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Front Page News Items From 2004:
The Los Angeles Times used the July 2004 Nuclear Notebook on Russian nuclear forces in an article about Russia's nuclear policy. "Russia Seeks Safety in Nuclear Arms" described Moscow's increasing reliance on nuclear weapons in its deterrence posture. The paper used the Notebook to describe the size of Russia's nuclear weapons stockpile. LA Times Uses Nuclear Notebook
(December 2004)
The Ploughshares Fund Profiles My Work
(December 2004)		 A Grantee Profile on the front page of the Ploughshares Fund web site said that I "deftly use the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) to obtain critical documents that reveal exactly what U.S. nuclear weapons policy is."  The fund said my "sleuth work provides crucial information for public scrutiny and debate."

Research Profiled in Japan, Korea, US (November 2004)

The Japanese news agency Kyodo profiled my research in a major article by Mikio Haruna. The article described disclosure of U.S. simulated nuclear strike against North Korea, first described in "Preemptive Posturing" in the Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists. The Kyodo profile triggered reports in MSNBC Newsbot, Yahoo Asia News, the South Korean news organizations KBS, Korean Times, Chosun Ilbo, Dong-A Ilbo, Yonhap News. FOIA documents used in "Preemptive Posturing" are here.
Article Published in Arms Control Today

 What's Behind Bush's Nuclear Cuts (October 2004)

It is not everyday the United States cuts it nuclear stockpile in half. This article describes how the Bush administration's decision to cut the number of nuclear weapons in the stockpile by "about half" by 2012 will affect the U.S. nuclear posture. (backup PDF-format available here)
Briefing given to CISSM at Maryland University

 U.S. Nuclear Planning after the 2001 Nuclear Posture Review (October 2004)
The United States military is moving towards an option-hungry driven nuclear strike planning with weapons systems vastly more capable than during the Cold War, according to a briefing given to the Center for International Security Studies at Maryland University.

Declassified documents give background for 1958 accident

Nuclear Weapon Was Not Armed (September 2004)

 The nuclear bomb that was jettisoned near Savannah River in Georgia by an Air Force bomber in 1958 was not armed, but the risk of flying with nuclear weapons at the time was considerable. An Air Force survey of the impact site was announced on September 29, according to the Atlanta Journal-Constitution.
Report Co-Authored With Natural Resources Defense Council

 Study Offers Alternatives to U.S. Nuclear Policy
(September 2004)

U.S. nuclear policy is stuck in the past and wastes billions of dollars by maintaining a Cold War deterrence posture that is vastly in excess of what is needed to ensure a secure retaliatory nuclear strike capability. "Nuclear Insecurity" offers alternatives to the Bush administration's nuclear policy.

New NRDC Nuclear Notebook published

US Nuclear Reductions Outlined (August 2004)

 The U.S. government has announced that it will reduce its total stockpile of nuclear warheads by "almost half" before 2012. This Nuclear Notebook in the Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists shows what will be retired and the warheads that will be retained for the indefinite future. News coverage in Stars and Stripes and IRNA (Iran). See also the fact sheet at NRDC.
The 2004 Gensuikin Conference

 Briefings Presented in Tokyo (August 2004)

 Two briefings were presented at the launch of the 2004 Gensuikin Conference in Tokyo on August 1:
    * The US nuclear posture in Korea
    * US nuclear policy and world nuclear situation
The conference was the 59th organized by Gensuikin since 1954.

A mobile version of the SS-27 Topol-M is expected become operational in 2004 New NRDC Nuclear Notebook published

Russian Nuclear Forces Profiled (June 2004)

Russia shows renewed interest in nuclear weapons, according a new overview in the Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists. Russia now has approximately 7,800 operational nuclear warheads and is modernizing all three legs of its triad of delivery systems.
New Nuclear Weapons Stockpile Plan published

 Secret US Stockpile Plan Issued:
Here Are the Numbers (June 2004)

The United States plans to scrap nearly half of its 10,000 nuclear weapons between now and 2012.  The Stockpile Plan is secret, but an estimate of the warhead numbers is now available on the NRDC web site.

Six unarmed Advanced Cruise Missiles (ACM) are loaded onto a B-52H bomber at Barksdale Air Force Base in Louisiana.
Some 6,000 nuclear warheads
will remain in the stockpile
Protection Paradox article on missile defense referenced again

Christian Science Monitor Story Uses Article
(June 2004)

The report "Back to the Future: new US-Russian arms race" in the Christian Science Monitor makes use of The Protection Paradox article from the March/April issue of the Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists.
 
World Nuclear Forces published in SIPRI Yearbook

 Global Overview of Nuclear Forces Again
Included in New SIPRI Yearbook (June 2004)

For the fourth year in a row the new SIPRI Yearbook includes my overview of the world's nuclear forces.  The overview describes the nuclear arsenals of the world's eight nuclear powers, which combined possess a total of more than 16,000 nuclear weapons.  Order the book from SIPRI now or buy in bookstores from September.
New NRDC Nuclear Notebook in the Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists

US Nuclear Forces, 2004 (May 2004)
The United States has approximately 7,000 operational nuclear weapons and another 3,000 intact warheads in reserve.  Weapons modernization and life-extension programs are underway across the board to maintain and enhance the capability of the nuclear deterrent.
 
Meiji Gaikuin University prints article about FOIA

 Nuclear Disclosure:
A Threat to National Security? (April 2004)

The dilemma: some nuclear information must remain a secret, but much is withheld that can be declassified with no harm to national security. Declassification of nuclear information in the United States and Denmark provide examples to follow for "new" FOIA countries like Japan.
 


Much information is withheld simply because it concerns nuclear issues
Three W78/Mk12A reentry vehicles for the Minuteman III ICBM. Each missile can carry one, two, or three warheads. Oakland Tribune / Tri-Valley Herald news story

 To MIRV or not to MIRV (March 2004)

The Pentagon is considering retaining multiple warheads on its 500 Minuteman III ICBMs rather than downloading each missile to single-warhead configuration as planned only a couple of years ago. Up to 800 warheads would be carried on the force.   (also see background analysis)

See also: Front Page News Items from 2008, 2007, 2006 and 2005
 

 

 

   © Hans M. Kristensen