The US Department of Defense has commissioned a study that would simulate the impact of a nuclear conflict on global agriculture. According to a call published earlier this week on a government procurement platform, the study would focus on the “regions beyond Eastern Europe and Western Russia,” which would serve as the epicenter of assumed nuclear weapon use in the simulation.
The project is being led by the US Army Corps of Engineers Research and Development Center (ERDC).
The announcement states that ERDC has already selected the Colorado-based company Terra Analytics, specializing in advanced data visualization and analysis, as the contractor. However, other potential contractors are also invited to share their proposals if they can provide similar services.
The announcement lists requirements for contractors, including personnel, equipment, facilities, supervision, and other elements necessary for conducting the study. Among other things, the contractor must incorporate aerial mapping into the simulation and model a scenario in which a “non-destructive nuclear event” occurs. The contract is valued at $34 million.
It is not clear from the announcement how the Pentagon intends to use the study. However, the order comes at a time when news of a possible nuclear war has intensified due to the conflict in Ukraine and the growing tensions between NATO and Russia.
Many experts have warned that direct confrontation between Russia and the US-led alliance could lead to a nuclear catastrophe. According to the Federation of American Scientists, Washington and Moscow control the world’s largest nuclear arsenals, with approximately 5000 and 5500 warheads, respectively.
The New York Times reported last month that the US government has approved a new version of its nuclear strategy. The document reportedly instructed US forces to prepare for potential coordinated nuclear clashes with Russia, China, and North Korea.
Russia has often warned that Western military support for the Ukrainian government could worsen the current conflict and escalate into a world war. Russian officials recently considered revising the country’s own nuclear doctrine to allow for preemptive nuclear strikes. However, Moscow has consistently stated that a nuclear war must never be fought.
