Maura Burns: Inside China’s Growing Nuclear Arsenal

About this episode

The episode features a discussion with Maura Burns about China's expanding nuclear arsenal and its implications for global security.

In this episode of NucleCast , host Manolis Priniotakis sits down with former CIA executive Maura Burns to unpack China’s rapidly expanding nuclear capabilities and what they mean for global strategic stability. China is undertaking an unprecedented pace of nuclear modernization—building out its arsenal, advancing delivery systems, and investing in infrastructure that signals long-term strategic ambition. As Burns explains, Beijing’s actions often speak louder than its official doctrine, raising important questions about transparency, intent, and the future of deterrence. The conversation explores the drivers behind China’s nuclear buildup, including its pursuit of a more survivable and flexible nuclear triad, as well as emerging technologies such as MIRVs, hypersonic weapons, and fractional orbital bombardment systems. Burns also examines how China’s nuclear growth could reshape arms control paradigms, challenge existing deterrence frameworks, and increase pressure on global strategic stability. Maura Burns is a transformational enterprise executive who served as Chief Operating Officer of the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA)—the agency’s third-highest position—until her…

People in this episode

Host: Manolis Priniotakis

Guest: Maura Burns

Topics covered

• China's nuclear capabilities
• global strategic stability
• nuclear modernization
• deterrence frameworks
• emerging technologies

Keywords

• nuclear arsenal
• China
• strategic stability
• deterrence
• MIRVs
• hypersonic weapons
• arms control

Mentioned in this episode

Organizations: Central Intelligence Agency

Places: China

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