Press Release of Senator Lugar Nunn-Lugar Update September 2008 Monday, October 20, 2008 U.S. Sen. Dick Lugar announced that the Nunn-Lugar Cooperative Threat Reduction program made the following progress in September 2008: ·           6 strategic nuclear warheads deactivated; ·           4 Intercontinental ballistic missiles (ICBM) destroyed; ·           6 ICBM mobile launchers destroyed; ·           1 biological monitoring station built and equipped; and ·           12 train shipments of nuclear weapons sent to safe and secure storage;   Additionally, progress was made in the construction of the chemical weapons destruction facility being built at Shchuchye, where more than 1.9 million chemical shells await destruction. While awaiting construction of the facility, Nunn-Lugar centralized the location of the chemical weapons and installed modern security technology to better protect the small, portable shells. The facility is scheduled to begin eliminating the stock pile in the near future.   In December 2000, Lugar first visited Shchuchye and demonstrated the incredible proliferation threat posed by these chemical shells. A photo of Lugar placing an 85mm shell in a briefcase is available at http://lugar.senate.gov/nunnlugar/chemical/.   The Nunn-Lugar scorecard now totals 7,298 strategic nuclear warheads deactivated, 724 intercontinental ballistic missiles (ICBMs) destroyed, 496 ICBM silos eliminated, 137 ICBM mobile launchers destroyed, 631 submarine launched ballistic missiles (SLBMs) eliminated, 456 SLBM launchers eliminated, 31 nuclear submarines capable of launching ballistic missiles destroyed, 155 bomber eliminated, 906 nuclear air-to-surface missiles (ASMs) destroyed, 194 nuclear test tunnels eliminated, 411 nuclear weapons transport train shipments secured, upgraded security at 17 nuclear weapons storage sites, and built and equipped 16 biological monitoring stations.  Perhaps most importantly, Ukraine, Kazakhstan, and Belarus are nuclear weapons free as a result of cooperative efforts under the Nunn-Lugar program. Those countries were the third, fourth and eighth largest nuclear weapons powers in the world.   Beyond nuclear, chemical and biological elimination, the Nunn-Lugar program has worked to reemploy scientists and facilities related to weapons of mass destruction in peaceful research initiatives. The International Science and Technology Centers, of which the United States is the leading sponsor, engaged 58,000 former weapons scientists in peaceful work. The International Proliferation Prevention Program has funded 750 projects involving 14,000 former weapons scientists and created some 580 new peaceful high-tech jobs.   Lugar makes annual oversight trips to Nunn-Lugar sites in the former Soviet Union and Albania. Lugar and former Sen. Sam Nunn commemorated the 15th anniversary of the Nunn-Lugar program in August 2007.   On the web: The Nunn-Lugar program: http://lugar.senate.gov/nunnlugar/ The Nunn-Lugar scorecard: http://lugar.senate.gov/nunnlugar/scorecard.html   ###