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New Video Narrated by Rose Gottemoeller Spotlights “CATALINK”: A Critical Blueprint for Secure, Multilateral Crisis Communications

Blog

New Video Narrated by Rose Gottemoeller Spotlights “CATALINK”: A Critical Blueprint for Secure, Multilateral Crisis Communications

Narrated by Rose Gottemoeller, former NATO Deputy Secretary General and U.S. Undersecretary of State for Arms Control and International Security, a new three-minute animated film live today introduces CATALINK. This groundbreaking initiative is a blueprint for a dedicated, last-resort communication system designed to be the ultimate backstop to prevent or cease nuclear war.
arms race, CATALINK, crisis communications, hotlines, mesh network, nuclear, Puck, risk reduction
December 17, 2025
Foreign Policy: Trump’s Vagueness Over Nuclear Testing Could Fuel an Arms Race

In the News, Op-ed

Foreign Policy: Trump’s Vagueness Over Nuclear Testing Could Fuel an Arms Race

The delicate balance of nuclear deterrence relies on clarity. But what happens when a major power embraces ambiguity on a core issue like weapons testing? IST Senior Policy Advisor Sahil V. Shah calls for clarification in a new op-ed in Foreign Policy.
arms race, deterrence, nuclear, nuclear weapons, strategic stability, testing
October 31, 2025
Here’s the Big Deal Trump and Putin Could Actually Reach in Alaska

Op-ed

Here’s the Big Deal Trump and Putin Could Actually Reach in Alaska

The meeting of Presidents Trump and Putin in Alaska this week presents a rare and urgent opening for both leaders to make tangible progress on nuclear arms control, IST Senior Policy Advisor Sahil V. Shah and co-author IMEMO RAS research fellow Dmitry Stefanovich argue in Politico. 
arms race, CATALINK, crisis communication, New START Treaty, Russia
August 15, 2025
Nuclear Command, Control, and Communications Systems of the People’s Republic of China

Report

Nuclear Command, Control, and Communications Systems of the People’s Republic of China

Fiona Cunningham describes the origins of China’s NC3 system and its primary role in supporting China’s land-based missile force. She outlines recent developments including mobility, “informatization” and automation of parts of the NC3 system, pending deployment of nuclear missile submarines, early warning systems, evolving organizational structure, and cultural factors that shape China’s NC3 system and its orientation towards negative versus positive control.
arms race, China, crisis instability, emergency, escalation, modernization, NC3, nuclear, red line, stability
July 18, 2019
NC3 and Crisis Instability: Growing Dangers in the 21st Century

Report

NC3 and Crisis Instability: Growing Dangers in the 21st Century

Daryl Press focuses on the growing threats to nuclear command and control and communication (NC3) systems around the world and the links between vulnerable NC3 and strategic instability due to the risky steps that nuclear weapons states may adopt to protect their arsenals during crises or wars.
accident, accuracy revolution, air defense, alert level, arms race, artificial intelligence, cold war, conventional weapon, crisis instability, data, decision-making, deterrence, escalation, force planning, modernization, NATO, NC3, nuclear, preemptive strike, stability, survivability
October 17, 2019
AI and Human Decision Making: AI and the Battlefield

Report

AI and Human Decision Making: AI and the Battlefield

As the 21st-century geopolitical balance shifts in uncertain ways, there is an increasing eagerness to deploy AI tech into both the physical and digital battlefields to gain both tactical and strategic advantage over adversaries. Based on workshops with IST and the Center for Global Security Research, "AI and Human Decision-Making" considers the implications of AI and ML for the physical and digital battlefield.
algorithms, arms race, artificial intelligence, black box, decision-making, fog of war, military, wargaming
November 28, 2018
AI and the Military: Forever Altering Strategic Stability

AAR, Report

AI and the Military: Forever Altering Strategic Stability

IST and the Center for Global Security Research in 2018 convened workshops to explore the role of AI in 21st century security context. Should we be concerned about an “AI arms race”? What are the risks of unintended consequences and strategic surprise driven by AI?
arms race, artificial intelligence, drone, electromagnetic pulse, machine learning, national security, strategic stability
February 13, 2019