The Future of Nuclear Security

The programs and practices in nuclear security have greatly matured over the decades since the nuclear program gained traction in the mid-20th century. This progress has made the nuclear industry arguably the most secure infrastructure sector in any nation, worldwide. Most of the improvements have been driven by lessons learned, and accomplished by layering new systems upon the old ones. And that layering is precisely the problem; it has forestalled a clean, fresh look at where we are, how we got here, and where we're going. This paper addresses how a security system might be designed if layering was not the first choice and if opportunities were presented to introduce more advanced security technologies for the protection of nuclear facilities. It also addresses programmatic changes that would make nuclear security more efficient, more effective, more adaptive to new plant designs, and less costly. (author)