuclear arms race in Asia, Singapore PM warns The Times6/5/20 China and the United States must not allow their great power rivalry to force Asian countries to choose between them, the prime minister of Singapore said, in a plea for both sides to pull back from a new Cold War. ANALYSIS: Chinese debates on the military utility of artificial intelligence War on the RocksMichael Dahm 6/5/20 The Chinese military believes it is losing a high-stakes competition with the United States and Russia to lead the world in artificial intelligence (AI). OPINION: Will Trump’s arms control dreams for China come true? Absolutely not The DiplomatRobert Farley 6/5/20 China has no interest in the kind of arms control being discussed by the Trump administration. Arms Control ANALYSIS: Arms-race clouds loom over Open Skies Asia Times6/4/20 By deciding to walk out of the Open Skies agreement, the US is signaling to the world that it intends to return to days of Pax Americana that existed post-World War II, when it was the sole possessor of nuclear weapons.