Highlights of the Quad Multilateral Nuclear Arms Control Research Initiative LETTERPRESS Simulation

Volume: 58, June 2019, pages 63-70,

Authors: Jacob Benz¹, Keir Allen², Goran af Ekenstam³, Styrkaar Hutsveit⁴

¹_{Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (PNNL),} ²_{UK Atomic Weapons Establishment (AWE),} ³_{Swedish Radiation Safety Authority,} ⁴_{Norwegian Radiation and Nuclear Safety Authority}

Abstract:The US, UK, Sweden and Norway have formed the Quad Nuclear Verification Partnership and have been working together as the ‘Quad’ to ensure non-nuclear weapon states (NNWS) and nuclear weapon states (NWS) collaborate to overcome the challenge of nuclear arms control verification. The Quad aims to complement and inform the work of other multinational initiatives such as the International Partnership for Nuclear Disarmament Verification (IPNDV). The initial engagement of the Quad was the development and execution of a role-playing, in-field verification simulation, named LETTERPRESS. A benefit of roleplaying events is the capacity they have to allow researchers to engage critically with a challenge from multiple perspectives. This paper will introduce LETTERPRESS and the process the Quad followed to develop and execute the multilateral simulation. The paper will highlight the in-play objectives of the verification regime, the site hosting the on-site inspection, and the verification technologies and their roles with respect to the objectives. The paper will include lessons learned from LETTERPRESS and their contribution to a successful monitoring result. The paper will conclude by highlighting the in-play success of a multilateral verification body and the ability of both NNWS and NWS to contribute to the verification process within LETTERPRESS.

Keywords: Quad, LETTERPRESS, multilateral, arms control

Reference guideline:

Benz, J., Allen, K., af Ekenstam, G., Hutsveit, S. (2019). Highlights of the Quad Multilateral Nuclear Arms Control Research Initiative LETTERPRESS Simulation. ESARDA Bulletin - The International Journal of Nuclear Safeguards and Non-proliferation, 58, 63-70. https://doi.org/10.3011/ESARDA.IJNSNP.2019.8