The Defense Threat Reduction Agency Director (DTRA) Rebecca Hersman and Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense (DASD) for Threat Reduction and Arms Control (TRAC) Kingston Reif traveled to the Republic of Kazakhstan for key leader engagements and site visits to commemorate 30 years of nonproliferation cooperation between the Agency and Kazakhstan from Oct. 30 to Nov. 2.
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Strengthen Future Arms Control

DTRA launched the Over-the-Horizon Arms Control (OTHAC) Initiative in 2022 to envision long-term future arms control, with a focus on three to fifteen years into the future. The goals of the OTHAC Initiative include identifying risk reduction opportunities, confidence building measures, and developing innovative technical verification capabilities and operational concepts, as well as partnerships to realize these goals. Over the last year, existing arms control agreements, particularly the New START and Conventional Armed Forces in Europe treaties, have faced growing challenges. And yet, cooperative, voluntary, and transparent means to reduce threats to regional and global stability remain vital capabilities. Therefore, the agency will sustain treaty obligation capacity while accelerating its ability to anticipate and adapt for future arms control and risk reduction requirements.

DTRA will identify options for investment in projects and facilities supporting robust technical, operational, and human capital solutions addressing future verification and risk-reduction challenges and explore new lines of effort in bio-monitoring, nuclear and dual-capable systems, advanced conventional weapons, and space-related systems/ DTRA will train a qualified and adaptable cadre of inspectors, linguists, and related specialists to support future arms control requirements by realigning human and financial resources and emphasizing collaboration with U.S. and international partners. Essential collaborations with the National Nuclear Security Administration, the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy, and the U.S. Department of State will grow in importance and must be institutionalized into persisting relationships. We will also work with allies, partner nations, and international organizations to develop new tools and concepts, including an Arms Control Center of Excellence, certification training and exercises for inspection activities, and a pilot project designed to identify and evaluate verification requirements and standards for conventional capabilities that could be the subject of future arms control agreements. As this initiative transitions into an enduring agency capability, its commitment to addressing new challenges, such as the ongoing deterioration of Cold War and post-Cold War arms control frameworks, remains unwavering.