In this episode of NucleCast, Greg Weaver, former Deputy Director for Strategic Stability in the Joint Staff J5 and nuclear policy expert, discusses the potential use of nuclear weapons in a Taiwan conflict and the role of nuclear weapons in deterring and fighting China. Weaver emphasizes the need for the US to determine its strategy regarding nuclear weapons in the face of the two-peer problem with Russia and China. He also advocates for the rapid rebuilding and expansion of the US nuclear weap...
May 14, 2024•35 min•Season 2Ep. 167
In this episode of NucleCast, Adam and Colonel Curtis McGiffin discuss the need for an AI-enabled NC3 system with a dead hand. They argue that the current NC3 system and the decision-making process have significant problems that need to be addressed and propose using AI tools to enhance the decision-making process and improve the speed and effectiveness of the system. They also discuss the strengths and weaknesses of such a system and its importance for deterrence. The conversation highlights th...
May 07, 2024•37 min•Season 2Ep. 166
In this episode of NucleCast, Dr. Kyle Balzer discusses three topics: the submarine launch cruise missile (SLCM-N) , the origins of tailored deterrence, and the concept of hedging the hedge. SLCM-N is seen as a missing piece in the US nuclear posture, providing regional presence, promptness to respond, widespread deployment, and complicating adversary defense planning. Tailored deterrence, which dates back to the Cold War, involves understanding the values and priorities of adversaries to deter ...
Apr 30, 2024•32 min•Season 2Ep. 165
Dr. Amit Gupta discusses the Indian and Pakistani nuclear weapons programs and their relations with China. The Indian nuclear program was driven by the desire for autonomy and the need to showcase scientific ability. The Pakistanis pursued nuclear weapons as a deterrent against India's conventional advantage. Both countries have developed their nuclear capabilities over the years, with India having a 'no first use' policy and Pakistan adopting a more ambiguous stance. The Indian perspective on C...
Apr 23, 2024•36 min•Season 2Ep. 164
In this episode of NucleCast, host Adam Lowther interviews Peter Huessy, a senior fellow at the National Institute for Deterrence Studies, about Annie Jacobsen's book 'Nuclear War, A Scenario.' They discuss the flaws in Jacobsen's arguments and mischaracterizations of American nuclear policy. Huessy points out that Jacobsen's scenario is unrealistic and rigged to lead to all-out nuclear war. He also refutes her claims about Ronald Reagan's views on nuclear weapons. The conversation highlights th...
Apr 16, 2024•37 min•Season 2Ep. 163
In this episode of NucleCast, Major General (Retired) Chris Adams shares his experiences flying the B-36 and B-52 aircraft and serving in the Strategic Air Command (SAC) during the Cold War. General Adams discusses the unique features of the B-36, including its three-pilot configuration and powerful engines. He also highlights the transition to flying the B-52, which he describes as a significant upgrade. General Adams then talks about his experience as a Minuteman missile crew commander and the...
Apr 11, 2024•30 min•Season 2Ep. 162
In this episode, Adam Lowther interviews Joseph Bosco , a former senior Department of Defense official, who discusses the complex challenges and decisions the US faces in a world with multiple adversaries, including Russia, China, Iran, and North Korea. Bosco emphasizes the need for strong leadership and a coordinated strategy to confront these threats. They also explore the continuous nature of war and the importance of recognizing the coordinated nature of the threats. The conversation delves ...
Apr 09, 2024•34 min•Season 2Ep. 161
In this episode, Adam and Dr. Kevin Cooney discuss the morality of nuclear weapons. They explore the concept of just war theory and its application to nuclear weapons, as well as the role of international law in regulating conflict. They delve into the historical context of the use of nuclear weapons in World War II and the ethical considerations surrounding their use. They also examine the current state of nuclear weapons and the arguments for disarmament. The conversation highlights the import...
Apr 04, 2024•44 min•Season 2Ep. 160
In this episode of NucleCast, Adam interviews US Air Force Brigadier General (ret) Rob Spalding, CEO of SEMPRE , about their 5G technology and its relevance to the nuclear enterprise. They discuss the need for resilient infrastructure in the face of natural disasters and potential EMP attacks. SEMPRE's technology aims to provide communication capabilities that can withstand such events and ensure the continuity of critical services. The deployment and functionality of SEMPRE's technology are exp...
Apr 02, 2024•39 min•Season 2Ep. 159
Lieutenant Colonel Anthony Santino , Commander of the 576 Flight Test Squadron, Vandenberg Space Force Base, California, discusses the importance of ICBM testing and the unique mission of his squadron. He explains the process of ICBM testing and the role it plays in ensuring the effectiveness and reliability of the weapon system. Santino also addresses the need for a new Sentinel program and the challenges of sustaining the aging Minuteman III system. He shares interesting facts about the 576 Fl...
