Inactive

The role of arms control treaties/agreements in U.S. national security has undergone, and continues to experience, significant changes in the current political environment. At the same time, the Depar... The role of arms control treaties/agreements in U.S. national security has undergone, and continues to experience, significant changes in the current political environment. At the same time, the Department of Defense (DoD) is conducting Research, Development, Testing and Evaluation (RDT&E) on increasingly sophisticated offensive and defensive weapon components and weaponsystems or acquiring such systems to provide critical strategic and conventional capabilities. Nevertheless, DoD must fully comply with the legal obligations imposed by arms control treaties to which the U.S. is a party. The treaty compliance issues raised by defense system RDT&E/acquisition activities are becoming more difficult, more complex and less clear cut.Increasingly sophisticated analyses are required to identify potential treaty compliance problems and ensure that needed DoD programs are executed in a manner compliant with all relevant treaties. New agreements involving/requiring multilateral negotiations are becoming more prevalent, thus necessitating more assessments of international issues. The geopolitical trend toward regional security constructs, with many world players having the capacity to acquire modern equipment and weapons, including weapons of mass destruction (WMD), is heightening concerns regarding proliferation. Arms control remains an important tool in countering these concerns, despite, increased scrutiny of treaty compliance and implementation programs. These changes are occurring in the midst of an information revolution, which has the effect of telescoping decision times such that the DoD must now frequently research, analyze and provide in days recommendations that previously might have been done in weeks or even months. The Office of Strategic Deterrence and Capabilities (SDC) in the Office of the Under Secretary of Defense for Acquisition and Sustainment (OUSD(A&S)) has a unique and broad range of arms control responsibilities that encompass the following: a) Original research and analysis of arms control issues and DoD RDT&E and acquisition programs and other activities to ensure that all DoD programs and activities are compliant with relevant treaty obligations; b) Planning for and monitoring compliance and implementation of new and existing arms control agreements; c) Providing advice and assistance to DoD elements/agencies regarding the impact of treaty obligations on RDT&E and acquisition programs; d) Assessing alternative positions on arms control issues and their potential impacts on DoD RDT&E and acquisition programs and/or on U.S. strategies; e) Updating, maintaining and managing the DoD treaty implementation and compliance database. SDC requires a wide range of technical, programmatic, educational, administrative, and policy support to enable the office to carry out these responsibilities efficiently, but does not maintain inhouse the broad range of in-depth analytical expertise and tools in such areas as ballistic physics, radar science, etc., or strategic arms control treaty negotiating experience.