About Us – Bureau of Arms Control, Deterrence, and Stability

Core Mission

The ADS Bureau’s core missions within the U.S. Department of State concern diplomatic efforts to promote stability, reduce the risk of unintentional escalation, and prevent conflict.

ADS advances national and international security through the development, negotiation, and implementation of effectively verifiable and diligently enforced arms control and disarmament agreements and arrangements involving weapons of mass destruction and their means of delivery as well as certain conventional weapons.

The Bureau leads Department of State efforts on extended deterrence, missile defense policy, confidence- and security-building measures (CSBMs), and risk reduction.

ADS is also tasked with addressing new challenges posed by emerging domains and technologies and the changing geopolitical environment. ADS works with allies, partners, and a growing number of nontraditional partners to establish and promote norms of responsible behavior in outer space, cyberspace, and with artificial intelligence and other emerging technologies. In coordination with the Department, ADS also responds to security issues relating to biotechnology, polar regions, quantum computing, and underseas cables.

Among the Bureau’s core responsibilities are those ensuring that appropriate verification requirements and capabilities are fully considered and properly integrated throughout the development, negotiation, and implementation of arms control, nonproliferation and disarmament agreements and commitments. ADS reports on States’ compliance with arms control and nonproliferation obligations, works on efforts to address compliance concerns, and supports technological solutions to enhance verification of arms control agreements and commitments. Additionally, the Bureau is the principal policy community representative to the Intelligence Community with regard to verification and compliance matters and ensures that verification requirements are met.

ADS hosts the National and Nuclear Risk Reduction Center (NNRRC), which has the USG-wide mission of reducing the risk of armed conflict that could arise from misunderstandings or miscalculations through developing secure communications networks. The NNRRC provides 24/7/365 secure communications linkages with over 50 international partners on issues ranging from nuclear and conventional arms control, ballistic missile launch notifications, chemical weapons destruction, and international cyber incidents.