Cooperative Development Between DoD & DOE, Between US & RF

The collection of Transparency Initiatives currently under consideration provides a unique opportunity for cooperation in the technology development process, both within the United States government and between the United States (US) and the Russian Federation (RF). Recognition of requirements for both the institution of high-confidence monitoring measures and the protection of sensitive and classified information has driven technology development within the Department of Defense (DoD), the Department of Energy (DOE), and RF ministries for several years now. The Department of Energy and the Department of Defense have been contributing to the research and development base for these technologies in an increasingly complementary way for some time. More recently, the development of attribute measurement and information barrier approaches has been carried out jointly between the Departments in support of a range of initiatives. Implementation planning, in concert with evolving interactions with the Russian Federation, has received attention from both Departments as well. A series of technical exchange meetings, a workshop, and the planning for a technology demonstration between US and RF technical experts has helped to build a common framework for cooperative development. A model for cooperative development has begun to emerge, oriented around demonstration and testing of equipment designed and produced in both countries. Certification of these monitoring systems for use in sensitive US and RF facilities offers further challenges that have only begun to be addressed for these initiatives.