Details
Join us for this “NIDS Research Insight” exploring the National Institute for Deterrence Studies proposed 2026 Nuclear Posture Review (NPR), which reaffirms the United States’ doctrine of Peace Through Strength and outlines a bold strategy for modernizing and expanding the U.S. nuclear deterrent. The discussion will be led by contributing authors, Curtis McGiffin, Kirk Fansher, and Dr. James Petrosky, who will share the purpose behind their work and why they believe it is critical for today’s security environment. In an era of unprecedented strategic competition, this session will examine the evolving global threat landscape—including China’s rapid arsenal growth, Russia’s treaty violations, and rogue-state nuclear ambitions—and the urgent need for a credible, flexible, and survivable deterrent.
Key Topics Include:
- The role of nuclear forces in broader U.S. deterrence and defense strategy
- Enhancing survivability and second-strike capabilities
- Reversing nuclear reductions and activating hedge capabilities
- Strengthening extended deterrence in Europe and the Indo-Pacific
- Communicating declaratory policies to deter asymmetric threats
This seminar offers a deep dive into the NPR’s strategic framework and its implications for U.S. national security. Attendees will gain insight into how the U.S. can maintain escalation dominance and reassure allies through a revitalized nuclear posture.
Speakers
Host of Huessy Seminars, Mr. Peter Huessy is President of his own defense consulting firm, Geostrategic Analysis, founded in 1981, and through 2021, Director of Strategic Deterrent Studies at the Mitchell Institute on Aerospace Studies. He was the senior defense consultant at the National Defense University Foundation for 22 years. He was the National Security Fellow at the AFPC, and Senior Defense Consultant at the Air Force Association from 2011-2016. Mr. Huessy has served as an expert defense and national security analyst for over 50 years, helping his clients cover congressional activities, arms control group efforts, nuclear armed states actions, and US administration nuclear related policy, budgets, and strategies, while monitoring budget and policy developments on nuclear deterrence, ICBM modernization, nuclear arms control, and overall nuclear modernization. He has also covered nuclear terrorism, counterterrorism, immigration, state-sponsored terrorism, missile defense, weapons of mass destruction, especially US-Israeli joint defense efforts, nuclear deterrence, arms control, proliferation, as well as tactical and strategic air, airlift, space and nuclear matters and such state and non-state actors as North Korea, China, Iran, Syria, Venezuela and Hezbollah, Hamas, and Al Qaeda. This also includes monitoring activities of think tanks, non-governmental organizations, and other US government departments, as well as projecting future actions of Congress in this area. His specialty is developing and implementing public policy campaigns to secure support for important national security objectives. And analyzing nuclear related technology and its impact on public policy, a study of which he prepared for the Aerospace Corporation in 2019.
Dr. James C. Petrosky is the President of the National Institute for Deterrence Studies (NIDS). He holds a Ph.D. and M.S. from Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute in Engineering Physics where he developed experimental techniques for the prediction of damage to electronic devices and materials. He has a substantial technical expertise in pulsed radiation effects and nuclear weapon survivability, with an emphasis on radiation effects on electronics and electromagnetic pulse. As President of NIDS, Dr. Petrosky is responsible for the overall operation, mission, and vision of the organization. His primary focus is on developing and achieving strategic objectives aligned with the NIDS mission and sponsors, and assessing and managing the manpower needs. Previously, Dr. Petrosky served at the Air Force Institute of Technology (AFIT) where he achieved the academic rank of Professor of Nuclear Engineering. At AFIT he sustained an ABET accredited Nuclear Engineering program serving the unique military and civilian advanced education requirements for the DoD. His research included multiple efforts for advanced electronics and materials survivability spanning nuclear weapon diagnostics, debris analysis, electronic and material response, and nuclear effects. He established a $1.2M materials characterization laboratory suite with unique actinide materials analysis capabilities. Dr. Petrosky has demonstrated leadership at the National level by providing expertise to 4 committees reviewing development of nuclear modernization and qualification efforts including serving 14 years as an external review committee chair. Additionally, he established and directed an AFIT level center with $2.4M in external research support for developing national security technical expertise and developing the next generation of scientists and engineers needed for the nuclear modernization effort. Dr. Petrosky has published in 103 public and 18 government classified peer-reviewed journals. He retire
Curtis McGiffin is the Vice President for Education and Co-founder of the National Institute for Deterrence Studies. His areas of expertise are deterrence theory education, grand strategy, and strategic triad operations. He also serves on the teaching faculty of the Department of Defense and Strategic Studies at Missouri State University, where he teaches graduate and doctorate courses in deterrence theory and grand strategy. Previously, he was the Associate Dean of the School of Strategic Force Studies at the Air Force Institute of Technology, where he led a robust portfolio of USAF professional continuing education programs supporting the AF nuclear enterprise. He also was the Executive Director of the Louisiana Tech Research Institute, where he designed and developed a catalog of Nuclear Command, Control, and Communications curriculum and courses for Air Force Global Strike Command’s workforce. Colonel McGiffin retired with over 26 years of experience in the USAF as an aviator, commander, staff officer, and educator, most of which was supporting the USAF’s nuclear enterprise. Prior to his retirement from active duty, Colonel McGiffin was the Associate Dean of Faculty and Assistant Professor of Strategy and Deterrence at the National War College in Washington DC. He has served on the Joint Staff, HQ AF staff, and combatant command staff, as a squadron commander, and as the senior advisor to Iraq’s military Vice Chief of Staff. He was a Master Navigator and flight instructor with 2,750 flight hours in the E-4B, EC-135, KC-135 and T-43 aircraft. He has been awarded the Defense Superior Service Medal, a Legion of Merit, and two Aerial Achievement Medals. Curtis received his MS in Strategic Intelligence from the Joint Military Intelligence College (now called the National Intelligence University) in Washington DC, and his MAS from Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University.
Col. Kirk Fansher (US Air Force, Ret.) is a Senior Fellow at the National Institute for Deterrence Studies, a graduate of the Yale School of Management, and President of Grey Wolf Advisors.
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