The Chinese government has now made a little noticed step toward nuclear transparency. The Chinese Foreign Ministry, in April 2004, released a fact sheet entitled China: Nuclear Disarmament and Reduction … that states: Among the nuclear-weapon states, China has performed the least number of nuclear tests and possesses the smallest nuclear arsenal. Not more than …
William Arkin's Code Names
by | 2005-01-20 | 1 Comment
Bill Arkin has published a new book, Code Names: Deciphering U.S. Military Plans, Programs and Operations in the 9/11 World that “identifies more than 3,000 code names and details the plans and missions for which they stand.” General Charles Horner, commander of coalition air forces in Operation Desert Storm, gives the book some … um …
A Note to Readers, Updated
by | 2005-01-19 | No Comments
I started ArmsControlWonk.com in March 2004 for inchoate reasons. Over time, I’ve constructed an elaborate post-hoc rationalization for the site focusing on four goals: To report items of interest that wouldn’t make it into the New York Times, Place arms control related developments into context and correct lousy reporting, To explore the foundations of arms …
Upcoming Military Space Launches of Concern, Redux
by | 2005-01-19 | No Comments
In May 2004, I blogged about three upcoming launches of concern: XSS-11, NFIRE and a classified Air Force payload. At least two, and possibly all three, have been delayed. Here is an update. Experimental Spacecraft System (XSS)-11. The successor to the Clementine program, XSS-11 will demonstrate technologies associated with rendezvous, inspection and anti-satellite missions. The …
