Combating Proliferation of Weapons of Mass Destruction

diplomacy and various forms of cooperation including, but not limited to militarycooperation.Recommendation 5.7: The Secretary of Defense should establish an AssistantSecretary of Defense for Combating Proliferation/Acquisition to be responsible fortechnology acquisition programs bearing on combating proliferation.Reporting to the Under Secretary for Acquisition and Technology, the Assistant Secretaryof Defense for Combating Proliferation/Acquisition would be dual-hatted as the Director ofthe Defense Threat Reduction Agency and responsible for:• Developing a comprehensive architecture for technology and capability to combat theproliferation of weapons of mass destruction and their delivery systems. In carryingout this responsibility, the Assistant Secretary of Defense for Combating Proliferation/Acquisition would make use of the analytic strength of the Defense Threat ReductionAgency’s Advanced Systems Concept Office;• Ensuring the DoD plans and programs are consistent with national policy andcomplement government-wide technology acquisition plans, as outlined by theNational Director for Combating Proliferation and the Combating ProliferationCouncil;• Providing guidance and direction to a senior scientific deputy charged with developinga coordinated research and development (R&D) program to combat proliferation,including Advanced Technology Demonstrations and Advanced Concept TechnologyDemonstrations, and related R&D conducted by the Services, the Defense AdvancedResearch Projects Agency, and the Defense Threat Reduction Agency;• Overseeing an office, led by a two-star general, to assure the continued viability of theUnited States nuclear forces. This office should have responsibility for nuclear andradiological defense acquisition programs, including technical matters, the need forpersonnel with a knowledge of nuclear weapons, and the safety and security ofweapons; and• Replacing much of the Army-led chemical-biological defense committee structurewith an office, led by a two-star general, responsible for planning, coordinating, andprogramming resources. This office would take principal responsibility in DoD foroversight of all chemical and biological development and acquisition programs.60