Feb. 6, 2024

Presentation: “Russian and Other (Dis)information Undermining WMD Arms Control: Considerations for NATO”

DOPSR Cleared talking points of presentation "Russian and Other (Dis)information Undermining WMD Arms Control: Considerations for NATO” given to the NATO Committe by Sarah Jacobs Gamberini & Justin Anderson on Proliferation at NATO Headquarters, Brussels, Belgium.

Feb. 16, 2023

China's Theater-Range, Dual-Capable Delivery Systems: Integrated Deterrence and Risk Reduction Approaches to Counter a Growing Threat

China has engaged in a dramatic buildup of its nuclear forces over the past decade. While much of the attention on China’s new nuclear arsenal has focused on its development and expansion of its strategic nuclear triad, this growth has also included significant numbers of theater-range, dual-capable delivery systems. These forces are not capable of reaching the U.S. mainland but can range U.S. and allied forces and bases across strategically significant swathes of the Indo-Pacific.

Sept. 16, 2022

North Korean Nuclear Command and Control: Alternatives and Implications

This study examines alternative approaches North Korea could take for command and control of its nuclear forces (NC2) as it makes critical choices on the type of nuclear strategy and posture it wishes to adopt. The report helps fill an important analytical gap in current assessments of North Korea, examines implications of North Korea’s choices for U.S. and South Korean deterrence strategies and defense planning, and helps shed light on the most recent announcements made by North Korea concerning its nuclear forces.

Oct. 20, 2021

Future Directions for Great Power Nuclear Arms Control: Policy Options and National Security Implications

With New START expiring in 2026, this Occasional Paper by 2020 National Defense University-U.S. Strategic Command Scholar Lt T. Justin Bronder, USAF, provides an assessment of several possible nuclear arms control/risk reduction approaches for the United States to consider. The author evaluates each approach for its possible impact on U.S.-Russia strategic stability, extended deterrence, budget costs, and other key factors, and recommends that in the near-term the United States engage other major nuclear powers in talks on new risk reduction and confidence-building measures.

June 28, 2021

Toward Nuclear and WMD Fluency in Professional Military Education

This article is one of the first products of CSWMD’s first WMD Educators Forum, which provided a venue for dialog and served as an accelerator for teaching methods and learning outcomes for WMD across the DoD. The article draws on recent experience in creating benchmarks for education on nuclear capabilities and concepts, and suggests how this can be done for other critical aspects of the WMD challenge.

April 5, 2021

Book Review: China’s Crisis of Success

In the latest from the Air University Press Journal of Indo-Pacific Affairs, Mr. Paul David-Albert reviews William Overholt’s book, "China’s Crisis of Success" (2018). According to David-Albert, Overholt’s research proves useful as a road map of China’s rapid economic development from 1979–2010, the transitions China’s economy must undergo to continue growing, and the political challenges Pres. Xi Jinping faces going forward.

Feb. 1, 2021

The Future of Weapons of Mass Destruction: An Update

In an update to their 2014 paper on the future of weapons of mass destruction (WMD), John P. Caves, Jr., and W. Seth Carus assess and offer policy considerations on the significant geopolitical and technological developments shaping the future of WMD since 2014.

Nov. 10, 2020

Security Implications of Emerging Biotechnologies

June 2016 — On April 26th, 2016, the Center for the Study of Weapons of Mass Destruction (CSWMD) at National Defense University held a workshop to explore “Security Implications of Emerging Biotechnologies.” Participants from government, NGOs and academia discussed opportunities and challenges of a new era of biotechnology.

Sept. 17, 2020

Vice Chairman Discusses Weapons of Mass Destruction at Symposium

On 17 September, 2020 from 0800-0900 EST, General John E. Hyten, USAF, Vice Chairman, Joint Chiefs of Staff, discussed a number of strategic security issues related to nuclear weapons, WMD, and advanced technology during CSWMD's virtual Annual Symposium. The session was moderated by Paul Bernstein, Distinguished Policy Fellow, CSWMD.

Jan. 22, 2020

Redefining Neuroweapons: Emerging Capabilities in Neuroscience and Neurotechnology

As global conflicts assume increasingly asymmetric and “gray zone” forms, the ability to employ current and newly developing techniques and tools of neurocognitive science to manipulate human thought and behavior must be viewed as a present and increasing challenge. DeFranco, DiEuliis, and Giordano examine how developments in neuroscience and technology (neuroS/T) make the brain sciences of growing value for operational use in warfare, intelligence, and national security…

Aug. 22, 2019

Biospecimens and the Information Landscape for Biodefense

As genomic sequencing and synthesis tools continue to grow, the genomic information associated with biospecimens is expanding rapidly; the convergence of the physical and digital worlds has yet unexamined impacts to our traditional biodefense frameworks.

