Cultivating Confidence: Verification, Monitoring, and Enforcement for a World Free of Nuclear Weapons by Corey Hinderstein

Author:Corey Hinderstein [Hinderstein, Corey]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: Political Science, International Relations, Arms Control, Security (National & International), Essays
ISBN: 9780817912055
Google: i0NvtAEACAAJ
Goodreads: 9111913
Publisher: Hoover Institution Press
Published: 2010-01-15T07:57:50+00:00

While some of the lessons from the extensive START-era work remain valid today, particularly related to approaches that were thought secure at first but that were defeated even with 20-year-old technology, new studies using newer technology are truly needed. One area of particular promise is the use of battery-powered, active tags and seals employing cryptographic uniqueness and miniature tamper detection sensors. The Russian-developed Smart Bolt is such a system and is shown in figure 4.3. It is a unique seal that was under development for such applications as the FMSF fissile material containers. More robust versions of this type of electronic seal would be required, however.

The other big issue associated with nuclear weapon item unique identification, besides the availability of technology, is the issue of what part of the item to tag. Focusing on warheads and the nuclear components from warheads, in the United States it is only the B61 and B83 gravity bombs that are not secured in separate containers. Based on both safety and security reasons, there are very tight restrictions on where loaded nuclear warhead containers may be opened. There is a question of whether tagging and sealing just the warhead containers provides the required level of security, or whether critical components of the warhead itself must be uniquely identified. This is a fundamental issue requiring study and resolution, including the possibility that new types of highly impervious containers may need to be developed. The use of such special containers might eliminate the need to directly tag warheads and components, and thus be quite helpful due to the sensitive nature of these items.

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