Lynn Rusten
Vice President, Global Nuclear Policy Program
Advancing Nuclear “Fail-Safe”
Strengthening “fail-safe” procedures to avoid a nuclear blunder
Challenge
The risk of nuclear weapons use—based on false warnings of attack, faulty judgment, or other miscalculation—is growing along with the potential for cyberattacks that could disrupt nuclear weapons command-and-control and early warning systems.
Action
Encourage nuclear-armed states to undertake “fail-safe” reviews of their nuclear weapons and command-and-control systems to assess and strengthen safeguards against cyber and other threats that could contribute to the unauthorized, inadvertent, or accidental use of a nuclear weapon.
Results
The United States is now conducting a congressionally mandated “fail-safe” review. NTI is working with global partners to encourage other nuclear-armed states to undertake their own reviews.
Modern technologies like cyber and artificial intelligence are introducing new risks to nuclear weapons and related systems, underscoring the need and urgency of conducting “fail-safe” reviews. The aim of such reviews should be to identify policies, procedures, and risk-reduction measures that nuclear-armed states could implement unilaterally, or possibly together in some cases, to strengthen safeguards against the unauthorized, inadvertent, or mistaken use of a nuclear weapon, including through false warning of an attack, and increase decision times for leaders.
Since early 2020, NTI Co-Founder and Co-Chair Sam Nunn and Co-Chair and CEO Ernest J. Moniz have championed NTI’s effort to encourage the U.S government to undertake such a review aimed at strengthening nuclear “fail-safe.” With the U.S. review well underway, NTI now seeks to encourage other nuclear-armed states to conduct their own unilateral reviews. NTI has partnered with the European Leadership Network and the Asia-Pacific Leadership Network to lead the effort in their respective regions.
Learn more about nuclear “fail-safe” reviews:
- Factsheet: Failsafe Review: What is it and why is it important?
- Video: “Breaking Down the Cyber-Nuclear Threat”
- Statements and articles:
- Euro-Atlantic Security Leadership Group statement on “Advancing Global Nuclear ‘Fail-Safe’” (February 2023)
- NTI Statement on the 2022 Nuclear Posture Review (October 28, 2022)
- “Biden should do more to prevent the accidental launch of nuclear weapons. Here’s How.” by Sam Nunn and Ernest J. Moniz (November 17, 2021)