Eliana Johns smiling in front of a blue backdrop
Senior Research Associate, Nuclear Information Project
Eliana Johns
she/her
Nuclear Deterrence and Non-proliferation,
Status of Worldwide Nuclear Arsenals,
North Korea

Eliana Johns is a Senior Research Associate for the Nuclear Information Project at the Federation of American Scientists, where she co-authors the Nuclear Notebook – an authoritative estimate of global nuclear forces and trends. Johns is also a master’s student at Georgetown University’s Center for Security Studies, focusing on the intersection between technology and security.

Previously, Johns worked as a Project Associate for DPRK Counterproliferation at CRDF Global, where she worked on WMD nonproliferation initiatives to curb North Korea’s ability to gain revenue to build its weapons programs. Johns graduated with a bachelor’s in political science and a minor in music and Korean from the University of Maryland, Baltimore County (UMBC). As an undergraduate, she co-founded and served as President of UMBC’s International Justice Mission chapter, volunteered as a research assistant studying terrorism deterrence in the Political Science Department, and completed an honors thesis on nuclear deterrence and counterproliferation in North Korea. After graduating, Eliana completed the Critical Language Scholarship program for Korean through the U.S. Department of State.

publications
Global Risk
Blog
Photo Depicts Potential Nuclear Mission for Pakistan’s JF-17 Aircraft

Researchers have many questions about the modernization of Pakistan’s nuclear-capable aircraft and associated air-launched cruise missiles.

07.01.24 | 7 min read
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Global Risk
Blog
We’re Entering a New Period, as Revealed by FAS Nuclear Arsenal Data Published in SIPRI Yearbook 2024

The SIPRI chapter describes the nuclear weapon modernization programs underway in each nuclear-armed state and provides estimates for how many nuclear warheads each country possesses.

06.17.24 | 2 min read
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Global Risk
Blog
Details of Russia’s nuclear modernization are inconsistent with warnings of vast nuclear expansion

While many are rightly concerned about Russia’s development of new nuclear-capable systems, fears of substantial nuclear increase may be overblown.

03.11.24 | 5 min read
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Global Risk
Blog
Upgrades to Russia’s Nuclear-Capable Submarine Fleet

Russia is in the midst of a decades-long nuclear force modernization program intended to replace Soviet-era missiles, aircraft, and submarines with new systems.

02.07.24 | 6 min read
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Global Risk
Blog
Chinese Nuclear Forces, 2024: A “Significant Expansion”

Analyzing and estimating China’s nuclear forces is challenging, particularly given the relative lack of state-originating data and the tight control of messaging surrounding the country’s nuclear arsenal and doctrine.

01.16.24 | 4 min read
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Global Risk
Report
Nuclear Notebook: Nuclear Weapons Sharing, 2023

The FAS Nuclear Notebook is one of the most widely sourced reference materials worldwide for reliable information about the status of nuclear weapons and has been published in the Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists since 1987. The Nuclear Notebook is researched and written by the staff of the Federation of American Scientists’ Nuclear Information Project: Director Hans […]

11.17.23 | 1 min read
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Global Risk
Blog
Strategic Posture Commission Report Calls for Broad Nuclear Buildup

In contrast to the Biden administration’s Nuclear Posture Review, the Congressionally-mandated Strategic Posture Commission report is a full-throated embrace of a U.S. nuclear build-up.

10.12.23 | 13 min read
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Global Risk
Report
Nuclear Notebook: Pakistan Nuclear Weapons, 2023

The FAS Nuclear Notebook is one of the most widely sourced reference materials worldwide for reliable information about the status of nuclear weapons and has been published in the Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists since 1987. The Nuclear Notebook is researched and written by the staff of the Federation of American Scientists’ Nuclear Information Project: Director Hans […]

09.14.23 | 1 min read
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Global Risk
Blog
Oppenheimer, FAS, and Today’s Nuclear Weapons Risks

We spoke with Eliana Johns about how Oppenheimer’s story connects with contemporary issues and current risks, and how FAS continues to advocate for a safer world.

07.20.23 | 6 min read
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Global Risk
Report
Nuclear Notebook: French Nuclear Weapons, 2023

The FAS Nuclear Notebook is one of the most widely sourced reference materials worldwide for reliable information about the status of nuclear weapons and has been published in the Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists since 1987. The Nuclear Notebook is researched and written by the staff of the Federation of American Scientists’ Nuclear Information Project: Director Hans […]

07.19.23 | 1 min read
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Global Risk
Report
Nuclear Notebook: Russian Nuclear Weapons, 2023

The FAS Nuclear Notebook is one of the most widely sourced reference materials worldwide for reliable information about the status of nuclear weapons, and has been published in the Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists since 1987. The Nuclear Notebook is researched and written by the staff of the Federation of American Scientists’ Nuclear Information Project: Director Hans […]

05.08.23 | 1 min read
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Global Risk
Blog
Video Indicates that Lida Air Base Might Get Russian “Nuclear Sharing” Mission in Belarus

On 14 April 2023, the Belarusian Ministry of Defence released a short video of a Su-25 pilot explaining his new role in delivering “special [nuclear] munitions” following his training in Russia. The features seen in the video, as well as several other open-source clues, suggest that Lida Air Base––located only 40 kilometers from the Lithuanian border and the […]

04.19.23 | 7 min read
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