Projects
Reducing the role of tactical nuclear weapons in Europe
This project seeks to advance understanding of and support
for steps to reduce the role and number of tactical nuclear
weapons in Europe and Russia in the context of broader efforts
to diminish the salience of nuclear weapons in Europe. It
also looks to promote the withdrawal of all U.S. nuclear weapons
from Europe in the context of the review of NATO’s Strategic
Concept. Such a decision needs to be taken as the result of
an inclusive decision-making process that increases overall
European security and does not alienate any allies.
Activities include roundtables in key countries, publications
and outreach activities, the organization of delegations
of former and current officials to discuss key policy options,
as well as work with Parliamentarians in NATO member states.
The project is funded by the William and Flora Hewlett
Foundation and will be conducted by the IFSH in cooperation
with the Arms Control Association (ACA) and the British
American Security Information Council (BASIC).
» Details
Researcher: Dr. Oliver Meier, Anne Finger
Funding: William and Flora Hewlett Foundation
Timeframe: since March 2010
Non-Integrative Arms Control
The research project Non-Integrative Arms Control examines
which impact so called “non-integrative” approaches
have on curbing the spread of weapons of mass destruction
against the background of regime building, regime efficiency
and regime change within arms control. The project also wants
to explore how stable and effective such new approaches are.
It focuses on new developments in the arms control domain
such as the Proliferation Security Initiative to intercept
the trade with WMD, the reform of the nuclear fuel cycle within
the NPT and Resolution 1540 of the UN Security Council. IFAR
organized a workshop in January 2008 and will publish the
proceedings. An external cooperation with Prof. Christopher
Daase, LMU is planned.
Researcher: Dr. Oliver Meier
Funding: Fritz Thyssen Stiftung, Deutsche Stiftung Friedensforschung
(Workshop)
Time Period: 2005-2008
Erosion of the Non-Proliferation
Treaty
The goal of the project is to observe and analyse the activities
of new nuclear weapon states as well as countries with proliferation
relevant civilian nuclear programs. Additionally, the evolution
of the nuclear disarmament debate is examined under natural-
and social-scientific aspects. International conferences and
networks which organize the dialog between scientists, diplomats
and governmental experts is an important component of the
project, along with external cooperation with Prof. Dr. Martin
Kalinowski, ZNF and Dr. Geoffrey Forden, MIT.
Researcher: Prof. Dr. Götz Neuneck, Prof. Dr. Michael
Brzoska und Dr. Oliver Meier
Funding: IFSH
Time Period: 2005-2010
Dual-Use, Technology Transfers
and the Non-proliferation of WMD
The project aims to better understand the impact of technology
transfers on efforts to control the spread of weapons of mass
destruction. Its goal is to find out under which conditions
measures to promote and control technology transfers increase
or decrease the legitimacy of regimes to control nuclear,
chemical and biological weapons. Specifically, the project
wants to analyse policy changes after September 11, 2001 in
three separate state groupings, namely industrialised, newly
industrialised and developing countries. Results will be published
in a book and put to decision-makers in workshops.
Researcher: Prof. Dr. Götz Neuneck, Dr. Oliver Meier
Funding: Deutsche Stiftung Friedensforschung
Time Period: 2008-2010
Space Policy, Space Surveillance and Preventive
Arms Control
The project serves to monitor the developments of civil and
military space policies of the USA, Russia, China and the
implementation process of the European Space Policy (ESP).
Capabilities of existing and planned space infrastructure
is analysed against the background of technical and scientific
knowledge to be compared with political perceptions. Main
focus is given to the interests, programmes and initiatives
of national actors: UK, France, Italy and Germany. Furthermore,
European (EU and ESA) space activities and programmes of member
states are investigated with regard to their approach to arms
control. Additionally, policy recommendations are being developed
towards a more coherent European action. Part of the scientific
investigation are analysis of possible space weapons, vulnerability
of space infrastructure and improvement of space surveillance.
Studies are conducted at IFSH, the European Space Policy Institute
(ESPI) in Vienna, Brussels and Paris (ESA) as well as at the
Space Policy Institute (George Washington University, Washington
DC) and at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT,
Boston). Researcher: Prof. Dr. Götz Neuneck, Dr. Marcel
Dickow, Dipl.-Phys. Christian Alwardt
Funding: IFSH, Volkswagenstiftung, Hannover
Time Period: 2000-2009
Missile Defense and
Its Implications on Arms Control
This project aims to analyse the scientific and technical
as well as political aspects and implementation of missile
defense systems in a global and regional context. The consequences
of the introduction and deployment of such technologies
are assessed and possible arms control measures (confidence-building)
including implications for the European Arms Control Architecture
are elaborated.
