Counter-proliferation

Counter-proliferation refers to diplomatic, intelligence, and military efforts to combat the proliferation of weapons, including both conventional weapons and weapons of mass destruction. Arms control is a related term.

Weapons of mass destruction

Weapons of mass destruction
By type
Biological, Chemical, Nuclear, Radiological
By country
Albania Algeria Argentina Australia Brazil Bulgaria Burma Canada China France Germany India Iran Iraq Israel Japan Libya Mexico Netherlands North Korea Pakistan Poland Romania Russia Saudi Arabia South Africa Sweden Syria Taiwan (ROC) Ukraine United Kingdom United States
Proliferation
Biological, Chemical, Nuclear, Missiles
Treaties
List of treaties
Book · Category
v · d · e

Nuclear

Main articles: Nuclear weapon and Radiological weapon

See also: Chernobyl disaster and Goiânia accident

Biological

Main article: Biological weapon

Chemical

Main article: Chemical weapon

Industrial accidents, such as the Bhopal disaster, Halifax Explosion, Texas City Disaster, and Oppau explosion have caused mass casualties.

See also: Chlorine, chloramine, phosgene, and hydrogen cyanide

See also: Nerve agent, Cholinesterase inhibitor, and Diisopropyl fluorophosphate

See also: Chemical Weapons Convention and Materials MASINT

Weapons delivery

Missile technology

Long-range missile technology is of greatest threat when the missiles carry weapons of mass destruction, but long-range weapons with precision guidance can be serious threats with explosive or other conventional warheads. This has been supplemented by the International Code of Conduct against Ballistic Missile Proliferation (ICOC), also known as the Hague Code of Conduct.

Technical means of verification, including space-based sensors that can scan large parts of the world, can provide early warning of long-range missile development. Space-based Staring Infrared Sensors can detect the heat of rocket launching motors. Various radars can monitor range and other characteristics, but they need to be in a place where they have line-of-sight to the missile trajectory. The United States, probably Russia, and possibly other nations have aircraft-based and ship-based sensors that can monitor such tests, but there has to be warning of potential tests so these sensors can be deployed.

Conventional weapons

See also: Expanding bullet, Incendiary device, Protocol on Blinding Laser Weapons, Fragmentation (weaponry), Convention on Certain Conventional Weapons, Land mine, Anti-personnel weapon, and Booby trap

External links

• Foreign Affairs and International Trade Canada Glossary of Terms - Global Partnership Program
• National Counterproliferation Center - Office of the Director of National Intelligence