Archive

nuclear crisis communications

Preventing and Managing Nuclear Crises in the 21st Century

April 30, 2025 12:15 pm

Preventing and Managing Nuclear Crises in the 21st Century

In a side event at the 2025 Non-Proliferation Treaty PrepCom at the United Nations, IST and the VCDNP co-hosted a panel discussion to investigate how states can more readily reduce the risks of and ultimately prevent nuclear crises and conflicts in the 21st century.

Germany, Non-Proliferation, nuclear, nuclear crisis communications, Switzerland, United Nations

April 30, 2025

The CATALINK Initiative hosts webinar with the authors of “Improving Nuclear Hotlines”

The CATALINK Initiative hosts webinar with the authors of “Improving Nuclear Hotlines”

On Thursday, July 19, the Institute for Security and Technology (IST)’s CATALINK Initiative held a virtual event with the authors of their latest report series, Improving Nuclear Hotlines: Relevance and Use Cases, to discuss the state of crisis communications in India, Pakistan, Russia, and the United States, United Kingdom, and France.

event, India, nuclear crisis communications, Pakistan, Russia

July 23, 2024

The Phone-a-Friend Option: Use Cases for a U.S.-U.K.-French Crisis Communication Channel

The Phone-a-Friend Option: Use Cases for a U.S.-U.K.-French Crisis Communication Channel

This brief outlines the case for a multilateral crisis communication channel between the heads of state of the United States, the United Kingdom, and France.

France, nuclear crisis communications, United Kingdom, United States

June 26, 2024

China: Nuclear Crisis Communications and Risk Reduction

China: Nuclear Crisis Communications and Risk Reduction

In this brief, IST's Sylvia Mishra interviewed Dr. Tong Zhao for his insights on China’s approach to crisis communications and nuclear risk reduction.

China, nuclear crisis communications, nuclear risk reduction

June 26, 2024

Use-Cases of Resilient Nuclear Crisis Communications: A View from Russia

Use-Cases of Resilient Nuclear Crisis Communications: A View from Russia

This report delves into resilient nuclear crisis communications from the Russian perspective, examines several documents and actions taken by Russia political leadership on both nuclear and non-nuclear instances of crisis communications, and concludes by stressing the importance of cooperation between leaders in Moscow and Washington:

nuclear crisis communications, nuclear risk reduction, Russia

June 26, 2024

Pakistan: Mitigating Nuclear Risks Through Crisis Communications

Pakistan: Mitigating Nuclear Risks Through Crisis Communications

This brief explores the history of crisis communications from the perspective of Pakistan, unpacks the history of nuclear crisis communications between Pakistan and India, and calls for a multilateral crisis communication mechanism in South Asia to enhance regional stability and security, noting the necessity for neutral party engagement.

nuclear crisis communications, nuclear risk reduction, Pakistan, South Asia

June 26, 2024

Resilient Nuclear Crisis Communications: India’s Experience

Resilient Nuclear Crisis Communications: India’s Experience

This short paper examines the manner in which the existing hotlines have been used in the India-Pakistan dyad. It also identifies some challenges posed to these channels and how these need to be overcome.

India, nuclear crisis communications, nuclear risk reduction, Pakistan

June 26, 2024

Effects of Electromagnetic Pulses on Communication Infrastructure: An IST Primer

Effects of Electromagnetic Pulses on Communication Infrastructure: An IST Primer

It is important to acknowledge that the blast effects of a nuclear detonation are horrific and, in such a scenario, it is right that emergency response (including communications) go first to support those people who are affected. IST’s Innovation and Catastrophic Risk team is focused on one aspect of crisis prevention and, in the worst case, response: the international prevention and de-escalation of catastrophic nuclear risk through additive communications solutions.

electromagnetic pulse, nuclear crisis communications, nuclear risk reduction

January 16, 2024

IST Launches New Crisis Communications Resilience Working Group

IST Launches New Crisis Communications Resilience Working Group

The Institute for Security and Technology (IST) is pleased to announce the establishment of the Crisis Communications Resilience Working Group, a new effort to augment nuclear risk reduction efforts and promote effective, secure, multilateral crisis communications among nuclear-armed states. The Working Group (WG) consists of scholars, academics, practitioners, and technical experts from across Europe, Asia, and North America.

emerging technologies, hotlines, NC3, nuclear crisis communications

October 11, 2023

Frequently Asked Questions about the CATALINK initiative

Frequently Asked Questions about the CATALINK initiative

What is CATALINK? What are the CATALINK components? Why is it needed? Answers to commonly asked questions about the CATALINK initiative.

hotlines, mesh network, nuclear, nuclear crisis communications, nuclear weapons, security, strategic stability

May 22, 2023

To the Point of Failure: Identifying Failure Points for Crisis Communications Systems

To the Point of Failure: Identifying Failure Points for Crisis Communications Systems

Crisis communication systems can fail in a variety of ways. To shed light on the many different failures that degrade and undermine such systems, this report identifies four categories of pathways to failure: operational failures, adversarial failures, accidental failures and institutional failures. Each category is made up of specific types of failures, investigated in further detail in the following sections of this report.

NC3, nuclear crisis communications, nuclear risk reduction, points of failure

November 30, 2022

Averting Catastrophe: Walking the Talk on Nuclear Risk Reduction and Crisis Communications

November 16, 2022 10:00 am

Averting Catastrophe: Walking the Talk on Nuclear Risk Reduction and Crisis Communications

How can states build greater transparency and predictability to prevent or manage crises when prevention fails? On November 16, 2022, IST hosted a conversation with experts to share Chinese and Russian perspectives on nuclear risks.

China, nuclear crisis communications, nuclear risk reduction, Russia

November 16, 2022

IST at the 2022 NPT Review Conference

IST at the 2022 NPT Review Conference

During the long-delayed Review Conference on the Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT RevCon) in New York this past month, the Institute for Security and Technology (IST) contributed to international efforts to reduce the risk of nuclear conflict.

CATALINK, NPT, nuclear crisis communications, nuclear risk reduction

August 31, 2022

Wake-Up Call

Wake-Up Call

In the first episode of The Fourth Leg's season 2, we discuss the need for a better communication system between nuclear powers with Philip Reiner, Peter Hayes, Eric Grosse, Rear Admiral John Gower, and Subrata Banik.

communication, complexity, crisis communications, nuclear communications, nuclear crisis communications

May 13, 2020