Funding: Eigenmittel, z.T. Auswärtiges Amt
Time Period: 2000-2009
Researcher: Prof. Dr. Götz Neuneck, Dipl.-Phys. Christian
Alwardt, Dipl.-Phys. Jan Stupl, Hans Christian Gils
Developments in the field of Unmanned Aerial
Vehicles/Cruise Missiles
Functional principles, mission options and the proliferation
of unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) and cruise missiles are
the focus of this project. Besides the impact of these systems
on modern warfare, the use of such systems by sub-state
actors and the controlling of UAVs by arms control measures
are the subject of the analysis. The overall project offers
advisory service for the German Parliament in the assessment
of trends and implications of the increasing military use
of unmanned systems (UMS), especially unmanned aerial vehicle,
as well as of robots and other systems. The IFSH contributes
to this project by its analysis of the commercial relevance
of UMS, the prospects of civil use, as well as of the effects
and chances of arms control mechanisms. The co-operation
partners of this study are Dr. Jürgen Altman, Technical
University Dortmund, and Prof. Dr. Thilo Marauhn, University
of Gießen.
Funding: Office of Technology Assessment at the German
Parliament (TAB)
Time Period: 2003-2008
Responsible: Prof. Dr. Götz Neuneck, Prof. Dr. Michael
Brzoska, Dipl.-Phys. Christian Alwardt
The EU as an Actor in Arms Control
The European Union has formulated a number of key documents
in various fields related to peace and security in recent
years. These include statements on arms control issues,
strengthening the EU’s earlier commitment to arms
control. The project seeks to investigate aspects of the
relationship between arms control and the development of
the EU’s approach to peace and security as well as
to recommend new arms control initiatives for the organisation.
Funding: IFSH
Time period: 2007-2010
Researcher: Prof. Dr. Michael Brzoska, Prof. Dr. Götz
Neuneck, Dr. Oliver Meier
Control of Conventional
Arms
The project is dedicated to the analysis of select control
activities in the area of conventional arms, including the
Code of Conduct on Arms Transfers of the European Union,
the proposed Arms Trade Treaty and the improvement of the
effectiveness of arms embargoes. Results will be published
in academic journals (European Foreign Affairs Review, Peace
Economics und Peace Studies) and edited volumes. They are
also channeled into the consultancy of a number of organisations
(e.g. United Nations Institute for Disarmament Research,
Geneva; Small Arms Survey, Geneva, Foreign Office, Berlin).
External Cooperation with Marc Bromley, SIPRI, Sweden and
Clara Portela, European University Institute, Italy.
Funding: IFSH
Time period: 2006-2010
Researcher: Prof. Dr. Michael Brzoska
Climate Change and Security
In this project, local and regional effects of climate change
are analysed with respect to their relevance to questions
of security, including perceptions of insecurity. In addition,
issues related to the security effects of mitigation strategies
are investigated, including those related to global environmental
justice and the use of nuclear energy. The project is part
of a larger research program on integrated climate research,
conducted at the University of Hamburg (CLISAP). External
cooperation with Prof. Dr. Martin Kalinowski, ZNF, Prof.
Dr. Martin Claussen, MPI for Meteorology Hamburg, Prof.
Dr. Jürgen Oßenbrügge, Institute for Geography
and Prof. Dr. Cord Jakobeit, Institute for Political Science.
Funding: IFSH, German Research Foundation (via CLISAP)
Period: 2007-2011
Researcher: Prof. Dr. Michael Brzoska, Prof. Dr. Götz
Neuneck
Technical and Political
Implications of Airborne Laser Systems
This project is part of IFAR’s research on ballistic
missile defense. Analyzing publicly available technical
data, it investigates the working principle and technical
feasibility of the Airborne Laser and other high energy
laser projects. The effects of high energy laser radiation
on potential targets including ballistic missiles and satellites
is reviewed using a physics-based approach. The research
includes an investigation of the political and strategic
implications of the deployment of laser systems.
Funding: IFSH PhD program, Berghof Foundation
Duration: 2004 - 2008
Researcher: Dipl.-Phys. Jan Stupl
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