DESIGNING FOR THE CHANGING THREAT ENVIRONMENT

As the political and special environment :nanges throughout Europe, Central America and the Middle East, the threat environment for our nuclear community is also changing. For the past 50 years, we have postured our safeguards and security programs on Department of Energy rules and regulations that protect against predictable adversaries performing prescribed acts. DOE has also defined tiie nature and makeup of these adversary groups, from their numerical strength to the types of action they most likely would take. Classically, the threat environment is thought of as sponsored by the Soviet/Communist block and some third world national groups trained by them. This paper suggests that the threat environment should be reviewed in terms of the adversary groups, their targets and technology/equipment at their disposal. Once these items have been discussed, the paper concentrates on the conceptual design processed in keeping our nuclear communities resources and facilities protected in a cost effective, common sense approach.