1. "Systemic Risks": A Conversation on Nuclear Technology and Deterrence with Dr. Vipin Narang
- Author:
- Dylan Land
- Publication Date:
- 12-2021
- Content Type:
- Working Paper
- Institution:
- The Fletcher School, Tufts University
- Abstract:
- Fletcher Security Review (FSR): What do you perceive as the greatest threat to global nuclear security? Where do you see the greatest potential for the outbreak of nuclear war? Vipin Narang (VN): Rather than focusing on regions, I see three trends which I think we should be concerned about. One is the return of a great power arms race, and a lot of this was exacerbated in the Trump administration. Even as we head into the Biden administration—which extended the New START Treaty with Russia for five years—Russia and China are modernizing their nuclear forces at breakneck speed. They are worried primarily about U.S. missile defenses, which at this point are unconstrained. The United States has a variety of missile defense systems at the regional level which work pretty well, as well as the national missile defense system, which doesn’t…yet. You will often hear that the national missile defense system does not work very well and that is true—the success rate is around 60 percent in simulated tests. It may be difficult to ever get it to work perfectly or even well, but it is the prospect that the United States might get it to work that really drives modernization efforts in Russia and China.....
- Topic:
- Nuclear Weapons, Science and Technology, Risk, Deterrence, and Interview
- Political Geography:
- Russia, China, Global Focus, and United States of America