Counterterrorism and Counterproliferation

Reducing the Terrorist Threat

The threat of nuclear proliferation and radiological terrorism is a global one. While the U.S. strives to reduce the risk of terrorists acquiring or using nuclear devices or materials, properly addressing this universal danger requires a deep understanding of the threat to innovate science, technology and policy solutions.

LLNL applies its robust technical understanding and specialized knowledge of nuclear threat devices to counterterrorism and counterproliferation challenges. From providing the U.S. government with accurate assessments of the functionality of various improvised nuclear devices (IND) configurations to developing tools and procedures for rendering an IND safe, LLNL is uniquely positioned to inform U.S. and international policy on nuclear counterterrorism and counterproliferation.

We provide technical expertise, security recommendations and standards for:

Nuclear material storage and transport
Search and detection
Nuclear incident response
Nuclear forensics

Materials Attractiveness

To prevent nuclear materials from falling into the wrong hands, we must first establish what physical, chemical, and nuclear characteristics make them desirable.

LLNL studies the basic physical properties of materials that have the potential for use in a nuclear threat device. These characterization efforts provide crucial insights that inform security policies to help reduce the “attractiveness” of nuclear materials to criminals, terrorists or other adversaries.

Emergency Response

Given the global repercussions that an act of radiological or nuclear terrorism would have, our skill set includes responding to a range of possible nuclear crises, including nuclear accidents. Our efforts focus on domestic preparedness, yet we also aim to strengthen a prompt, effective and coordinated international response. LLNL maintains readiness to rapidly assess the technical characteristics of the threat and then apply special methods and tools to neutralize or destroy any nuclear or radiological device employed. During nuclear threat scenarios, LLNL provides experienced staff to support federal agencies in resolving the situation.

Assessment Support

To reduce the risk of a terrorist acquiring or using a nuclear device or materials, we must first understand the landscape of potential nuclear threat designs. LLNL’s nuclear counterterrorism and counterproliferation program provides expertise over a wide range of Improvised Nuclear Device (IND) designs, including nuclear weapons outside of state control.

Subject matter experts in nuclear-device design work with the intelligence community to assess IND threats by defining the theoretical design space, evaluating the capabilities of potential actors, and assessing the functionality of specific device configurations.

LLNL assessors also participate in bilateral and other international exchanges to address nuclear terrorism threats with partners such as the United Kingdom and France.

Nuclear Threat Reduction