Verifying Nuclear Disarmament – A Role for AWE Aldermaston

Tom Milne and Henrietta Wilson, Verifying Nuclear Disarmament: A Role for AWE Aldermaston, a report from the British Pugwash Group with an introduction from Professor Jack Harris FRS, Sir Martin Rees FRS and Sir Joseph Rotblat FRS.

A PDF of the report is here

Contents, with page number

  • Introduction 1
  • The Changing Circumstances of the Atomic Weapons Establishment 7
  • Potential Technical Contributions from the UK to Nuclear Arms Control, Non-proliferation and Disarmament 12
  • Verifying Nuclear Disarmament 12
  • Historical Role of the US Nuclear Weapons Laboratories and AWE Aldermaston in Nuclear Arms Control, Non-Proliferation and Disarmament 15
  • Current and Prospective R&D on Nuclear Arms Control, Non-Proliferation and Disarmament 19
  • Engaging AWE Scientists in Disarmament Work: Practical Issues 33
  • Why Aldermaston? 33
  • From Weapons Development to Arms Control and Disarmament 35
  • Making Arms Control and Disarmament Work at AWE Accountable 37
  • Potential Scale of Arms Control and Disarmament Work at AWE 38
  • An Independent Centre of Expertise on Verifying Nuclear Disarmament 40
  • The UK’s Past Contributions to International Arms Control and Disarmament: Case Studies 43
  • The UK’s Contribution to Monitoring Nuclear Test Explosions 43
  • The UK’s Contribution to Chemical and Biological Warfare Disarmament 46
  • The UK’s Contribution to Monitoring the Destruction of Iraq’s Weapons of Mass Destruction 52
  • Factors That Have Enabled the UK to Contribute to International Arms Control and Disarmament 56
  • Technical Knowledge – Role of National Laboratories 56
  • Political Commitment 59
  • The UK’s Negotiating Role 60
  • The UK’s International Political Context 61
  • Conclusions 62