The Obama Administration intends to submit the new Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty with Russia to the Senate for its consent “in the late spring” and to seek the agreement’s ratification “by the end of the year,” Ellen Tauscher, undersecretary of state for arms control and international security, told reporters Monday in Washington, D.C. The new treaty, which President Obama announced March 26, would limit each nation to 1,550 deployed nuclear warheads and 800 total launch systems. Tauscher said the treaty language is complete, as is its protocol. But US and Russian negotiators are still hashing out the details of the treaty’s technical annexes, which cover topics like the intricacies of the pact’s verification and inspection regime. The US and Russia plan to sign the treaty in early April. Tauscher also said to expect the release of the Administration’s nuclear posture review around mid April. (Tauscher transcript)
B-52 Bombers Make Rare Landing At Civilian Airport
April 18, 2024
Two B-52s assigned to the 2nd Bomb Wing, Barksdale AFB landed at Chennault International Airport, a public airport in Lake Charles, La. on April 12 as part of the wing's Bayou Vigilance Exercise.