Russia’s foreign ministry accused the United States on Tuesday of taking a destructive stance over the Comprehensive Nuclear-Test Ban Treaty (CTBT) and of preparing for a possible resumption of nuclear testing. The United States has signed but not ratified the treaty. Russia ratified the treaty 20 years ago on Tuesday.

Reuters 30th June 2020 read more »

I was very interested to read on Monday Tom Leonard’s fascinating article on the new book comprising a compilation of bizarre discoveries of US military ideas during the Cold War, including the extraordinary Pentagon plans to “nuke the moon.”(Mail, 22 June). As a nuclear historian, I first came across this barely believable tale twenty years ago, and worked on it with investigative journalist, Antony Barnett, who now presents Dispatches on Channel Four.( “US planned one big nuclear blast for mankind,” Observer, 14 May 2000 ; www.theguardian.com/science/2000/may/14/spaceexploration.theobserver). Dr Leonard Reiffel, the American physicist who led the so-called ‘Project 119’ at the US military-backed Armour Research Foundation, had been approached by senior US Air Force officers in 1958, who asked him to ‘fast-track’ the project, revealed to Barnett that “It was clear the main aim of the proposed detonation was a PR exercise and a show of one-upmanship. The Air Force wanted a mushroom cloud so large it would be visible on earth.

David Lowry’s Blog 22nd June 2020 read more »

Mitsubishi UFJ Financial Group Inc. will ban the provision of financing for the production of nuclear and other weapons of mass destruction, according to the major Japanese financial group’s recently revised guidelines. The revisions to Mitsubishi UFJ’s Environmental and Social Policy Framework will take effect July 1, making it the first of Japan’s three megabanks to explicitly ban financing for the production of atomic weapons.

Mainichi 20th June 2020 read more »

US-Russia nuclear disarmament talks to begin, but no sign of China joining in.

Guardian 21st June 2020 read more »

STUDENTS, trade unionists, families with children and an American couple in their early twenties (main image) took part in a 2,000-strong anti-nuclear march in Glasgow in October 1961. One of the biggest contingents was from Glasgow University, where a two-week-old nuclear disarmament club already had 150 members. A CND broadcasting van preceded the marchers, alternating its appeals to “Ban nuclear weapons” and “Free Pat Arrowsmith” with advice to marchers to “keep three abreast”.

Herald 22nd June 2020 read more »

Replacing the UK’s Nuclear Deterrent: Progress of the Dreadnought Class. In a vote in July 2016 the House of Commons approved the decision to maintain the UK’s nuclear deterrent beyond the early 2030s. After almost a decade of work on the project, that vote subsequently enabled the programme to move forward into its manufacturing phase, which will see the construction of four new Dreadnought class ballistic missile submarines over the next 15-20 years.

House of Commons Library 19th June 2020 read more »

Replacing the UK’s nuclear deterrent: the long-awaited warhead decision. In February 2020 the Government confirmed the existence of a replacement warhead programme for its nuclear deterrent. A decision on replacement has been long-awaited, with work on possible options underway since 2006.

House of Commons Library 19th June 2020 read more »

The cost of the UK’s strategic nuclear deterrent. Since the acquisition of the UK’s first strategic nuclear deterrent in the 1950s, the cost of procuring and maintaining it, and which Government department should finance it, has always been a matter of much debate.

House of Commons 19th June 2020 read more »

The Senate Armed Services Committee has advanced an amendment aimed at reducing the amount of time it would take to carry out a nuclear test. The amendment, offered by Sen. Tom Cotton (R-Ark.), would make at least $10 million available to “carry out projects related to reducing the time required to execute a nuclear test if necessary,” according to a copy of the measure obtained by The Hill on Monday.

The Hill 15th June 2020 read more »

This is how Hiroshima started our nuclear addiction. THIS lockdown year we have commemorated (virtually) historic anniversaries of VE Day and Dunkirk – as well we should – but a globally even more significant event will, I fear, pass without due attention. This year marks the 75th anniversary of the greatest single-act war crime in history – the use of the atom bomb on Hiroshima. Being the last significant anniversary at which there will be living survivors to testify to the actualities of this atrocity, this disregard is particularly tragic.

The National 15th June 2020 read more »

THE secret military base where Britain’s nuclear weapons are made has been rocked by a series of shocking safety failures. The Atomic Weapons Establishment – which designs and builds the Royal Navy’s Trident nuclear missiles – suffered from 10 “abnormal” safety incidents last year. Much of the detail within the document called “Abnormal incidents with the potential to challenge a nuclear safety system” was redacted on the grounds of national Security. The report gave examples of numerous mechanical faults, water leaks and failures by staff to follow proper procedures. A report on one incident – reported on March 15 – says simply: “Safety mechanism on chuck failed to operate correctly.” Another was logged later that month, stating: “Cooling water leak from BLANK onto the lab floor with flow to ground floor.”

The Sun 14th June 2020 read more »