NucleCast

• The Honorable William Ostendorff - The Future of Warhead Modernization and Strategic Deterrence

  In this Future Series episode, Kris Osborn and Captain William Ostendorff discuss the critical aspects of nuclear deterrence, focusing on warhead modernization, technological advancements, and the importance of reliability in nuclear weapons. Captain Ostendorff shares insights from his extensive experience in the Navy and his roles in various nuclear security programs, emphasizing the complexities of today's geopolitical landscape and the need for a robust nuclear strategy. The discussion also highlights the role of digital engineering and advanced computing in enhancing weapon performance and reliability, as well as the integration of non-nuclear components in nuclear systems.Captain William Ostendorff served as Principal Deputy Administrator of the National Nuclear Security Administration from 2007 to 2009 and as a commissioner of the United States Nuclear Regulatory Commission from 2010 to 2016.Captain Ostendorff is an advisory council member for the Institute for Nuclear Power Operations, a member of the Board of Directors for Information Systems Laboratories, Chairman of the Energy Solutions Decommissioning Nuclear Safety Review Board for Three Mile Island Unit 2, Independent Manager on the Board of Global Laser Enrichment LLC and Co-Chair of the Committee of Risk of Nuclear War and Nuclear Terrorism of the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering and Medicine.He graduated the U.S. Naval Academy with a Bachelor of Science in systems engineering and was an officer in the U.S. Navy from 1976 until his retirement in 2002. During his naval career, he served as Commanding Officer of the USS Norfolk, Director of the Submarine Force Commanding Officer School, Commander of Submarine Squadron Six and finally Director of the U.S. Naval Academy Math and Science Division. He returned to the Naval Academy as Distinguished Visiting Professor of National Security from 2016 to 2021.As counsel for the House Armed Services Committee from 2003 to 2007, Captain Ostendorff was staff director of the Strategic Forces Subcommittee, with oversight responsibilities for the Department of Energy’s Atomic Energy Defense Activities and the Department of Defense’s Missile Defense, Space and Intelligence Programs which totaled more than $50 billion in the annual defense authorization bill. He also worked as Director of the Committee on Science, Engineering and Public Policy and Director of the Board on Global Science and Technology from 2009 to 2010 and research staff member for Institute for Defense Analyses from 2002 to 2003.Socials:Follow on Twitter at @NucleCastFollow on LinkedIn: https://linkedin.com/company/nuclecastpodcastSubscribe RSS Feed: https://rss.com/podcasts/nuclecast-podcast/Rate: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/nuclecast/id1644921278Email comments and topic/guest suggestions to [email protected]

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• Lt. Col. Garrett Glover: Navigating the Future of Air Force Strategy

  In this episode of NucleCast, host Adam speaks with Lieutenant Colonel Gary Glover about the evolving landscape of the Air Force, particularly in relation to nuclear force design and modernization efforts. They discuss the importance of advanced education for military officers, the implications of hypersonic weapons on nuclear command and control, and the broader national security challenges facing the United States.Lieutenant Colonel Garrett Glover is the Chief of AFGSC Futures Division, Air Force Global Strike Command, an Assistant Professor of Political Science at USAFA, and a Senior Fellow with the Institute for National Security Studies.Colonel Glover was commissioned from the United States Air Force Academy in 2009. He has held key positions within the Intercontinental Ballistic Missile community, including Instructor, Evaluator, Flight Commander, and Assistant Director of Operations. As Executive Officer for the Office of Defense Programs at the National Nuclear Security Administration, he played a pivotal role in the successful execution of a $5 billion Stockpile Stewardship Program, supporting $25 billion in nuclear sustainment initiatives. He served as a Presidential Nuclear Strike Advisor and Assistant Deputy Director of Operations at the National Military Command Center, translating presidential intent into nuclear strike options and leading a joint inter-agency team focused on both nuclear and conventional global military operations. In this role he oversaw the execution of the National Military Command System on behalf of the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs. Additionally, he served as Executive Assistant to the Deputy Director for Nuclear and Homeland Defense Operations (J-36) on the Joint Staff at the Pentagon. He spent a year as a DoD Nuclear Technical Lab Fellow at Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, CA. Prior to his current position, he served as the Chief Nuclear Strategist of Headquarters, Air Force Global Strike Command.Chapters00:00 Introduction to Global Strike Command and Force Design07:29 The Importance of Advanced Education for Officers15:23 Hypersonics and Nuclear Command Control25:50 Wishes for National Security and EducationSocials:Follow on Twitter at @NucleCastFollow on LinkedIn: https://linkedin.com/company/nuclecastpodcastSubscribe RSS Feed: https://rss.com/podcasts/nuclecast-podcast/Rate: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/nuclecast/id1644921278Email comments and topic/guest suggestions to [email protected]

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• Robert Kittinger, Ph.D. - Tritium, Reactors and Nuclear Deterrence

