In 1996, Russia signed the Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban Treaty, ratifying it in 2000, while the United States rejected the CTBT and signed, ratified and has been observing only the 1963 Treaty Banning Nuclear Weapon Tests in the Atmosphere, in Outer Space and Under Water.

Legally the United States has its hands free and may conduct tests underground, although it has been observing a moratorium since 1992, as U.S. Defense Secretary Robert Gates has noted, and he is absolutely right.

But naturally, the U.S. government has never stopped developing new types of nuclear weapons, as the American press has repeatedly reported and American scientists and designers are saying.

For example, they are developing low-yield battlefield nuclear weapons. Such shells or aviation bombs can be used to penetrate and destroy underground command bunkers and factories producing nuclear arms.

Russia's former Defense Minister Sergei Ivanov also said that the United States is doing such research. On July 14, 2004, making a report at the International Institute for Strategic Studies in London, he said: "We are not indifferent to American programs on the smallest nuclear weapons. Every new type of armament adds new elements to the general picture of global stability. We must take them into account in our military planning."

The only reason such munitions have not yet been adopted into the U.S. military and why Gates is insisting on a resumption of nuclear tests is that the U.S. Congress keeps refusing to allocate money for these purposes, justly believing the American military has enough nuclear weapons as it is, and that these weapons continue to play their restraining role. Nevertheless, the U.S. military brass still makes its case for securing more money for production.

It is not as simple with nuclear ammunition, as it may seem at first glance. Research and development goes on both in the United States and Russia, although no publicity is given to it for understandable reasons. Nevertheless, some details leaked to the press confirm the old truism that science cannot be stopped, in any field, including the development of weapons of deterrence.

On Oct. 22, when conducting its last test at Baikonur in the former Soviet republic of Kazakhstan in Central Asia, Russia launched an RS-18 Stilet strategic missile UR-100NUTTKh (NATO designation SS-19), causing the media to highlight a new Russian intercontinental ballistic missile, the RS-24, with multiple individually targetable warheads.

According to Col. Gen. Nikolai Solovtsov, the commander of Russia's Strategic Missile Forces, this intercontinental ballistic missile is to enter service in December 2009.

The new missile, news agencies report, can carry between six and 10 warheads with yields ranging from 150 kilotons to 300 kilotons. Considering that the lowest yield of other Russian intercontinental ballistic missiles already in service is 750 kilotons, it can be concluded that such low-yield warheads are the latest design product of Russian scientists and engineers. A product achieved without full-scale nuclear tests, because such tests are impossible to keep under wraps in principle.

Russians dare to challenge Gates and say that the United States has not ceased developing new nuclear munitions either. Today, with sophisticated computer hardware and software, a so-called subcritical experiment that can check the reliability and safety of storage and operation of a nuclear device, while keeping within CTBT limits, is no problem for highly developed countries. American scientists know this technology well. By its means they can prove that existing munitions meet their required performance characteristics and can conduct other research and development work. Real-life tests and actual explosions are unnecessary.

But why Gates has brought up this subject again is anybody's guess. Perhaps now that the administration is changing in Washington, the Pentagon chief is anxious to tell a new president that he could be useful.

(Nikita Petrov is a Russian military commentator. This article is reprinted by permission of the RIA Novosti news agency. The opinions expressed in this article are the author's and do not necessarily represent those of RIA Novosti.)

(United Press International's "Outside View" commentaries are written by outside contributors who specialize in a variety of important issues. The views expressed do not necessarily reflect those of United Press International. In the interests of creating an open forum, original submissions are invited.)

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