The Defense Threat Reduction Agency (DTRA) has announced intentions to award a sole-source contract to the National Academy of Sciences for an effort entitled “TRACK II Nuclear Treaty Verification Technology Dialogues.”
The scope of this effort is to support a set of formal dialogues with the Russian Academy of Sciences and the Chinese Science Group, to include a maximum of 3 per year. The goals of these dialogues are to:
- Address complex and evolving science and technology challenges
- Implement current and emerging applications and approaches
- Provide confidence building measures to assure reciprocation
The NAS and the Soviet Academy of Sciences began cooperating on scientific matters of mutual interest in the late 1950s. The NAS’ Committee on International Security and Arms Control (CISAC) began its security dialogue with the Soviet Academy in 1981, when prominent academy members in both countries who had access at the highest levels of their governments concluded that the lack of government-to-government communication on nuclear weapons issues served neither countries interests.
From the Cold War to the present day with the Russian Academy of Sciences (RAS) as its partner, CISAC has helped to promote mutual understanding. CISAC stays in close contact with U.S. leadership on nuclear issues, explores issues at the frontiers of what the governments can do on an official basis, and develops opportunities for bilateral cooperation.