Special Reports are longer, often more technical, documents consisting of entire articles, government statements, and other documents relevant to security and peace in Northeast Asia.
NAPSNet, Special Reports
‘ALL OPTIONS ARE ON THE TABLE’: ASSESSING THE INTERNATIONAL LEGALITY OF NUCLEAR THREATS
MONIQUE CORMIER AND ANNA HOOD JANUARY 27 2026 I. INTRODUCTION Monique Cormier and Anna Hood canvas a range of international instruments that prohibit nuclear threats and explore the extent to which they apply to threats to use nuclear weapons that nuclear armed states have issued over time. They conclude that the existing rules are piecemeal, […]
Go to the articleHOW TO ASSESS NUCLEAR ‘THREATS’ IN THE TWENTY-FIRST CENTURY
GEORGE PERKOVICH JANUARY 20 2026 I. INTRODUCTION George Perkovich argues that ‘nuclear threat’ needs to be defined with more care and nuance to enable decision makers to distinguish serious nuclear threats that demand a countervailing action from nuclear threats that are mere noise or allusion aiming to manipulate nuclear anxiety but do not pose a […]
Go to the articleB-52S IN AUSTRALIA IN 1979-1991 AND THE NUCLEAR HETERODOXY OF MALCOLM FRASER
VINCE SCAPPATURA AND RICHARD TANTER AUGUST 4, 2025 I. INTRODUCTION Vince Scappatura and Richard Tanter use previously unreported declassified CINCPAC Command Histories and Australian cabinet papers to examine the decisions by the Australian government under Prime Minister Malcolm Fraser in the early 1980s to allow the deployment of USAF B-52 Stratofortress bombers. The authors situate both Australian […]
Go to the articleWHERE WOULD WE BE WITH NUCLEAR WEAPONS WITHOUT INTERNATIONAL LAW?
WILLIAM BOOTHBY AND WOLFF HEINTSCHEL VON HEINEGG MAY 26 2025 I. INTRODUCTION In this essay, William Boothby and Wolff Heintschel von Heinegg explain that The Law on Nuclear Weapons: An International Commentary (Elgar, 2025) aims “to ensure that all those involved in nuclear weapon operations understand what their responsibilities are under international law. By this […]
Go to the articleB-2 BOMBER STRIKES IN YEMEN AND THEIR SIGNIFICANCE FOR AUSTRALIA
NOVEMBER 10 2024 VINCE SCAPPATURA I. INTRODUCTION Vince Scappatura documents the novel use of Australian territory in supporting US B-2 bombers en route and in return from strikes against Houthi targets in Yemen on October 17, and highlights the profound strategic significance of this event for the future role Australia may play in US strategic […]
Go to the articleNUCLEAR-CAPABLE B-52H STRATOFORTRESS BOMBERS: A VISUAL GUIDE TO IDENTIFICATION
VINCE SCAPPATURA AND RICHARD TANTER AUGUST 26 2024 I. INTRODUCTION Vince Scappatura and Richard Tanter use open-source information to identify US B-52 bombers that are nuclear weapons capable and may visit or be stationed at foreign airfields versus B-52s that are solely able to be armed with conventional, non-nuclear weapons. Where governments, as in […]
Go to the articleREVISITING THE COMPREHENSIVE SECURITY ROADMAP TO REDUCE THE RISK OF WAR ON THE KOREAN PENINSULA
JOHN DELURY, MORTON HALPERIN, PETER HAYES, CHUNG-IN MOON, LEON SIGAL, TOM PICKERING APRIL 19 2024 I. INTRODUCTION In this essay, the authors revisit the concept of comprehensive security in Northeast Asia as the guiding principle that should be used to reduce tension, avoid war, and re-engage on a constructive peace-making cooperative security agenda in Northeast […]
Go to the articleBEHAVIORAL ARMS CONTROL AND EAST ASIA
BEHAVIORAL ARMS CONTROL AND EAST ASIA ULRICH KÜHN AND HEATHER WILLIAMS APRIL 16 2024 I. INTRODUCTION In this essay, Ulrich Kuhn and Heather Williams suggest that a “Behavioral Arms Control” framework between China and the United States be used to reduce the risk of war by building confidence and developing bilateral arms control initiatives. Ulrich […]
Go to the articleWHAT SHOULD BE DONE? PRACTICAL POLICIES TO PREVENT NUCLEAR CATASTROPHE
VAN JACKSON MARCH 29 2024 I. INTRODUCTION This report by Van Jackson argues that Northeast Asia is the epi-center of global nuclear tension with high “nuclear precarity” due to nuclear arms racing, reliance on nuclear signally, and evolving nuclear postures. The report offers practical policy recommendations for avoiding nuclear war aimed at the governments of Japan, […]
Go to the articleNUCLEAR STRATEGY OF THE DPRK: DOCTRINE EVOLUTION AND FUTURE PROSPECTS
ANASTASIA BARANNIKOVA MARCH 15 2024 I. INTRODUCTION In this essay, Anastasia Barannikova analyses the DPRK’s hybrid nuclear weapons strategy and argues that its impressive progress was the result of clear strategic planning and a vision of the role of nuclear weapons in the DPRK’s defense strategy. Anastasia Barannikova is a Research Fellow at Laboratory for […]
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