Weapons of Mass Destruction

The Trinity test of July 16, 1945 was arguably history’s greatest scientific experiment. It represented not only the capstone of the Manhattan Project, but the culmination of decades of discovery in physics, chemistry, metallurgy, and other scientific fields. The technology tested at Trinity would later be used to help bring history’s deadliest conflict, World War II, to an abrupt and victorious conclusion. Though the advent of weapons of mass destruction have helped render global wars between the great powers obsolete, it has also made it possible for mankind to destroy itself. In this two-part series, Mr. Carr discusses the scientific discovery, technological innovation, and the potential for unimaginable destruction that are part of Trinity’s legacy.

The US ended all underground nuclear tests in the early 1990s in the lead-up to the Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban Treaty, conducting its last explosive nuclear test in September 1992. That test was the 1054th announced full-scale nuclear test performed by the United States. In this webinar, Los Alamos National Laboratory Senior Historian Alan B. Carr surveys the era of nuclear testing within the historical context of World War II and the Cold War. Attendees will learn why, where, and how the U.S. conducted nuclear tests. Mr. Carr will also discuss how the data collected continues to help ensure the safety and reliability of U.S. nuclear deterrence.

In recent years, terrorist propaganda campaigns have published materials that extol the merits of attacking the United States and its allies through the use of chemical, biological, radiological, nuclear, and high yield explosive weapons. Further, numerous terrorist groups have attempted to develop CBRN weapons and some have employed them through a variety of means. In order to address the operational implications of such events, it is important to be aware of common threat methodologies, be familiar with potential target locations, and understand the ramifications of such attacks. This webinar focuses primarily on the biological threat, as a biological attack against people could be used to cause illness, death, fear, societal disruption, and economic damage; likewise, an attack on agricultural plants and animals could result in economic damage, loss of confidence in the food supply, and possible loss of life. This webinar provides a "snapshot" of this continuously evolving attack vector and gives an overview and assessment of the threat posed by biothreat agents.

This video podcast is part one of a two-part series on the topic of nuclear arms control treaties that the United States has entered in over the past 50+ years. In this podcast, Dirk Plante, Deputy Director of HDIAC, interviews Pranay Vaddi, a fellow in the Nuclear Policy Program at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace, discussing early efforts by the United States and other nations to enter into multi-lateral arms control treaties, including the Nuclear Non-proliferation Treaty, as well as bilateral treaties with the Soviet Union.

This video podcast is part two of a two-part series on the topic of nuclear arms control treaties that the United States has entered in over the past 50+ years. In this podcast, Dirk Plante, Deputy Director of HDIAC, interviews Pranay Vaddi, a fellow in the Nuclear Policy Program at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace, continue their discussion of bilateral treaties with the then Soviet Union, now Russia, to keep limits on their nuclear arsenals. They look at the current New START Treaty and the future of arms control treaty negotiations.

The Countering Weapons of Mass Destruction (CWMD) Office within the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) is tasked, by Congress, to coordinate the federal government’s efforts to prevent chemical, biological, radiological, and nuclear (CBRN) terrorism within the United States. DHS/CWMD works with many interagency partners, bringing 872 authorities to engage with state, local, tribal, and territorial governments.  Its mission is to support the Under Secretary of Defense for Policy and Assistant Secretary of Defense for Homeland Defense & Global Security by developing and overseeing strategies, policies, and their implementation to prevent the proliferation of WMD and WMD-related materials. Strategic goals include anticipating, identifying, and assessing current and emerging WMD threats; strengthening detection and disruption of CBRN threats; and synchronizing homeland counter-WMD with health security planning and execution. This webinar will provide insight into the relationships, capabilities, and authorities that make the DHS/CWMD office a unique and valuable resource.

In this webinar, Mr. Mark Diglio, the US Army’s CBRN Survivability Program Manager, discusses the growing CBRN threat, CBRN survivability acquisition policy/requirements, renewed US Army priorities for CBRN survival, rapid acquisition initiatives, development considerations for survivability, mission critical concerns, and future survivability considerations.

In this webinar, Chief Warrant Officer 3 US Marine Corps (Retired) Kerry O’Connell, Senior Training Manager, CBRNE/HAZMAT at the Guardian Centers of Georgia, provides an overview of the science and technology used in radiation detection and response. The presentation will start with an overview of basic radiation terminology, types of meters, and types of ionizing radiation before covering decontamination principles, techniques, and radiation dose understanding.

In this video podcast, CWO3, US Marine Corps (Retired) Kerry O’Connell interviews George Baade, Hazardous Materials (HAZMAT) Specialist with the Fire Department New York (FDNY).  The conversation centers on radiation detection and response in New York City (NYC), with a spotlight on the types of HAZMAT threats that the FDNY most commonly responds to, some of the challenges of HAZMAT response in NYC, and the tools and technologies most useful to FDNY HAZMAT Specialists.

This webinar features research and details of the RTM Protocol, a new and promising treatment for post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) that requires no drugs and is completed in less than three sessions totaling five hours. Developed by the Research and Recognition Project, the protocol has been rigorously tested under strict scientific standards. Over 90% of the 160 veterans in the studies finished treatment with measured loss of their PTSD diagnosis, nightmares, flashbacks, and directly related emotional symptoms.

Responding to today's nuclear threat environment requires a commitment to developing technologies that enable effective deterrence, detection, survivability, and dominance in the nuclear domain. This presentation provides an overview of the evolving mission of the Defense Threat Reduction Agency (DTRA) in nuclear technology research and development. The current nuclear threat environment and DTRA's resulting top priorities will be discussed. The presentation will also review relevant new technologies and their applications to the warfighter.

This webinar will cover the Information Analysis Center program and the capabilities and mission of the Homeland Defense and Security Information Analysis Center. It will include and overview of Information Analysis Center activities, core functions, research and analysis capabilities, and a description of the services and products produced by the Homeland Defense and Security Information Analysis Center.