{"256181":{"#nid":"256181","#data":{"type":"news","title":"Nunn School Visit to Kings Bay Sub Base to Learn About US Nuclear Deterrence Capabilities","body":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003ENaval \u003Ca href=\u0022http:\/\/www.navy.mil\/local\/subasekb\/\u0022 target=\u0022_blank\u0022\u003ESubmarine Base Kings Bay\u003C\/a\u003E is one of only two locations that are home ports for \u003Cem\u003EOhio-class\u003C\/em\u003E Trident ballistic missile submarines, which compose one third of the US nuclear deterrence \u0022triad.\u0022 Early in November, three undergraduate students, along with \u003Ca href=\u0022http:\/\/www.inta.gatech.edu\/people\/faculty\/margaret-e-kosal\u0022 target=\u0022_blank\u0022\u003EAssistant Professor Margaret E. Kosal\u003C\/a\u003E, traveled to the US Navy Base south of Savannah to participate in the \u201c\u003Ca href=\u0022http:\/\/events.r20.constantcontact.com\/register\/event?llr=udknpdeab\u0026amp;oeidk=a07e86a44paad636f4b\u0026amp;oseq=a02182hlmkcs1v\u0022 target=\u0022_blank\u0022\u003ESustaining the Triad: the Enduring Requirements of Deterrence\u003C\/a\u003E\u201d conference where they had to opportunity to meet with leaders in strategic deterrence and undersea warfare from the US DoD, UK, \u0026amp; industry and to go aboard the \u003Cem\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022http:\/\/www.public.navy.mil\/subfor\/csg10\/Boat%20Pages\/WestVirginia.aspx\u0022 target=\u0022_blank\u0022\u003EUSS West Virginia\u003C\/a\u003E \u003C\/em\u003E(SSBN 736). This unique learning event for Georgia Tech students was unclassified but not open to the general public.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003ENunn School of International Affairs undergrads Gillen Heisler, Shaudie Fassih, and Danny Thai attended seminars by notable speakers including former Ambassador Linton Brooks; US Congressional Representative Joe Courtney (D-CT); active duty 2, 3, and 4-star Generals and Admirals from the US Air Force, the US Navy, and the Royal Navy (UK); and others from the security policy community. The speakers\u2019 remarks highlighted current problems and successes of American nuclear force modernization, the long-standing US-UK cooperation in nuclear submarine modernization, the effectiveness of nuclear deterrence, and the challenges of emerging threats, as well as the relationship between the public and defense community with regard to understanding defense-military budgeting and the important role of the nuclear triad for overall national security. Other than the Nunn School delegation, the conference attendees were almost exclusively from government, industry, and community partners. Notably the Georgia Tech undergrads were by far the youngest participants, in all probability by at least a decade.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EWhen asked by what are the current approaches and thinking on means for deterring emerging technologies of concern (beyond cyber) to the U.S., outgoing US Strategic Command (\u003Ca href=\u0022http:\/\/www.stratcom.mil\/\u0022 target=\u0022_blank\u0022\u003ESTRATCOM\u003C\/a\u003E) Commander \u003Ca href=\u0022http:\/\/www.stratcom.mil\/image_library\/Events\/196\/Gen_Kehler_at_Kings_Bay\u0022 target=\u0022_blank\u0022\u003E General Robert Kehler\u003C\/a\u003E (USAF) responded that \u201csurprise is what keeps me up at night\u201d and cited current uncertainty in how to assess and address emerging and disruptive technologies. Lastly, he remarked that the US strategic advantage is in people and emphasized the example of the three young Georgia Tech students as a real example of how that advantage is manifested.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EBeyond the formal discussions, the students had the memorable and rare opportunity to go aboard an \u003Cem\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022http:\/\/www.navy.mil\/navydata\/fact_display.asp?cid=4100\u0026amp;tid=200\u0026amp;ct=4\u0022 target=\u0022_blank\u0022\u003EOhio-class\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/em\u003E \u003Ca href=\u0022http:\/\/www.lockheedmartin.com\/us\/products\/trident-ii-d5-fleet-ballistic-missile--fbm-.html\u0022 target=\u0022_blank\u0022\u003E Trident ballistic missile\u003C\/a\u003E submarine (SSBNs). Climbing down a metal ladder through the circular hatch, the students toured the submarine\u0027s operating and living areas where they asked questions of active duty Navy personnel serving on the \u003Cem\u003EUSS West Virginia\u003C\/em\u003E, including the sub\u2019s Commander. The US Navy\u2019s SSBNs, which are often referred to as \u201cBoomers,\u201d carry up to twenty-four Trident missiles and provide the nation with its most survivable and undetectable strategic deterrent.