The Pentagon wants the Defense Science Board to tackle the question of whether the nation is able to sustain an adequate nuclear deterrent workforce. Pentagon acquisition chief Kenneth Krieg has instructed the DSB to form a task force to build upon the 1999 Chiles Commission report on maintaining nuclear weapons expertise and subsequent efforts by the Energy Department and the DSB’s own recent report covering DOD’s strategic forces skills. Krieg has appointed retired Adm. Henry Chiles as task force chairman.
The use of a military counter-drone laser on the southwest border this week—which prompted the Federal Aviation Administration to abruptly close the airspace over El Paso, Texas—will be a “case study” on the complex web of authorities needed to employ such weapons near civilian areas and the consequences of agencies…