June 25, 2018

Roadmap for Implementing Biosecurity and Biodefense Policy in the United States

This past year, Dr. Diane DiEuliis, in partnership with Gryphon Scientific and Parsons, undertook an ambitious, systems-based analysis of biosecurity and biodefense policy in the United States. Here you can find the full report, an executive summary of the report, and the resultant Roadmap for U.S biodefense policy.

May 22, 2018

Book Review: The Darkest Sides of Politics, II: State Terrorism, Weapons of Mass Destruction, Religious Extremism, and Organized Crime

Fort McNair — In this companion to his first volume on Postwar Facism, Covert Operations, and Terrorism, Jeffrey Bale explores the influence of some of the world’s most pressing security concerns through a review of global case studies on weapons of mass destruction (WMD), violent extremism, and organized crime.

May 16, 2018

Book Review: The Politics of Weapons Inspections: Assessing WMD Monitoring and Verification Regimes

Fort McNair — Nathan E. Busch and Joseph F. Pilat in their book The Politics of Weapons Inspections: Assessing WMD Monitoring and Verification Regimes draw attention to the important role that politics can play within weapons of mass destruction (WMD) verification, but the title promises more than the authors deliver.

May 15, 2018

Book Review: Dirty War: Rhodesia and Chemical Biological Warfare 1975-1980

Fort McNair — In this book review, Dr. Seth Carus writes that Glenn Cross’s Dirty War: Rhodesia and Chemical Biological Warfare 1975–1980 is a welcome addition to the small, but growing scholarly literature on the history of chemical and biological warfare.

Nov. 17, 2017

Nuclear Terrorism - Imminent Threat?

Terrorism experts and analysts have debated this for years, and no consensus exists as to why the world has not seen terrorists succeed at perpetrating a nuclear attack. Despite the seeming inevitability of a terrorist attack with a nuclear weapon, terrorists may be substantially less likely to conduct such an attack than most analysts and policymakers expect.

Nov. 3, 2017

Biosecurity Implications for the Synthesis of Horsepox, an Orthopoxvirus

This article examines the biosecurity and biodefense implications resulting from the recent creation of horsepox virus, a noncirculating (extinct) species of orthopoxvirus. Here we examine the technical aspects of the horsepox virus synthesis and conclude that orthopox synthesis experiments currently remain technically challenging—and will continue to be so, even once this work is published in the scientific literature.

Oct. 19, 2017

Competitive Symposium 2017

Washington, DC — The Competitive Symposium held on 2-3 March 2017 is a new initiative of the WMD Center designed to leverage the three components of the Center’s mandate together with our WMD expertise on staff and growing cadre of next-generation military and civilian leaders with knowledge of the WMD threat—the Program for Emerging Leaders (PEL) and the Countering WMD Graduate Fellows Program.

Aug. 30, 2017

North Korean Collapse: Weapons of Mass Destruction Use and Proliferation Challenges

38 North — Among all the challenges associated with a North Korean collapse, the use of weapons of mass destruction (WMD) or movement of WMD out of the country will have the largest strategic implications.

July 31, 2017

A New Approach to Eliminating North Korean Weapons of Mass Destruction is Needed

Preventing the use of weapons of mass destruction (WMD) against the United States and its allies has long been a paramount security objective for Washington with increased urgency since 9/11.

Feb. 1, 2017

CSWMD Academic Catalog 2017

CSWMD academic programs fall into three different categories: professional development programs, NDUand other JPME courses, and public offerings. Professional development programs are available only to thosewho meet the minimum requirements laid out for each program, apply to the program and are accepted. JPMEcourses are available only to students

Nov. 1, 2002

Anthrax in America: A Chronology and Analysis of the Fall 2001 Anthrax Attacks

This paper describes the 2001 anthrax attacks on the United States and provides a one-year snapshot of the attacks and subsequent response.

Feb. 1, 2001

Bioterrorism and Biocrimes: the Illicit Use of Biological Arms in the 20th century

This working paper is an updated study of research that began in 1998; it provides a descriptive analysis of the illicit use of biological agents by criminals and terrorists in the 20th century and draws on a series of specific case studies.