NucleCast ANWA Deterrence Center

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 forefront and make them understandable to everyday people. He also discusses the response from the professional community and the general public. He also provides insights for the nuclear enterprise on how to better communicate their perspective to journalists.
Mr. Hennigan has reported from more than two dozen countries across five continents, covering war, the arms trade, and the lives of U.S. service members.
Learn more: W.J. Hennigan - The New York Times (nytimes.com)
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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 with Russia and China. He also advocates for the rapid rebuilding and expansion of the US nuclear weapons production infrastructure and the fielding of the SLCM-N theater nuclear weapon. Weaver's three wishes include the rapid modernization of the infrastructure, the fielding of SLCM-N, and for listeners to read the Strategic Posture Commission Report.
Mr. Weaver began his career working as a Congressional staffer in both the House and Senate, working for Reps. Pete Stark (D-CA) and Charles Bennett (D-FL) and Senator Carl Levin (D-MI). He spent 18 years as a Senior Analyst and Division Manager at SAIC in both San Diego, CA and Omaha, NE. While a contractor in Omaha, Mr. Weaver co-authored the Defense Department’s Deterrence Operations Joint Operating Concept and was the Director of the USSTRATCOM Strategic Deterrence Assessment Laboratory (SDAL).
Mr. Weaver returned to government in 2007 at US Strategic Command, serving as a Senior Analyst (GS-15) and as the Deputy J5 (SES-1). He was appointed by President Obama to be OSD Policy’s Principal Director for Nuclear and Missile Defense Policy (SES-2) and closed out his full-time career serving over 6 years as the Deputy Director for Strategic Stability in the Joint Staff J5. In that role he was the principal nuclear, missile defense, space, cyber, and arms control policy and strategy advisor to the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff.
Mr. Weaver is now the Principal at Strategy to Plans, LLC, a consulting firm he founded in 2022.
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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 strengths and weaknesses of such a system and its importance for deterrence. The conversation highlights the need for the United States to modernize its nuclear command and control capabilities and consider new approaches to ensure the effectiveness of its deterrent.
Curtis McGiffin is the Vice President for Education and Co-founder of the National Institute for Deterrence Studies. His areas of expertise are deterrence theory education, grand strategy, and strategic triad operations. He also serves on the teaching faculty of the Department of Defense and Strategic Studies at Missouri State University, where he teaches graduate and doctorate courses in deterrence theory and grand strategy. Previously, he was the Associate Dean of the School of Strategic Force Studies at the Air Force Institute of Technology, where he led a robust portfolio of USAF professional continuing education programs supporting the AF nuclear enterprise. He also was the Executive Director of the Louisiana Tech Research Institute, where he designed and developed a catalog of Nuclear Command, Control, and Communications curriculum and courses for Air Force Global Strike Command’s workforce.
Colonel McGiffin retired with over 26 years of experience in the USAF as an aviator, commander, staff officer, and educator, most of which was supporting the USAF’s nuclear enterprise. Prior to his retirement from active duty, Colonel McGiffin was the Associate Dean of Faculty and Assistant Professor of Strategy and Deterrence at the National War College in Washington DC. He has served on the Joint Staff, HQ AF staff, and combatant command staff, as a squadron commander, and as the senior advisor to Iraq’s military Vice Chief of Staff. He was a Master Navigator and flight instructor with 2,750 flight hours in the E-4B, EC-135, KC-135 and T-43 aircraft. He has been awarded the Defense Superior Service Medal, a Legion of Merit, and two Aerial Achievement Medals.
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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 dates back to the Cold War, involves understanding the values and priorities of adversaries to deter them effectively. Hedging, or maintaining extra warheads, is crucial in a complex and unpredictable threat environment. The conversation emphasizes the need for intelligence on adversary thinking, bipartisan support for SLCM-N, and continued debate and implementation of nuclear strategies.
Kyle Balzer is a Jeane Kirkpatrick Fellow at the American Enterprise Institute, where he specializes in US nuclear strategy and policy. He is currently working on a book project, The Revivalist: James R. Schlesinger and the Rebirth of Cold War U.S. Nuclear Strategy. It examines the origins of diagnostic net assessment and competitive nuclear strategies. His work has been published in Breaking Defense, National Review Online, The Hill, The National Interest, and War on the Rocks.
Kyle holds a Ph.D. in US diplomatic history from Ohio University, where he studied the relationship between American grand strategy and nuclear deterrence policy.
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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 having a 'no first use' policy and Pakistan adopting a more ambiguous stance. The Indian perspective on China is shaped by a history of border disputes and a desire to counter China's growing military capabilities. India seeks to build an economic partnership with the United States, revamp its defense production, and engage in dialogue with China.
Amit Gupta is a Senior Advisor to the Forum of Federations, Ottawa, Canada. He has previously on the faculty of the USAF Air War College. He is the author, co-author or editor of eight books including, Building an Arsenal: The Evolution of Regional Power Force Structures (Praeger), Global Security Watch—India (Praeger), Strategic Stability in Asia, (Ashgate), and Air Forces: Next Generation (Howgate).
In the realm of popular culture, he has written in academic journals and magazines on Doctor Who, Diego Maradona, The Defenders, Star Trek, international cricket, and the globalization of Sports.
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In this episode of NucleCast, host Adam Lowther interviews Peter Huessy, a senior fellow at the National Institute for Deterrence Studies, about Annie Jacobsen's book 'Nuclear War, A Scenario.' They discuss the flaws in Jacobsen's arguments and mischaracterizations of American nuclear policy. Huessy points out that Jacobsen's scenario is unrealistic and rigged to lead to all-out nuclear war. He also refutes her claims about Ronald Reagan's views on nuclear weapons. The conversation highlights the importance of deterrence in maintaining peace and the dangers of advocating for nuclear disarmament.
Mr. Huessy has been President of Geostrategic Analysis, a defense consulting firm he founded, since 1981. This organization is dedicated to analysis of the strategic nuclear posture of the United States and its nuclear-armed adversaries, particularly in support of ICBMs and US nuclear modernization. He was with the Hudson Institute as a Senior Fellow from December 2021-2023 while previously from 2011 was both a Consultant and Director of Strategic Deterrent Studies at the Air Force Association/Mitchell Institute. In August 2023, he joined the National Institute for Deterrence Studies as a Senior Fellow.