NucleCast

Captain Retired Brad Baker discusses the development of the nuclear engineering program at the U.S. Naval Academy and the recruitment of nuclear propulsion officers. He emphasizes the importance of technical training and the opportunities available in the Navy for those with a nuclear engineering background. Brad also talks about the additive manufacturing program at the Naval Academy and its sign...

Dr. Adam Lowther joins guest host, Jim Howe , to discuss the current state of America's nuclear deterrent and proposes a new approach called Dynamic Parity. He explains that Dynamic Parity aims to create a balance of nuclear capability between the US and autocratic regimes, prevent superiority of adversaries, enhance extended deterrence, and manage the growth or decline of nuclear weapons. Lowther...

In this episode of NucleCast, Rick Fisher, senior fellow with the International Assessment and Strategy Center, talks about the current state of North Korea's nuclear program. Fisher predicts that by the mid-2030s, North Korea will have the ability to conduct a catastrophic first strike against the United States. He credits the work of other experts in the field and discusses the development of No...

Major David Phillips discusses his article on the feasibility, acceptability, and suitability of redeploying non-strategic nuclear weapons to South Korea. He highlights the need for the US to re-examine its policy goal of achieving denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula and suggests that the redeployment of nuclear weapons would strengthen deterrence and assurance in the region. He emphasizes th...

Part 2 of this history of Air Force Global Strike Command features former Commander Jim Kowalski. He discusses the challenges and accomplishments of standing up the Global Strike Command. The conversation covers topics such as basing decisions, culture change, resourcing, and the importance of maintaining a strong nuclear force. Lt. Gen. Kowalski emphasizes the need for a public awakening to the d...

In this Legacy Series, Lt. Gen. James Kowalski discusses the creation of Air Force Global Strike Command (AFGSC) in response to incidents that highlighted the need for improved nuclear enterprise management. The incidents included the accidental shipment of warheads and fuses, which raised concerns about operational oversight and surety processes. The stand-up of AFGSC aimed to consolidate the Air...

The Honorable Lucian Niemeyer, a leading voice in the policymaking community for advanced nuclear capabilities, discusses the work of the United Coalition for Advanced Nuclear Power (UCAN Power), a non-profit entity since 2021, in promoting advanced nuclear reactor deployment. He emphasizes the importance of nuclear power for grid reliability and carbon reduction. Niemeyer also highlights the need...

Guest host, Jim Howe, interviews Andrew Metrick and Phil Shears from the Center for New American Security (CNAS) on escalation management in a protracted war with China. They discuss the implications of a potential conflict with China and the need for the US to adapt its deterrence strategies. The researchers conducted tabletop exercises to explore different scenarios and found unsettling logics t...

Professor Fei-Ling Wang tells NucleCast about his new book, 'The China Race: Global Competition for Alternative World Orders.' He argues that the United States and China are engaged in a global competition that goes beyond relative power and influence. The Chinese Communist Party (CCP) seeks to transform the world order into a hierarchical system with China at the top, while the United States aims...

In this episode of NucleCast, Bryan Clark, a senior fellow at the Hudson Institute, talks about the challenges and implications of nuclear modernization. They discuss the growing threats from China, Russia, and other countries, and the need for the United States to rethink its approach to deterrence. They also explore the budget constraints and acquisition processes that impact nuclear modernizati...

Bruce Klingner is a Senior Fellow at the Heritage Foundation and an expert on South Korea and North Korea. He discusses the recent developments in the relationship between the United States and South Korea, including the Washington declaration and the NATO summit. He also explores the topic of South Korea's potential nuclearization and the level of understanding and education on nuclear issues. Th...

In this episode of NucleCast, host Adam interviews Pat Rhoads and Dave Jonas, who have been writing a series of articles on nuclear issues. They discuss the strategic environment, the potential for nuclear disarmament, and the challenges of nuclear modernization. David S. Jonas is a partner at the law firm of Fluet, Huber & Hoang (FH+H) . His practice includes corporate transactions, employmen...

Jonathan Ventura, a career coach at Montana State University , discusses his efforts to bring talented students into the nuclear weapons complex and national security field. He emphasizes the importance of helping students understand the wide range of opportunities available to them, regardless of their academic discipline. Ventura also highlights the need for employers to communicate the importan...

Dr. Jeremy Prichard, the command historian at 20th Air Force , discusses the history of 20th Air Force, its origins, transition to the ICBM force, and the challenges faced in fielding the ICBMs. He also shares insights on the Minuteman 3 deployment, the Peacekeeper , and the challenges of modernizing the infrastructure for the Sentinel program. Dr. Jeremy P. Prichard is the Historian for Headquart...

Lindell Lucy shares his journey from teaching history in Hawaii to becoming interested in nuclear weapons and international security, particularly in the context of Taiwan's geopolitical situation. He discusses the need for nuclear deterrence and the potential acquisition of nuclear weapons by Taiwan as a means of self-defense against China's coercive actions. Lindell also presents three wishes re...

In this episode of NucleCast, Adam interviews Mohammed Faisal about Pakistan's nuclear program. Faisal provides a brief history of Pakistan's nuclear program, starting from the 1960s when Pakistan and India went to war over Kashmir. He explains that Pakistan's decision to pursue a nuclear option was driven by the perceived threat from India and the loss of East Pakistan in the 1971 war. Faisal als...

In this episode of NucleCast, Adam interviews Major General Stacey Huser, the 20th Air Force Commander , about the capabilities and challenges of the ICBM leg of the nuclear triad. They discuss the history of 20th Air Force, the aging Minuteman III missiles, and the importance of maintaining and sustaining the system. They also talk about the changes in the missile career path and the opportunitie...

In this episode of NucleCast, Adam interviews Brigadier General Retired Greg Bowen about hedging in nuclear conflicts. They discuss the importance of hedging as a strategy to quickly react to unforeseen events in a conflict. They also emphasize the need for the president to have multiple options and tools in the toolkit to deal with different scenarios. The conversation touches on the concept of t...

Bruce Tarter is Director Emeritus of the Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory and was the eighth director to lead the Laboratory since it was founded in 1952. This episode covers the history and influence of the lab's technology on policy and strategy, the development of nuclear weapons, and the era of stockpile stewardship. It also delves into the challenges and wishes for the future of nuclear...

In this episode of NucleCast, Adam interviews Tom Ramos , a physicist at Lawrence Livermore National Lab , about the relevance of the early years of the Cold War to today's national security challenges. They discuss the lessons learned from the past and how they can inform our approach to handling current threats from Russia and China. They emphasize the importance of capturing and memorializing t...

William Hennigan , national security correspondent for the New York Times Opinion Section , discusses his series of articles on nuclear issues and the motivation behind them. He highlights the convergence of events such as modernization efforts, arms control treaties, and the war in Ukraine that prompted the New York Times to focus on nuclear issues. Hennigan aims to bring these issues to the fore...

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 wi...

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 strengt...

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 d...

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 havin...