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Accomplishments of Selected Threat Reduction and Nonproliferation Programs in Russia, By Agency May 2002 Michael Roston and David Smigielski DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE (Cooperative Threat Reduction) PROGRAMS Strategic Offensive Arms Elimination (Russia and NIS):
Nuclear Weapons Storage Security A total of 123 "Quick fix" security fencing and sensor systems have been provided for installation at warhead storage locations storage sites in Russia. Suites of comprehensive security equipment have been tested and approved and will be provided to warhead storage sites in the future. In addition, equipment and training has been provided to Russian warhead storage site guards, and an integrated computer network is under development to improve Russian warhead control and accounting. Nuclear Weapons Transportation Security This effort supports secure transport of Russian warheads from deployment to storage, and from storage to dismantlement locations. There are currently, on average, 6-7 shipments per month. DoD has also provided funding for 79 specialized railcars used for warhead transport and has contracted for the development of emergency response vehicles, nuclear weapons recovery equipment and MoD training for response to nuclear accidents. Additional examples of assistance provided include security upgrade kits for railcars, secure blankets, and "supercontainers" for warhead transport and storage. Construction of Mayak Fissile Material Storage Facility: Russia plans to begin loading the first wing of the Mayak Facility with fissile material from more than 6,000 dismantled nuclear weapons in late 2002 or early 2003. When completed, both wings of the Mayak Facility will store 25,000 containers of fissile material from approximately 12,500 dismantled nuclear warheads. Elimination of Weapons Grade Plutonium Production The CTR program began this effort in 1997 to convert the cores of Russia's last three remaining plutonium producing reactors, so that they can continue to supply local energy needs without producing plutonium. Due to technical and safety concerns about converting the reactor cores, a new agreement has been reached with Russia in which the U.S. will assist in the construction or refurbishment of fossil-fuel power plants, which will allow Russia to shut down these reactors. Beginning in FY 2003, funding for this program will be transferred to the Department of Energy. Chemical Weapons (CW) Destruction Subsequent to Russian compliance with conditions specified by Congress, CTR assistance will be used to help build a nerve-agent destruction facility at the Shchuch'ye site in Russia. Once operational, the facility would be able to destroy 5,460 tons of nerve agent contained in about one-half of Russia's most modern artillery- and rocket-launched chemical weapons. CTR funding is also supporting the demilitarization of other former Russian nerve agent production facilities. In addition, CTR funds have been used to assist in dismantling large portions of the Nukus Chemical Weapons Research Institute in Uzbekistan. Biological Weapons (BW) Proliferation Prevention Destruction of the former Soviet biological weapons production facility at Stepnogorsk in Kazakhstan has begun; equipment has already been removed and demilitarized. Efforts have begun with Uzbekistan to eliminate the testing complex on Vozrozhdeniye Island and destroy anthrax stocks located there. Sources: Slides from a presentation by Gen. Thomas Kenning, April 5,2002; Defense Threat Reduction Agency website DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY PROGRAMS Nonproliferation and International SecurityReduced Enrichment for Research and Test Reactors (RERTR) This project works with Russia to facilitiate conversion of its research and test reators from highly-enriched uranium fuel types to low enriched fuels. The program successfully tested a generic, high-density LEU fuel type that can be used to convert the reactors. Russian Research Reactor Fuel Return (RFR) This program repatriates civil HEU fuel from Russian-supplied research reactors in various countries to Russia, removing dangerous nuclear materials many regions of proliferation concern. Accomplishments to date include:
This project prevents proliferation of nuclear weapons by securing the nearly three tons of weapons-grade plutonium in spent fuel discharged from the BN-350 breeder reactor - enough material for hundreds of nuclear weapons. A separate project facilitates decommissioning of the facility. Accomplishments to date include:
DOE has negotiated lab-to-lab contracts to develop methods and procedures for secure and transparent dismantlement of Russia's nuclear warheads. These contracts attempt to ensure technical dialog between American and Russian nuclear warhead experts, and also to bolster advocates for transparency within the Russian nuclear weapons complex. Accomplishments to date include:
The Mayak facility will provide secure long-term storage for fissile materials removed from Russia's nuclear weapons. This program is intended to help verify through bilateral and multilateral means the weapons-origin of the material to be stored in the facility. Accomplishments to date include:
In order to develop appropriate systems and procedures to sustain the security of the protected nuclear material for the foreseeable future in the former Soviet Republics, this program works with national laboratories, private sector entities, and IAEA specialists to develop security infrastructures and create a safeguarding culture consistent with international norms within participating states. Accomplishments to date include:
International Nuclear Materials Protection and Cooperation Navy Complex This program improves security of weapons usable material by installing improved nuclear material protection, control, and accounting systems at Russian naval nuclear warhead sites, naval HEU fuel storage facilities, and shipyards where nuclear materials are present. Accomplishments to date include:
