.The world’s approximately 23,300 nuclear weapons are stored at an estimated 111 locations in 14 countries, according to an overview produced by FAS and NRDC. Nearly half of the weapons are operationally deployed with delivery systems capable of launching on short notice. The overview is published in the Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists and includes […]
Development of a new executive order on classification of national security information is now proceeding at an accelerated pace in order to preempt a deadline that would require the declassification of millions of pages of historical records next month. A revised draft executive order was circulated to executive branch agencies by the Office of Management […]
Noteworthy new reports from the Congressional Research Service that have not been made readily available to the public include the following (all pdf). “Status of the Copenhagen Climate Change Negotiations,” November 5, 2009. “An Overview of the Nonprofit and Charitable Sector,” November 17, 2009. “Advertising Industry in the Digital Age,” November 9, 2009.
A new report (pdf) from the U.S. Office of Naval Intelligence describes Iran’s naval order of battle, as well as the Iranian Navy’s history, strategic options, and favored tactics. “Today, Iran’s naval forces protect Iranian waters and natural resources, especially Iran’s petroleum-related assets and industries. Iranian maritime security operations guard against the smuggling of illegal […]
China’s newest nuclear submarines are noisier than 1970s-era Soviet nuclear submarines. . By Hans M. Kristensen China’s new Jin-class ballistic missile submarine is noisier than the Russian Delta III-class submarines built more than 30 years ago, according to a report produced by the U.S. Navy’s Office of Naval Intelligence (ONI). The report The People’s Liberation […]
Claims that nuclear weapons need to be as safe as a coffee table might drive warhead replacement By Hans M. Kristensen and Ivan Oelrich The latest study from the JASON panel is an unambiguous rejection of claims made by the National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA), the nuclear weapon labs, defense secretary Robert Gates, and U.S. […]
An ongoing modernization effort has provided China with an increasingly sophisticated and proficient naval force, the U.S. Office of Naval Intelligence (ONI) said in a new assessment (large pdf). Notably, China has “developed the world’s only anti-ship ballistic missile,” which ONI said was “specifically designed to defeat U.S. carrier strike groups” in the event of […]
“In recent years, China has become the world’s fastest growing automotive producer,” according to a new report (pdf) from the Congressional Research Service. “[China’s] annual vehicle output has increased from less than 2 million vehicles in the late 1990s to 9.5 million in 2008. In terms of production volume in 2008, China has surpassed Korea, […]
The role of military commissions in adjudicating the cases of suspected terrorist detainees at Guantanamo and elsewhere was critically examined in two House Judiciary Subcommittee hearings last July, the records of which have just been published. “My concern remains,” said Rep. Jerrold Nadler (D-NY), who chaired the hearings, “that we may be creating a system […]
The U.S. Army has published the latest edition of its Army Weapon Systems handbook, cataloging dozens of Army weapons with descriptive information, status updates, contractor relationships, and images. “The systems listed in this book are not isolated, individual products,” the introduction says. “Rather, they are part of an integrated investment approach to make the Army […]
A 1988 U.S. Supreme Court decision known as Department of the Navy v. Egan has often been interpreted to support broad presidential authority over national security generally and over access to classified information in particular. Along with United States v. Reynolds, Curtiss-Wright, and a few other cases, Egan is regularly cited in support of strong, […]
A new law review article argues that government secrets can be usefully distinguished in terms of “depth”– i.e. “how many people know of their existence, what sorts of people know, how much they know, and how soon they know…. Attending to the depth of state secrets can make a variety of conceptual and practical contributions […]