TOP NEWS Hypersonic missiles: Plethora of boost-glide & cruise Breaking Defense Iran’s stockpile of enriched uranium has jumped, U.N. atomic agency says Wall Street Journal ANALYSIS: The nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty, 50 years after it went into effect Brookings Institution United States Hypersonic missiles: Plethora of boost-glide & cruise Breaking Defense2/2/20 Hypersonic missiles will be deployed across the Army, Navy, Air Force and Marines, not as “niche” weapons but as a broad new capability, according to DoD’s two top officials charged with managing department wide development efforts. Pentagon launches hypersonic industrial base study Defense News2/3/20 The Department of Defense has launched a deep dive study into the industrial base for hypersonic weapons, in order to understand the weak spots in America’s drive towards the high-speed offensive and defensive technology. Strategic Command boss warns of nuclear ‘point of no return’ Defense News2/29/20 An aggressive modernization of the U.S. nuclear arsenal must be funded by Congress in the coming years, or the Department of Defense risks losing its strategic capabilities in the long term, a top American general warned Thursday. Russia/Europe Putin boasts about new Russian weapons, calls them defensive Military.com3/2/20 President Vladimir Putin says that Russia has developed unique offense weapons without the intention of starting a war with anyone but to maintain “strategic balance” and “strategic stability” in the world. Middle East Iran’s stockpile of enriched uranium has jumped, U.N. atomic agency says Wall Street Journal3/3/20 Iran has nearly tripled its stockpile of enriched uranium since early November, the United Nations’ atomic agency said Tuesday, prompting warnings from experts and diplomats that Tehran has slashed the time it would need to amass enough fuel for a nuclear weapon. Menendez, Graham lobbying European allies to open negotiations with Iran The Hill3/3/20 A bipartisan pair of senators is lobbying European allies to bring Iran back to the negotiating table to end its nuclear weapons ambitions, curb its missile program and end its support of terrorist proxies. East Asia ANALYSIS: North Korea’s first missile launch of 2020 shouldn’t be a cause for concern The DiplomatDan DePetris 3/4/20 Nothing in Kim’s near-decade in power suggests he is itching to deploy nuclear weapons and ballistic missiles in an offensive capacity. South Asia Recognizing Pakistan, India as nuclear states would hurt Non-Proliferation Treaty: Moscow The Nation2/4/20 Director of the Department for Nonproliferation and Arms Control Vladimir Yermakov said on Wednesday that recognizing India and Pakistan as nuclear states would be catastrophic for the Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT). Multilateral Arms Control ANALYSIS: The nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty, 50 years after it went into effect Brookings InstitutionMichael O’Hanlon, Robert Einhorn, Steven Pifer, and Frank A. Rose 2/3/20 Five decades on, is the treaty achieving what was originally envisioned? Where is it succeeding in curbing the spread of nuclear weapons, and where might it be falling short?