Updated November 2023 While no consensus definition exists, non-strategic nuclear weapons, otherwise known as tactical nuclear weapons, are generally low-yield nuclear weapons designed for use on the battlefield. They can also be defined as weapons not covered by strategic arms control treaties, such as New START, which encompass nuclear weapons delivered via intercontinental ballistic missiles […]
Summary of Senate Version of Fiscal 2016 National Defense Authorization Bill
On May 12, the Senate Armed Services Committee approved a $602 billion authorization bill by a vote of 23-3. The three Senators who voted no were reported as Deb Fischer (R-NB), Ted Cruz (R-TX) and Mike Lee (R-UT). Cruz said he voted no because of the provision requiring women to register for the draft. Lee […]
Donald Trump’s Incoherent Nuclear Policy
The current Republican presidential front-runner, Donald J. Trump, has made campaign headlines for his extraordinary comments on nuclear weapons. His statements have prompted serious concerns among the foreign policy community, generating unease even in his own party. For instance, in early March of this year, a group of over 100 Republican foreign policy and defense […]
Senior Fellow John Isaacs’ Op-Ed in Medium
Senior Fellow John Isaacs writes in Medium about Pentagon rationales for nuclear modernization.
Fact Sheet: F-35 Joint Strike Fighter: Costs and Challenges
Updated July 2021 What Is It? The F-35, known as the Lightning II, is a Joint Strike Fighter (JSF, emphasis added) because contracts exist for the United States Air Force, Marine Corps, and Navy, as well as eight NATO countries and five non-NATO partners. The fighter has three variants, one of which (F-35A) will have […]