Mar 28, 2024•37 min•Season 2Ep. 158
In this episode of NucleCast, Adam interviews Ken Myers, the former director of DTRA (Defense Threat Reduction Agency 2009-2016), about the agency's mission and history. As a member of the Senior Executive Service, he was the fourth and longest serving director of the agency. He oversaw an annual $3 billion budget and operated simultaneously as a defense agency, combat support agency, and a Combatant Command component safeguarding America and its allies from weapons of mass destruction. Under hi...
Mar 26, 2024•34 min•Season 2Ep. 157
Dr. Malcolm Davis discusses the Australian perspective on AUKUS , American extended deterrence, and the views of China as a potential threat. He highlights the evolving relationship between Australia and the United States, the importance of the US alliance, and the role of AUKUS in strengthening defense capabilities. Davis emphasizes the need for a realistic and balanced approach to China, recognizing its strategic ambitions and the challenges it poses to Australia's security. He also discusses ...
Mar 21, 2024•37 min•Season 2Ep. 156
Dr. William Conwell, Deputy Associate Administrator for Budget at the National Nuclear Security Administration, discusses the importance of the budget and the challenges of managing the nuclear security enterprise. The budget is allocated to five major national security endeavors, including maintaining the nuclear weapons stockpile, reducing global nuclear threats, and strengthening science and technology capabilities. Modernizing the nuclear security infrastructure is a key focus. The budget is...
Mar 19, 2024•36 min•Season 2Ep. 155
In this episode of NucleCast, Adam interviews Polly Keim and Caleb Yip , program analysts at NNSA , to gain insights into the perspectives and experiences of young professionals in the field. The conversation covers topics such as the fellowship program, career paths, the role of non-engineering professionals, changing perspectives in NNSA, recruiting and retaining young talent, challenges faced by young workers, and the wishes of the guests for workforce development in NNSA. Paulina "Polly" Kei...
Mar 14, 2024•34 min•Season 2Ep. 154
Retired senior intelligence officer Nick Eftimiades discusses China's whole of society approach to espionage and its impact on national security. He highlights the methods used by China, such as theft of technology, trade secrets, and covert influence operations. Eftimiades explains the reasons for ignoring Chinese espionage in the past and the need for a fundamental restructuring of the approach to counter it. He emphasizes the importance of spreading awareness and education in critical infrast...
Mar 12, 2024•35 min•Season 2Ep. 153
Rebecca Heinrichs discusses the aftermath of the Strategic Posture Commission's report and the lack of media coverage. She highlights the broad agreement on the threat assessment and the need for the United States to address the deteriorating threat environment. Heinrichs also discusses the interest from allies in Europe and Asia to contribute to the deterrence mission. She addresses misconceptions about arms races and escalation, emphasizing the importance of nuclear deterrence. Heinrichs argue...
Mar 07, 2024•33 min•Season 2Ep. 152
Drysdale “Dale” H. Hernandez is the Chief Learning Officer (CLO) for Headquarters Air Force Global Strike Command where he serves as the Chief, Force Development Division in the Directorate of Manpower and Personnel . In this position he serves as the primary advisor to the MAJCOM Commander on all Learning Strategy issues. His A1D Division plans, develops, and directs advisory and support services for command-wide Professional Development. In this episode, Colonel retired Hernandez discusses the...
Mar 05, 2024•34 min•Season 2Ep. 151
In this episode of NucleCast, Adam Lowther interviews Whitney Jones . She is the Director, Submarine Industrial Base (SIB) , a component of the Navy’s (DON) Program Executive Office, Strategic Submarines (PEO SSBN) . about the workforce challenges in submarine construction. They discuss the unique challenges of building submarines, the need for skilled tradespeople, and the efforts to recruit and retain a skilled workforce. They also address the impact of high cost of living areas on workforce d...
Feb 29, 2024•41 min•Season 2Ep. 150
Jim Stokes, Director of Nuclear Policy at NATO , discusses NATO's nuclear policy and the nuclear mission in Europe. He covers various topics, including the relevance of NATO nuclear policy, the role and implications of the Nuclear Planning Group (NPG) , efforts to improve the NATO deterrent, the policy issue of establishing an adversary, challenges for allies in nuclear policy, NATO's approach to the China challenge, and the challenge of unilateral disarmament. Jim Stokes became the NATO Directo...
Feb 27, 2024•36 min•Season 2Ep. 149
Brigadier General Bill Murphy discusses the importance of the Nuclear Command, Control, and Communications (NC3) system and their role in strategic deterrence. He explains that NC3 is a system of systems that ensures the President has command and control over nuclear forces and enables mission essential functions. General Murphy highlights the challenges of modernizing NC3 and the role of the NC3 Enterprise Center in overseeing the process. He emphasizes the importance of digital engineering and...