  In this episode of NUCLECAST, host Adam Lowther engages with Dr. Robert Kittinger to discuss various aspects of nuclear policy, including the importance of tritium production, the role of small modular reactors in military applications, and the interconnectedness of nuclear energy and weapons. They explore the implications of denuclearization and the need for a dedicated supply chain for nuclear components, while also addressing the historical context of nuclear deterrence and its significance in maintaining global peace.Dr. Kittinger, is a Senior Fellow at the National Institute for Deterrence Studies (NIDS). He spent 10 years at Sandia National Laboratories, culminating in the Nuclear Threat Science department and working in Nuclear Emergency Support and Counterterrorism & Counter-Proliferation (CTCP). During his time at Sandia, he was also a 2017 graduate of the prestigious Weapon Intern Program (WIP).Before joining Sandia, Dr. Kittinger spent over five years as a civilian in the U.S. Navy and was part of a five-person tech startup, BookLamp, which was acquired by Apple in 2013. Following his tenure at Sandia, he served as a senior researcher at Amazon and currently holds the role of Chief Research Officer at a MedTech company.Chapters00:00 Introduction to NUCLECAST and Guest Introduction01:14 Presidential Address and Nuclear Policy Discussion03:40 Tritium Production and Its Importance12:10 Challenges in Nuclear Supply Chain and Future Needs13:01 Small Modular Reactors and Their Military Applications18:04 Nuclear Energy and Weapons Interconnection20:31 Denuclearization and Global Peace Perspectives28:50 Wishes for the Future of Nuclear Energy and DeterrenceSocials:Follow on Twitter at @NucleCastFollow on LinkedIn: https://linkedin.com/company/nuclecastpodcastSubscribe RSS Feed: https://rss.com/podcasts/nuclecast-podcast/Rate: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/nuclecast/id1644921278Email comments and topic/guest suggestions to [email protected]

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• James R Howe: Nuclear Deterrence, A New Era

  In this episode of NucleCast Future Series with Warrior Maven, Kris Osborn interviews James Howe on the critical issues surrounding nuclear deterrence, focusing on low yield nuclear weapons, the strategic arsenals of Russia and China, and the implications of advanced technologies in modern warfare. The conversation delves into the current state of nuclear capabilities, the risks posed by tactical nuclear weapons, and the future of strategic deterrence in a rapidly changing geopolitical landscape.Mr. James R. Howe is currently VP, Threats, Technology, and Future Requirements for Vision Centric, Inc., a SETA to US Army Rapid Capabilities and Critical Technologies Office (RCCTO). He is President of Strategic Concepts and Analysis and is also a consultant to National Security Research Institute (NSRI) (UARC to STRATCOM). Mr. Howe has over 50 years’ experience researching US/adversary strategic nuclear forces, strategic defenses, and space war issues. He was principal investigator on a study for OSD/NA to conduct open-source research into the future military utility and feasibility of space offensive warfare, and its impact on future warfare as a continuance of the revolution in military affairs. He was co-developer of the Advanced Hypersonic Weapon (AHW) concept, helped keep AHW concept sold (Now being developed and produced as the Long-Range Hypersonic Weapon).Chapters00:00 Introduction to Nuclear Deterrence03:01 Understanding Low Yield Nuclear Weapons06:05 The Russian Nuclear Arsenal and Strategy09:04 Comparative Analysis of US and Russian Tactical Weapons11:55 The Role of Advanced Technologies in Nuclear Strategy15:06 The Future of ICBMs and Strategic Deterrence17:58 China's Growing Nuclear Capabilities21:01 The Implications of Dual-Use Weapons24:12 Conclusion and Future ConsiderationsSocials:Follow on Twitter at @NucleCastFollow on LinkedIn: https://linkedin.com/company/nuclecastpodcastSubscribe RSS Feed: https://rss.com/podcasts/nuclecast-podcast/Rate: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/nuclecast/id1644921278Email comments and topic/guest suggestions to [email protected]

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• The Honorable David Trachtenberg: U.S. Missile Defense Priorities

  In this episode of NucleCast, Adam interviews Dave Trachtenberg about his report on missile defense. They discuss the need to move away from Cold War-era thinking regarding mutual vulnerability and the importance of defending the homeland against missile threats from adversaries like China and Russia. The conversation also covers the role of space in missile defense, necessary legislative changes, and future wishes for missile defense capabilities, including directed energy systems.The Honorable David J. Trachtenberg is Vice President of the National Institute for Public Policy, a nonprofit research center in Fairfax, Virginia. He was confirmed by the U.S. Senate on October 17, 2017 as Deputy Under Secretary of Defense for Policy and served in this capacity until his retirement from government service in July 2019. Until January 2018, he also served as the Acting Under Secretary of Defense for Policy, the principal civilian adviser to the Secretary of Defense on policy matters.He was also the senior Department of Defense civilian official responsible for DoD policy on civilian casualties resulting from military operations. Prior to his confirmation, Mr. Trachtenberg was President and CEO of Shortwaver Consulting, LLC. Earlier, he was a Vice President at CACI and Senior Vice President for Homeland Security at National Security Research, Inc.Prior to joining NSR, Mr. Trachtenberg was Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense for International Security Policy and Acting Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense for Forces Policy. From 1995-200, Mr. Trachtenberg was a Professional Staff Member with the House Committee on Armed Services (HASC) in Washington, D.C, serving as head of the committee's policy staff and staff lead for the HASC Special Oversight Panel on Terrorism.Mr.Trachtenberg is a two-time recipient of the Department of Defense Medal for Distinguished Public Service. He holds an A.B. in International Relations from the University of Southern California and a M.S. degree in Foreign Service from Georgetown University. He currently teaches graduate seminars in nuclear deterrence and strategy and the role of Congress in national security policy at the Fairfax, Virginia campus of Missouri State University’s Defense and Strategic Studies Program.Chapters00:00 Introduction to Missile Defense Priorities03:10 Reassessing Cold War Paradigms06:00 The Role of Space in Missile Defense08:51 Legislative Changes for Enhanced Defense11:58 Wishes for the Future of Missile DefenseSocials:Follow on Twitter at @NucleCastFollow on LinkedIn: https://linkedin.com/company/nuclecastpodcastSubscribe RSS Feed: https://rss.com/podcasts/nuclecast-podcast/Rate: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/nuclecast/id1644921278Email comments and topic/guest suggestions to [email protected]

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