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EINTA undergrad student Gillen Heisler reflected, \u201cIt is always insightful to hear from practitioners within the international affairs community. I\u2019ve considered a career in national security, and this conference was a truly unique way to gain exposure to current affairs and issues in US security. I particularly enjoyed witnessing the concerns and statements of high-ranking military officials on the current state of nuclear modernization.\u201d The students agreed that the lessons gained from the experience augmented and enriched their understanding of the nuclear triad and deterrence overall and the challenges facing those responsible for creating, implementing, and executing geostrategic policies.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EOne example of the panoply of innovative educational experiences offered by the Nunn School to undergraduate students, the Kings Bay trip was undertaken to complement and further advanced independent research being pursued by students under the mentorship of Dr. Kosal and as part of the recently launched Georgia Tech\u003Cem\u003E Initiative on Strategy, Technology \u0026amp; the US Military\u003C\/em\u003E. Fassih is completing her third semester of as part of the Kosal research group focusing on assessing regional and global options to respond to secure nuclear facilities in the event of state collapse in Iran or DPRK and developing policy options for the US. Heisler is studying China\u0027s naval modernization and the influence of AirSea Battle on Sino-US relations. Thai\u0027s project is on the effect of military reduction on national security amidst the reduction of other deterrence means.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe event was hosted by \u003Ca href=\u0022http:\/\/www.thecamdenpartnership.org\/\u0022 target=\u0022_blank\u0022\u003EThe Camden Partnership\u003C\/a\u003E and organized by \u003Ca href=\u0022http:\/\/www.afa.org\/InformationFor\/Corporate\/HuessyBreakfastSeries\u0022 target=\u0022_blank\u0022\u003EPeter Huessy and his Congressional Breakfast Seminar Series sponsors ROA-AFA-NDIA\u003C\/a\u003E.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u0026nbsp; \u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E","summary":null,"format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":"","field_summary":"","field_summary_sentence":"","uid":"27866","created_gmt":"2013-11-20 12:55:51","changed_gmt":"2016-10-08 03:15:25","author":"Ava Roth","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","dateline":{"date":"2013-11-20T00:00:00-05:00","iso_date":"2013-11-20T00:00:00-05:00","tz":"America\/New_York"},"extras":[],"hg_media":{"256161":{"id":"256161","type":"image","title":"GEN Robert Kehler, Commander US STRATCOM (Photo: US Navy)","body":null,"created":"1449243846","gmt_created":"2015-12-04 15:44:06","changed":"1475894936","gmt_changed":"2016-10-08 02:48:56","alt":"GEN Robert Kehler, Commander US STRATCOM (Photo: US Navy)","file":{"fid":"198222","name":"gen_robert_kehler_commander_us_stratcom.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/gen_robert_kehler_commander_us_stratcom.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/tlwarc.hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/gen_robert_kehler_commander_us_stratcom.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":40620,"path_740":"http:\/\/tlwarc.hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/images\/gen_robert_kehler_commander_us_stratcom.jpg?itok=HHZpKBd1"}},"256171":{"id":"256171","type":"image","title":"Ohio-class submarine (Photo: US Navy)","body":null,"created":"1449243846","gmt_created":"2015-12-04 15:44:06","changed":"1475894936","gmt_changed":"2016-10-08 02:48:56","alt":"Ohio-class submarine (Photo: US Navy)","file":{"fid":"198223","name":"ohio-class_submarine.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/ohio-class_submarine.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/tlwarc.hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/ohio-class_submarine.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":117995,"path_740":"http:\/\/tlwarc.hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/images\/ohio-class_submarine.jpg?itok=bB0EfyLz"}}},"media_ids":["256161","256171"],"groups":[{"id":"1285","name":"Sam Nunn School of International Affairs"}],"categories":[{"id":"135","name":"Research"}],"keywords":[{"id":"11687","name":"Margaret E. Kosal"},{"id":"80471","name":"ROA-AFA-NDIA"},{"id":"167256","name":"Sam Nunn School of International Affairs"},{"id":"80481","name":"The Camden Partnership"}],"core_research_areas":[{"id":"39481","name":"National Security"}],"news_room_topics":[],"event_categories":[],"invited_audience":[],"affiliations":[],"classification":[],"areas_of_expertise":[],"news_and_recent_appearances":[],"phone":[],"contact":[],"email":["fariah@gatech.edu"],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}}}