Nuclear Proliferation and Arms Control Monitoring, Detection, and Verification: A National Security Priority

Robust monitoring, detection, and verification capabilities are necessary to provide decision makers with critical information regarding nuclear threats and to support deterrence and nonproliferation by uncovering efforts to clandestinely develop a nuclear capability or enhance an existing capability. The United States has significant capabilities to monitor, detect, and verify nuclear weapons and fissile material production in foreign states, but in order to address future challenges and avoid surprises, these capabilities must be strengthened and maintained through research and development and operationalization of new technologies.

Congress tasked the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine to undertake an independent review and assessment of the United States capabilities for monitoring, detection, and verification of nuclear weapons and fissile material in the fiscal year 2020 National Defense Authorization Act. The study committee released an extensive interim report in April 2021 after an initial phase of data gathering. Following an additional data-gathering period that included examining restricted information unavailable to the committee during the initial phase of the project, the committee produced a final report in January 2023. In that report, the committee reassessed the findings and recommendations made in its interim report and found them to be supported and confirmed by the additional information. This document, the public summary of the final report, reproduces the findings and recommendations from the interim report and includes the committee''s commentary regarding many of the interim report findings and recommendations after additional data gathering.