There were no major surprises during the United States’ first inspection of a Russian nuclear weapons facility under the terms of the New START arms reduction treaty, said James Miller, principal deputy undersecretary of defense for policy. US inspectors on April 16 concluded a visit to a Russian SS-19 ICBM base. “I can say that the inspection went about as expected. I think in an open session, given our expectations about what’s discussed in inspections, that’s about all I should say,” Miller told lawmakers during Wednesday’s hearing of the Senate Armed Services Committee’s strategic forces panel. He said the Russians are expected to conduct their first inspection of a US site soon. The two countries also have exchanged databases on their respective nuclear forces and held the first meeting of the Bilateral Consultative Commission that is responsible for resolving treaty-related issues that arise. The United States also exhibited a B-1B for the Russians in March, displaying the bomber’s conversion to a non-nuclear platform. The Russians exhibited their RS-24 road-mobile ICBM, also in March, and US officials exhibited the B-2A bomber in early April, according to Miller’s testimony. (Miller’s prepared statement)
This year’s Association of the United States Army’s annual meeting buzzed with talk of countering the rapidly evolving drone threat facing the entire U.S. military, including the Air Force. Leaders and defense industry officials discussed the need for new approaches to procurement and employment of a new class of these…
