Deterrence Matters

Adam, Curtis, Jim, and special guest Dr. Lani Kass provide insight into the dynamics of Israeli deterrence, the financial aspects of the Middle East conflict, and the challenges Israel faces in restoring its deterrent posture.

In this episode, Curtis and Jim discuss the National Nuclear Security Administration's recent achievement of producing the first plutonium pit in 35 years. They delve into the complex process of their production, the challenges faced in ramping up production to meet future demands, and speculations regarding a recent seismic event in Iran.

*Special Note: Sometimes we get it wrong, but we can correct the record. In this podcast, we miscommunicated several points due to outdated data or poor wording. NIDS Fellow, Derek Williams, has provided the following clarifications:

1. The 80 pits per year requirement originates from a GAO report, not the 2018 NPR.
2. Contrary to our statement, DOE/NNSA produced pits at Los Alamos between 2007 and 2011.
3. Deuterium is not radioactive; only Tritium is, with a half-life of 12.33 years.

We apologize for any confusion caused and appreciate Derek Williams for the corrections.

Adam, Curtis, and Jim are joined by Jonathan Cefalu, the founder of Preamble. Mr. Cefalu shares insights on enhancing artificial intelligence (AI) trust, specifically in nuclear command, control, and communications (NC3) systems.

In this episode of the NIDS view, Adam and Jim are joined by Senior Fellow, Rob Kittinger, as they discuss the concept of a transparent ocean and its implications for military strategy and nuclear deterrence.

In this episode of The NIDS View podcast, Adam, Jim, and Curtis host Gerald Goodfellow, a retired Air Force general and CEO of the Small Business Consulting Corporation, to discuss the challenges of military acquisition and contracting and the need to foster small business innovation.

Adam, Curtis, and Jim discuss the recent revelation by CIA and MI6 intel leaders that Putin almost deployed nuclear weapons in the Ukraine conflict in 2022. The hosts discuss the likely targets and effects of such a scenario, as well as the strategic motivations behind it. They also touch on the science of nuclear weapons and the misconceptions surrounding their low-yield use.

Adam, Curtis, and special guest John Swegle discuss the ongoing war in Ukraine and its broader implications, including the changing character of warfare, the toll on casualties and infrastructure, the role of nuclear deterrence, and the winners and losers of the conflict to date.

Adam, Curtis, and Jim discuss Matt Loh's article in Business Insider titled "The nuclear weapons era is making a comeback, and experts say we're all not paying attention." The guys discuss this resurgence of nuclear weapons as a hot topic and the impact the changing strategic environment is making on deterrence and disarmament thinkers alike.

https://www.businessinsider.com/nuclear-weapons-era-comeback-china-us-russia-experts-2024-8

In this episode, Adam and Curtis discuss the recent STRATCOM deterrence symposium and a panel featuring Congressman John Garamendi, who advocated for fewer nukes and elimination of the ICBM. In addition to offering responses to the congressman's arguments, they also review the different perspectives of realists and idealists when it comes to nuclear deterrence.

Jim, Chris Stone, and Dr. Wallace Clark discuss several concerns, issues, and challenges facing the Nuclear Command Control and Communication System (NC3). The discussion reviews what can be done to enable a more survivable and effective integrated space and ground NC3 architecture for national defense.