For most of the nuclear age, enhanced strategic situational awareness has been viewed as a benefit for strategic stability. In conventional conflicts with non-nuclear adversaries, the United States has long-enjoyed information dominance in this arena. But can there be too much of a good thing? In today’s increasingly competitive security environment, the risk of conflict between nuclear-armed states is on the rise: capabilities designed to provide situational awareness for conventional conflict are increasingly comingled with nuclear weapons systems and emerging technologies promise to provide enhanced insight into adversary actions and activities. The increased speed and precision of these technologies may have a profound impact on the strategic landscape as miscalculation and unintended escalation risk transforming conventional crises into major conflicts between nuclear powers.

Please join the Project on Nuclear Issues at CSIS on February 18 for a half-day conference, “Decision-making and Technology Under the Nuclear Shadow,” that will explore how decision-makers think about strategic situational awareness, emerging technologies, and risk in crises between nuclear-armed states.  Featured experts will include Dr. Robert Jervis, Dr. Peter W. Singer, Avril Haines, and Dr. Kathleen Hicks and the discussion will cover both the theoretical aspect of decision-making in nuclear crises as well as the policy implications and recommendations for improving international security. The two panels will be followed by a reception. 

This event is made possible by support from the Carnegie Corporation of New York.