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Nuclear Weapons Enterprise Support

research, Wargaming & Tools 

Thinking through the unthinkable

The world has entered a new multi-polar environment requiring strategic and operational understanding of the implications of 21st-century competition with nuclear-armed great powers and research that supports decisive victory should competition erupt into conflict.

The National Strategic Research Institute and the University of Nebraska are proud partners in these efforts.

Our institute aims to help:

  • Strengthen U.S. nuclear deterrence
  • Advance thought regarding U.S. nuclear posture
  • Mitigate the effects of foreign nuclear capabilities and intentions

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Innovative Capabilities

Deep Expertise

Deterrence

NSRI has delivered important contributions to military and civilian leaders working toward decisive deterrence. Our efforts include:

  • Nuclear education
  • Escalation dynamics research
  • Tabletop exercises
  • Decision support tools
  • High-performance materials research
  • Advanced manufacturing of components
  • Conceptual nuclear weapon design
  • Survivability of forces
  • NC3 research
  • Deterrence policy requirements

Defense

NSRI helps to strengthen nuclear security by conducting research for U.S. government agencies in the areas of:

  • Weapon and material security
  • Proliferation technology detection
  • Nuclear nonproliferation

Additional research in the area of nuclear counterterrorism includes:

  • Detection of special nuclear material
  • Radiological material characterization
  • Rapidly deployable nuclear sensors
  • Hazard modeling research
  • Medical countermeasure research in cases of radiological exposure

Diplomacy

Though the geopolitical environment for diplomacy has been unfavorable recently, arms control remains an essential tool for the U.S. to reduce nuclear risks to itself and its allies and partners.

To support our customers and sponsors, NSRI and the University of Nebraska research diplomatic and foreign engagement options in all areas of nuclear arms control, nonproliferation and verification.

Leading Capabilities

NSRI, with research faculty at the University of Nebraska, is poised to support the top national priority of nuclear deterrence and risk reduction through a range of research areas.

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Academic Wargaming Center

  • Academic-focused exploration of wargaming as a learning tool
  • Participants can test theories about complex, real world problems
  • Enables creativity with no pre-defined, “textbook” solutions
  • Failure is allowed (and encouraged) to gain insights
  • Provides an experiential leadership and group dynamics laboratory
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Arms Control and Nonpoliferation

  • Treaty monitoring technology R&D
  • Arms control policy research
  • Nonproliferation threat analysis
  • Nuclear nonproliferation detection R&D
  • Treaty break-away potential
  • Relevant net assessments to support future diplomatic efforts
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Weapons Policy

  • Foreign threat analysis
  • Deterrence, assurance requirements
  • Conceptual weapon design
  • Strategic materials production
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Consequence Management

  • Precision nuclear forensics
  • Nuclear detection technologies
  • Hazard modeling
  • Disaster mitigation research
  • Radiological decontamination and medical countermeasures
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Enterprise Support Technologies

  • NC3 technology R&D
  • NC3 concepts and architecture
  • High-performance non-nuclear materials research
  • Non-nuclear component advanced manufacturing research
  • Nuclear security, certification research

Conflict Deterrence and Escalation Dynamics

  • Table top exercises
  • Nuclear conflict wargames
  • Escalation dynamics model development
  • Decision support tools
  • Nuclear deterrence education
  • Operational, tactical planning support
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Papers

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Team Leaders

NSRI's efforts in the research focus area of nuclear weapons enterprise support are led and executed by an experienced team former military and civilian leaders. In total, the team combines for several decades of experience supporting U.S. nuclear deterrence and defense mission objectives.
We look forward to supporting your goals.
Chris Yeaw

Christopher Yeaw, Ph.D.

Research Director for Nuclear Programs

Dr. Yeaw is a preeminent nuclear weapons and defense diplomacy expert, holding prestigious roles throughout the U.S. nuclear enterprise and leading NSRI's contingent of nuclear researchers through the evolving missions of USSTRATCOM and its partners.
Patrick Rhoads

Patrick Rhoads

Associate Director for Nuclear Enterprise Support

Rhoads helps direct NSRI's nuclear enterprise support program. While NSRI directly supports its sponsor, U.S. Strategic Command, its efforts in nuclear enterprise are broader than STRATCOM.

Adam Carlstrom

Adam Carlstrom

Director of Strategic Mission Systems

In his role, Carlstrom represents NSRI and NU with U.S. Strategic Command, the sponsor of NSRI’s University Affiliated Research Center status, designated by the DOD.

Work With NSRI

As USSTRATCOM’s University Affiliated Research Center (UARC), the National Strategic Research Institute at the University of Nebraska provides an invaluable understanding of strategic deterrence and CBRNE-related requirements gaps. Our Institute’s rapid-response capabilities can help meet your research and solutions needs. Connect with us to find out what we can accomplish together.

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