Analysis / Next Gen CommunityOn the Horizon, Vol. 8ByDoreen Horschig, Alvina Ahmed, Hrishita Badu, Mar Casas Cachinero, Andrew Fishberg, Artur Honich, Shaquille James, Eliana Johns, Frank Kuhn, Sam Lair, Colin Levaunt, Ayazhan Muratbek, Yashar Parsie, William J. Peck, Ariel Phuphaphantakarn, Phillip G. Rombach, Shawn Rostker, Olivia Salembier, Jaclyn Schmitt, Clara Sherwood and Sarah StevensonPublished Jan 8, 2026A Collection of Papers from the Next Generation Series On The Horizon
Analysis / CommentaryGolden Dome for America: Assessing Chinese and Russian ReactionsByRaymond Wang and Lachlan MackenziePublished Nov 20, 2025This article surveys Chinese and Russian reactions to Golden Dome and develops an initial assessment of its potential impact on arms racing and strategic stability.
Analysis / ReportStrategic Trends 2025ByNicholas Adamopoulos, Diya Ashtakala, Doreen Horschig, Lachlan Mackenzie, Catherine Murphy, Joseph Rodgers, Bailey Schiff, Pranay Vaddi, Heather Williams and Reja YounisPublished Nov 18, 2025In a world where old nuclear guardrails are eroding and new rivalries are converging, Strategic Trends 2025 charts how the United States and its allies must navigate a disorderly, multi-adversary nuclear landscape and rethink deterrence for an unpredictable era.
Analysis / ReportA Sobering Duty: U.S. Presidents Grapple with the Sole Authority to Launch Nuclear WeaponsByElizabeth Kos and Rebecca Davis GibbonsPublished Nov 12, 2025In the United States, only the president possesses the legal authority to launch nuclear weapons. How did this come to be, and what are the implications of presidential sole authority?
Analysis Can the United States Immediately Return to Nuclear Testing?ByHeather WilliamsPublished Oct 30, 2025President Trump’s post raises technical questions about how and if the United States could “immediately” return to nuclear testing, and political considerations about the signaling behind nuclear testing and who would benefit most from a return to testing.
Analysis / Next Gen CommunityIs the Hunt Back On? Attacks on Strategic Forces Illustrate China’s Nuclear Survivability ConcernsByJupiter HuangPublished Aug 15, 2025Operation Rising Lion combined intelligence, asymmetric operations, and conventional forces to significantly degrade Iran’s ability to launch ballistic missiles in retaliation for Israeli actions. When coupled with Ukraine’s attacks against Russian strategic bombers, mobile nuclear forces must now be resilient to a rapidly changing threat environment. This is most prevalent in the case of China. By focusing on building siloed ICBMs, China’s near-term nuclear forces remain much more vulnerable to disarming strikes than the numerical U.S.-China nuclear balance suggests. Beijing’s nuclear modernization has qualitative shortfalls that the U.S. must incorporate into force planning and arms control considerations.
Analysis / Next Gen CommunityAverting ‘Day Zero’: Preventing a Space Arms RaceByLauren ChoPublished Aug 6, 2025In response to emerging threats like Russia’s suspected development of nuclear anti-satellite (ASAT) weapons, international attention has turned to the broader implications such systems may have for military stability, diplomatic relations, as well as legal frameworks governing space. Recent efforts reflect a growing push to reinforce norms through coordinated diplomatic engagement and renewed commitments to space security.
Analysis / Next Gen CommunityNuclear Weapons in the Age of the DOGEByAdam F. ReynoldsPublished Jul 25, 2025Nuclear modernization spending, though costly, pales in comparison to that associated with conventional warfare, as demonstrated by the war in Ukraine. Nuclear deterrence plays a key role in preventing wars for the U.S. and its allies. For effective nuclear deterrence, our weapons posture must be seen by our enemies as credible, which requires significant spending on nuclear modernization. Investing in nuclear modernization is not only about survival, but also offers potentially long-term cost-savings for the U.S. government through prevention of a war involving the U.S. or one of its allies.
Analysis / Next Gen CommunityKeep it Secret, Keep it SafeByBerkley PelletierPublished May 21, 2025The past three decades have revealed troubling gaps in the safekeeping of U.S. nuclear secrets. While U.S. adversaries like China stand to gain from these lapses, the real threat comes from within.
Analysis / CommentaryRussian Inconsistency on Arms Control Is an Opportunity for EuropeByHeather WilliamsPublished May 12, 2025While Russia has been inconsistent in its messaging about arms control, Moscow has remained consistent in insisting that European nuclear powers be part of any future agreement—both messages present challenges, but also opportunities for the future of arms control.