U.S.-Russian MPC&A Lessons Learned

During the INMM Annual Meeting, the Nonproliferation and Arms Control Technical Division sponsored a special session devoted to lessons learned and brainstorming relating to the U.S.- Russian Fissile Materials Material Protection, Control and Accounting Program. Russian and U.S. speakers — representing government, project leads, Russian sites, academia, national laboratories and nongovernmental organizations — focused on particular issues they viewed as important to the program and its future. Following each presentation, there was a discussion with participation by the audience. A large cross section of individuals, mirroring the representation of the invited speakers, attended the session; many participated candidly and authoritatively. There were several major themes that emerged from the prepared remarks and the discussion, namely U.S./Russian program dynamics, implications for international nonproliferation regimes, nuclear material inventories, Russian governmental commitment, MPC&A training, and Russian nuclear materials consolidation and conversion.