The experiment follows U.S. allegations that China carried out a secret decoupled nuclear test in June 2020 to avoid detection while advocating for a new arms control treaty. China has dismissed these claims as unfounded and accused the U.S. of fabricating a pretext to restart its own nuclear testing program.
Wednesday, October 21, 2026
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US Tests Decoupled Nuclear Detection to Counter Secret China Blasts
Geopolitics18 days ago
The National Nuclear Security Administration used chemical high explosives and radiotracers in an underground experiment Wednesday at the Nevada National Security Site. Conducted in Area 12's "P Tunnel," the test focused on detecting "decoupled" explosions, a method that lowers the seismic signature of a blast to evade monitoring systems. The Department of Energy will use the data to refine detection algorithms and validate scientific models for identifying low yield nuclear explosions.
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