This program provides upgrades to Ministry of Atomic Energy (Minatom) nuclear weapons, uranium enrichment, and material processing/storage sites. Accomplishments to date include:
This program reduces the complexity and the long-term costs of securing Russian weapons-usable nuclear material by consolidating excess, non-weapons highly enriched uranium and plutonium into fewer, more secure locations. Accomplishments to date include:
This program includes projects to help ensure sustained operation and maintenance by Russia of installed MPC&A systems, assist Russian development of a legal and regulatory framework on nuclear matters, and support the growth of MPC&A expert cadres in Russia. Accomplishments to date include:
The Nuclear Assessment Program tracks and assesses nuclear smuggling events worldwide. Accomplishments to date include:
The SLD program provides equipment and training to Russian customs and border security units, to detect, interdict, and prevent nuclear smuggling from Russia and other former Soviet states. Accomplishments to date include:
Russian Transitions Initiative Nuclear Cities Initiative (NCI) This program facilitates reduction of the Russian nuclear weapons complex by removing functions and equipment from the weapons facilities within the closed nuclear cities and helping to create sustainable, alternative non-weapons work for scientists who will be displaced by downsizing. Accomplishments to date include:
This program engages former Soviet weapons of mass destruction scientists and experts in cooperative, non-weapons-related projects involving the ten major DOE National Laboratories and U.S. industry. Accomplishments to date include:
HEU Transparency Implementation This program develops and implements mutually-agreeable transparency measures for the February 1993 HEU Purchase Agreement between the United States and the Russian Federation, helping to provide overall confidence that the material is weapons origin, and is being down-blended and not recycled into new weapons. Accomplishments to date incude:
International Nuclear Safety and Cooperation Elimination of Weapons-Grade Plutonium Production DOE is now the executive agent for this program, which will help Russia refurbish or construct fossil fuel energy plants, enabling Russia to shut down its last three plutonium production reactors that also provide heat and electricity to cities in Siberia Source: Department of Energy FY03 Budget Justification Fissile Materials Disposition Russian Surplus Fissile Materials Disposition In September 2000, the U.S. and Russia signed the Plutonium Management and Disposition Agreement, which seeks to transform excess weapons plutonium into forms unusable for weapons. This program will facilitate the final disposition of 68 total tons of excess weapons-grade plutonium (34 tons each from both Russia and the U.S.). Accomplishments to date include:
DEPARTMENT OF STATE PROGRAMS Export Control and Related Border Security Assistance (EXBS) The EXBS program broadly seeks to stem the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction by ensuring that potential suppliers have proper controls on exports of arms, dual-use goods, and related technologies. It also helps states that may serve as transit and transshipment points to develop the tools to interdict illicit shipments. Within Russia and former Soviet states, the program has worked to improve national legal and regulatory infrastructures related to export controls; provided equipment and training in WMD identification and interdiction techniques for customs officers, border guards, and other personnel; and encouraged regional cooperation in the interdiction of smuggled materials among former Soviet states. Source: FY03 International Affairs Budget Request International Science and Technology Center (ISTC) and Science and Technology Center in Ukraine (STCU) The Science Centers Program, working through the ISTC and the STCU, is a multilateral program funding projects aimed at preventing WMD proliferation by redirecting former Soviet weapons scientists and experts to peaceful scientific endeavors. Since 1993, the Science Centers Program has engaged almost 50,000 scientists and engineers and continues to support nearly 2,000 scientific research and development projects. Since 1994, ISTC has funded 1,600 projects valued at $420 million (37% of which came from the United States compared to 22.4% from private partners). The STCU funds nearly 500 projects totaling $66 million. Sources: ISTC website, STCU website Civilian Research and Development Foundation (CRDF) The CRDF supports research projects designed to prevent the "brain drain" of former Soviet scientists and engineers by funding collaborative non-weapons research and development projects. Using a grant from the State Department, the CRDF supports the review process for proposals submitted to institutes under the Science Centers Program. CRDF's nuclear nonproliferation commitment spans across most of its program areas including the Closed Cities program, the Cooperative Grants program, and the Next Steps to Market program. By the end of 2000, more than 700 defense scientists had participated in 235 projects budgeted at more than $10 million. Source: CRDF website, CRDF 1998-2000 Program Report Bio Redirection This program, involving 30 institutes in former Soviet states, provides incentives to former biological weapons scientists to not market their skills to rogue states and terrorists, while also promoting access and transparency at former Soviet biological weapons research and production sites. The State Department coordinates and guides activities of the Department of Health and Human Services Biotechnology Enhancement Program (BTEP), the US Department of Agriculture/Agricultural Research Service's Collaborative Research in Biotechnology Program, and the Environmental Protection Agency. Source: FY03 International Affairs Budget Request |
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