Output 1.7: Other Non-Proliferation and Disarmament Regimes

Contribution to the development and strengthening of other weapons of mass destruction non-proliferation regimes.

Performance Measures

• Contribute to technical developments in the field of nuclear disarmament relevant to Australia's interests, in particular through the International Partnership for Nuclear Disarmament Verification.
• Support Australia's Permanent Mission to the Conference on Disarmament to advance disarmament objectives, including the UN Mandated Group of Government Experts on nuclear disarmament verification and efforts to commence the negotiation of a verifiable Fissile Material Cut-off Treaty (FMCT).
• Support other developments in the field of non-proliferation and disarmament that are relevant to Australia's interests.

Performance Assessment

International Partnership for Nuclear Disarmament Verification

Verifiable nuclear disarmament poses significant technical challenges. Success in addressing these will require the development and application of new technologies and/or concepts. ASNO alongside DFAT and ANSTO continue Australia's active contribution to the IPNDV's work to address these challenges.

The current third work-phase of IPNDV aims to build on this work through practical exercises, including scenario-based discussions and technology demonstrations to examine how concepts and other elements of a verification 'tool-kit' can be implemented. ASNO's Malcolm Coxhead co-chaired the task group examining issues from the perspective of future inspectors throughout the reporting period. Other task groups examined the perspectives of an inspected state and focus on technology issues.

Physical meetings and exercises of IPNDV partner countries re-commenced in 2022, including NuDiVe22 in Germany and JUNEX2022 in Belgium, after the long pause due to COVID-related restrictions. These in-person meetings were heavily supported by monthly virtual meetings.

NuDiVe22, a French and German co-sponsored exercise hosted at Forschungszentrum Jülich near Aachen, Germany, role-played the inspection of a nuclear warhead dismantlement. ASNO's Michael Lane and Malcolm Coxhead participated as Deputy Chief Inspector and Host State Official respectively in this immersive experience, working with advanced measurement technology including a Japanese-developed Gamma imaging camera and the US TRIS special nuclear material templating system.

JUNEX2022 was a Tabletop Exercise (TTX) of the verification of warhead transport and long-term storage, hosted at the Palais d'Egmont in Brussels, Belgium. Malcolm Coxhead co-led the inspection team using inspection procedures jointly drafted by ASNO staff with Dutch and Canadian colleagues. During the TTX, participants used computer simulation software to track the movement of the inspection teams through the passage of two separate three-day inspections.

In December 2022, Australia will host a plenary of IPNDV in Sydney. This meeting will bring together approximately 100 international experts and include demonstrations of technical verification technologies.

ASNO contributes routinely to Australia's efforts to strengthen international non-proliferation efforts by participating in a range of forums, or by providing advice and input for briefing and papers prepared by DFAT, such as papers Australia co-authors with like-minded countries to help shape and influence multilateral processes. While not progressed during the past year, ASNO remains committed to support the negotiation of a Fissile Material Cut-Off Treaty (FMCT) at the earliest possible opportunity. A verifiable global norm against fissile material production for use in nuclear explosives is still the next logical step in progressing nuclear disarmament.

Malcolm Coxhead and Michael Lane participating in radiation measurement templating of a simulated warhead using TRIS, during the NuDiVe22 exercise in Aachen, Germany. (Copyright: Forschungszentrum Jülich / Sascha Kreklau)

UN Group of Government Experts on Nuclear Disarmament Verification

In 2019, the UN General Assembly established the second Group of Government Experts (GGE) on Nuclear Disarmament Verification (NDV). The second GGE has a mandate to further consider NDV issues, including the concept of a Group of Scientific and Technical Experts, and to build upon the report of the first GGE. The GGE met for the first time in February 2022, and ASNO exports provided direct support to Australia's CD delegation. A further three meetings are scheduled before May 2023.

ASNO, in collaboration with experts from Australia, Sweden and Nigeria, developed a concept paper to be presented at the second session of the GGE in September 2022.