NucleCast

Latest Episodes:

Matthew Sermon - Revitalization of the Submarine Industrial Base Jan 23, 2024

Show notes

In this episode of NucleCast, guest Matthew Sermon, the Executive Director of the Program Executive Office Strategic Submarines, discusses the future of ballistic missile submarines. He describes the status of the future submarine program, the differences between the Ohio and Columbia class submarines, considerations for cost and schedule, challenges with the industrial base, additive manufacturing in submarine construction, addressing corrosion and coatings, and the importance of submarine construction for national security. Matt shares his three wishes for the future, including national outreach programs, workforce retention and upskilling, and the urgency and agility in transitioning to advanced manufacturing.

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Bryan Bender - Exploring Workforce Barriers in Deterrence Jan 18, 2024

Show notes

In this episode of NucleCast, Adam interviews Bryan Bender, VP for Communication Strategy at SMI and a contributor to Politico magazine. They explore the barriers to entry and the challenges faced by young people interested in nuclear issues. The conversation delves into the perspectives of the arms control community and the concerns they have about the collapse of arms control frameworks.

Takeaways:

The nuclear field lacks the brainpower needed to address complex and dangerous issues.
There are divergent views on nuclear issues, with some advocating for enhancing the nuclear deterrent and others calling for arms control and disarmament.
There are barriers to entry in the nuclear field, including difficulties in getting government positions and a lack of training grounds and career pathways.
The arms control community is concerned about the collapse of arms control frameworks and the need to revive guardrails in the nuclear age.
Increasing awareness of the importance of nuclear weapons, successful development of the replacement ICBM, and clearer heads in Moscow and Beijing are important goals for the nuclear field.

Bryan Bender is an experienced journalist and communicator with an extensive network in the national security and foreign policy communities, think tanks, trade associations and the private sector.

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Brad Gericke, Ph.D. - Ukraine, Will Russia Use Nukes? Jan 16, 2024

Show notes

Brad Gericke discusses international affairs and national security, specifically focusing on the situation leading up to the invasion of Ukraine by Russia. He shares his insights and assessments of the events and the consensus among intelligence agencies.

Takeaways:

The conversation explores the international affairs and national security context leading up to the invasion of Ukraine by Russia.
Brad Gericke provides insights and assessments of the situation based on his role as the G35 of the Army.
There was a consensus among intelligence agencies that the Russian forces were likely to invade Ukraine.

Brad holds a doctorate from Vanderbilt University and is a graduate of the National War College. Most recently Brad served as the Army’s longest-tenured Senior Strategist and Chief of Plans, Brad exercised wide-ranging and global responsibilities across the Army.

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Alexis Littlefield, Ph.D. : Defending Taiwan Jan 11, 2024

Show notes

Dr. Alex Littlefield discusses China's aspirations to become a regional and global hegemon, with a focus on its relationship with Taiwan. He explains China's historical claim to Taiwan and the cultural differences between the two regions. Dr. Littlefield also highlights China's expansionist goals beyond Taiwan and its desire to unify various groups under its leadership. He discusses the perception of Taiwan's democracy among Chinese people and the challenges China faces in terms of time constraints and demographics. Dr. Littlefield emphasizes the need for deterrence and the potential consequences of a Taiwan invasion. He also addresses the possibility of Taiwan developing nuclear weapons and the complexities of China's political economy and imperial ambitions.

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David Rehbein - Dispelling the Arms Control Myth; Not All Nukes are the Same Jan 09, 2024

Show notes

This episode features Dave Rehbein, a retired Army FA-52 nuclear officer, about the differences between tactical and strategic nuclear weapons. They discuss the misconception that all nuclear weapons are the same and explore the effects and scale of different types of nuclear weapons. They also touch on the importance of understanding radiation and fallout, as well as the potential scenarios in which tactical nuclear weapons may be employed. The conversation concludes with a discussion on the W76-2 and the need for a clear definition of tactical nuclear weapons.

Takeaways:

There are significant differences between tactical and strategic nuclear weapons, including their effects, scale, and intended use.
Understanding radiation and fallout is crucial in assessing the impact of nuclear weapons.
Tactical nuclear weapons can be employed in specific scenarios to achieve strategic objectives.
The W76-2, while providing a low-yield option, has limitations in terms of delivery and responsiveness.

Prior to becoming an independent consultant, Dave was the primary technical liaison for Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (LLNL) at the United States Strategic Command (USSTRATCOM) at Offutt AFB, NE. He served in that capacity for 15 years. Dave joined LLNL after retiring from the U.S. Army. He was a Corps of Engineers officer with specialized expertise in Nuclear Operations and Research. His areas of expertise are nuclear weapons technology, weapons effects, and deterrence theory. In his final active-duty Army assignment Dave served as the Commander of the US Army Element of US Strategic Command and as the Chief of Force Assessments at USSTRATCOM.