Feb 22, 2024•36 min•Season 2Ep. 148
In this episode, Adam interviews Marcus Lea, the Deputy Associate Administrator for Management at the National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA) , about the importance of human capital and growing the workforce in the nuclear security field. They discuss recruitment and retention strategies, promoting the mission to potential candidates, inspiring youth to pursue STEM fields, partnerships with minority serving institutions, mentoring and guidance for students, and addressing challenges in f...
Feb 20, 2024•35 min•Season 2Ep. 147
In this episode, Zachary Kallenborn discusses the arguments made in his article on why a nuclear weapons ban would threaten humanity. He highlights that while nuclear weapons present an existential threat, there are other existential risks such as extreme biological weapons, planet killer asteroids, artificial intelligence, and super volcanoes. Removing nuclear weapons could potentially lead to a return of great power war, which would worsen these other risks. The breakdown of global cooperation...
Feb 15, 2024•36 min•Season 2Ep. 146
In this episode of NucleCast, host Adam Lowther interviews Brendan Melley, Director, Center for the Study of Weapons of Mass Destruction at the Institute for National Strategic Studies . Melley discusses the role of the center and its sponsors, as well as its impact on policy. They also delve into the topic of deterring the use of chemical weapons and the challenges associated with it. Melley shares his thoughts on the need for increased education on WMDs and the importance of clear declaratory ...
Feb 13, 2024•37 min•Season 2Ep. 145
George Farfour, the Associate Dean of the School of Strategic Force Studies at the Air Force Institute of Technology (AFIT), focuses on the educational initiatives undertaken by the Air Force to improve the nuclear knowledge of airmen. Colonel Farfour explains the role of AFIT and its various departments in providing continuing education for airmen in nuclear and nuclear command control and communication (NC3) fields. He discusses the courses offered by AFIT and the objectives of these courses, ...
Feb 08, 2024•36 min•Season 2Ep. 144
Dr. Bruce Goodwin, a retired Senior Laboratory Fellow in the Center for Global Security Research of the Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory , discusses his publication ' Nuclear Weapons Technology 101 for Policy Wonks ' and the importance of understanding nuclear weapons design. He emphasizes the need for technical experts to communicate effectively with policy wonks and non-technical audiences, highlighting the importance of listening and avoiding jargon. Goodwin also discusses the challenge...
Feb 06, 2024•35 min•Season 2Ep. 143
Congressman Chris Stewart discusses his experience in Congress and the dynamics of nuclear policy. He highlights the importance of committees and the role they play in shaping policy. He explains the responsibility of different committees for nuclear forces and the challenges of advocating for the nuclear arsenal as well as the debate between defense spending and other budget priorities. Chris Stewart served Utah in Congress for over a decade and became a senior member on both the House Permanen...
Feb 01, 2024•33 min•Season 2Ep. 142
Dr. Jim Howe, a consultant in the space industry, talks about nuclear propulsion in space. He discusses the history of nuclear propulsion, current developments, and the advantages of nuclear rockets. Dr. Howe highlights the need for continued bipartisan support and the importance of nuclear technology for domestic and terrestrial applications. He also emphasizes the potential of nuclear propulsion for space exploration and the need for high standards of accountability and performance. Dr. Howe h...
Jan 30, 2024•33 min•Season 2Ep. 141
In this episode of NucleCast, host Adam Lowther interviews Joe Buff, an MIT-trained mathematician and author, about applying actuarial sciences to nuclear deterrence. The conversation explores the prediction of human behavior in deterrence, the application of actuarial sciences to improve deterrence strategies, and the importance of vetting assumptions in deterrence models. Joe Buff also shares his three wishes related to the topics discussed: the need for Americans to know and care about nuclea...
Jan 25, 2024•40 min•Season 2Ep. 140
In this episode of NucleCast, guest Matthew Sermon , the Executive Director of the Program Executive Office Strategic Submarines , discusses the future of ballistic missile submarines. He describes the status of the future submarine program, the differences between the Ohio and Columbia class submarines, considerations for cost and schedule, challenges with the industrial base, additive manufacturing in submarine construction, addressing corrosion and coatings, and the importance of submarine co...
Jan 23, 2024•35 min•Season 2Ep. 139
In this episode of NucleCast, Adam interviews Bryan Bender , VP for Communication Strategy at SMI and a contributor to Politico magazine . They explore the barriers to entry and the challenges faced by young people interested in nuclear issues. The conversation delves into the perspectives of the arms control community and the concerns they have about the collapse of arms control frameworks. Takeaways: The nuclear field lacks the brainpower needed to address complex and dangerous issues. There a...
Jan 18, 2024•39 min•Season 2Ep. 138
