Partners

UK participation in the Quad is led by the Ministry of Defence (MOD) and supported by the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO). The Counter Proliferation and Arms Control Centre (CPACC) brings together both government departments to leverage their combined expertise on nuclear arms control and disarmament.

MOD directs and supervises the scientific and technological support to the partnership, delivered primarily through the UK’s Atomic Weapons Establishment (AWE).

AWE is responsible for the production, management and dismantlement of UK nuclear warheads and supports wider UK national security activities such as verification research under its Nuclear Threat Reduction programme. The Nuclear Threat Reduction programme also provides technical expertise on nuclear test ban monitoring, radiation detection and nuclear forensics.

The U.S. National Nuclear Security Administration’s Office of Nuclear Verification provides leadership for the U.S. role and technical contributions to the Quad partnership. NNSA participates in, coordinates, and oversees the U.S. multilateral technical cooperation program to inform future nuclear verification research with support from technical experts at the U.S. national laboratories, plants, and sites.

The Norwegian Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MFA) provides overall direction for Norway’s participation in the Quad Nuclear Verification Partnership, as well as coordination and funding for the four Norwegian partner institutions.

Norwegian Radiation and Nuclear Safety Authority (DSA) is the national authority and expert body in matters concerning nuclear safety, security, safeguards, use of radiation, natural radiation and radioactive contamination in the environment.

Norwegian Defence Research Establishment (FFI) reports to the Ministry of Defence and is the prime institution responsible for conducting defence-related research and development in a broad range of fields in Norway.

Institute for Energy Technology (IFE) is an independent research foundation that operated Norway’s research reactors until they shut down. IFE is currently preparing for decommissioning of the nuclear installations whilst research in other fields like new materials, cancer treatment, renewable energy and low emission offshore technologies, is continued.

NORSAR is an independent research foundation specializing in seismology and seismic monitoring. NORSAR is the Norwegian Comprehensive Test Ban Treaty (CTBT) National Data Centre, and assists the Norwegian MFA in all matters related to the CTBT.

SSM – the Swedish Radiation Safety Authority contributes to the partnership through its experience in verification and the use and development of verification technologies in the field of nuclear safeguards. SSM is the responsible national authority in Sweden for nuclear safety, security, safeguards and nuclear export controls, as well as radiation protection.

The Swedish Defence Research Agency (FOI) is a government authority under the Ministry of Defence and conducts research in defence, security and safety across the full spectrum of issues.

FOI provides technical contributions to the Quad by financing through appropriation from the Ministry for Foreign Affairs.