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Laura Goodroe Ph.D. and Ernest Rockwell Ph.D. - The Value of Military Professional Journals in Deterrence Jan 04, 2024

Show notes

In this episode of NucleCast, the importance of professional writing and publishing in the military is discussed. The guests, Dr. Ernest Gunasekara-Rockwell and Dr. Laura Thurston-Goodrow, highlight the role of journals in bridging the gap between military and civilian academia. They emphasize the unique value of military professional journals in providing a platform for applied research and analysis. The Journal of Indo-Pacific Affairs is highlighted as a niche publication that aims to drive the narrative and prescribe policy for decision-makers in the Indo-Pacific region. The guests also discuss the importance of professional journals in fostering critical thinking and engaging with allies and adversaries. The episode concludes with a discussion on the areas of interest for journal submissions and the future of professional journals.

Dr. Ernest Gunasekara-Rockwell is the editor-in-chief of the Journal of Indo-Pacific Affairs

Laura Thurston Goodroe, DLS is the Editor in Chief, Æther: A Journal of Strategic Airpower & Spacepower and Air & Space Operations Review

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Kim Budil, Ph.D. - Weapons Design and Modernization Jan 02, 2024

Show notes

In this episode of Nuclecast, Adam Lowther interviews Kim Budil, Director of Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (LLNL). They discuss various topics related to LLNL's work in nuclear weapons design and modernization. The conversation covers the achievement of ignition, the recruitment and retention of talent, the role of the National Ignition Facility, workforce challenges, modernization and manufacturing efforts, safety and security of warheads, other programs at LLNL, integrated deterrence and multi-domain operations, knowledge transfer and training, and Budil's wishes for the lab. Budil highlights the importance of LLNL's work in national security and the exciting opportunities it offers for aspiring scientists and engineers.

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"Best of Episode" - Rebecca Grant Dec 28, 2023

Show notes

This is a rereleased episode from October 26, 2023.

Rebecca Grant is a national security analyst based in Washington, DC and president of IRIS Independent Research, a small, woman-owned business specializing in defense and aerospace research and national security consulting. She has appeared on TV as an expert on national security for Fox News, Fox Business, and CNN. She is a series regular on The Smithsonian Channel’s Air Warriors. Dr. Grant writes on China, Russia and other national security topics for Fox News Opinion. Her military books include 75 Great Airmen (with Lt. Gen. Chris Miller), The B-2 Goes to War, and Battle-Tested: Aircraft Carriers in Afghanistan and Iraq.

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"Best of Episode" - Thom Mason Dec 26, 2023

Show notes

This is a rereleased episode from September 5th, 2023.

Thomas (Thom) Mason is the President and CEO of Triad National Security, LLC (Triad) and serves as the Director of Los Alamos National Laboratory.

Most recently he was the Senior Vice President for Global Laboratory Operations at Battelle where he had responsibility for governance and strategy across the six National Laboratories that Battelle manages or co-manages.

Prior to joining Battelle, Thom worked at Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL) for 19 years, including 10 years as the Laboratory Director. Under his leadership, ORNL saw significant growth in programs, new facilities, and hiring while achieving record low safety incident rates.

Before becoming Laboratory Director, he was Associate Laboratory Director (ALD) for Neutron Sciences, ALD for the Spallation Neutron Source (SNS), and Director of the Experimental Facilities Division.

During his time in Oak Ridge, Thom was active in the community serving as Chair of the Oak Ridge Public Schools Education Foundation as well as Innovation Valley, the Knoxville-Oak Ridge area regional economic development organization. He moved to ORNL from the University of Toronto where he was a faculty member in the Department of Physics and previously worked as a Senior Scientist at Risø National Laboratory and a Postdoc at AT&T Bell Laboratories.

For the past 30 years, he has been involved in the design and construction of scientific instrumentation and facilities and the application of nuclear, computing, and materials sciences to solve important challenges in energy and national security.

Thom has a Ph.D. in Experimental Condensed Matter Physics from McMaster University and a BSc in Physics from Dalhousie University.

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"Best of" - Holiday Show Re-Release with Adam Lowther and Bob The Genie Dec 21, 2023

Show notes

This episode is a look back to December of 2022 with a reading of "Twas the Night Before Christmas". with Adam and Bob, the Genie. ANWA DC and NucleCast wish you a happy holiday season. "Twas the Night Before Christmas” was first published in 1823 in the Troy Sentinel newspaper with the name, “Account of a Visit From St. Nicholas."

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