In this episode of NucleCast, Adam and Dr. John Swegle discuss the implications of a recent missile attack in Ukraine, where an intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) was used in a conventional capacity. They delve into the specifics of the attack, the characteristics of the missile, and the potential messaging and escalation dynamics involved. The conversation also touches on the broader implications for NATO and the future of nuclear and conventional warfare.
Dr. John Swegle works as an independent consultant through the National Strategic Research Institute at the University of Nebraska on issues related to the effects of nuclear weapons and proliferation on US national security. Immediately prior to that, he was a Senior Advisory Scientist at the Savannah River National Laboratory in Aiken, South Carolina. He began his career at Sandia National Laboratories in Albuquerque, New Mexico, where he was a member of the plasma theory group, and then moved to Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, where he conducted and managed analyses of foreign technology and nuclear programs in what was then Z Division; he also worked in a nuclear design division for several years where he was introduced to the basic concepts of nuclear design and nuclear-driven electromagnetic pulse. He is a graduate of Cornell University, where he obtained an MS and PhD in applied physics with a specialty in plasma physics, and the University of Washington in Seattle, where he earned BSEE and MSEE degrees.
Chapters
00:00 Introduction to the Attack on Ukraine
03:02 Details of the Missile Attack
14:25 Implications of Using ICBMs Conventionally
15:13 Messaging and Escalation Dynamics
24:54 Wishes for Future Considerations
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