News Media Resources: DTRA Fact Sheets - Continuous Portal Monitoring Under the Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty (START)
Continuous Portal Monitoring under the Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty (START)
Continuous portal monitoring of missile assembly plants in the United States and Russia began under the terms of two arms control agreements. These agreements are the Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces (INF) Treaty and the Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty (START), signed by the United States and the Soviet Union in December 1987 and July 1991, respectively.
The beginning of transparency through Continuous Portal Monitoring under the INF Treaty
The continuous portal monitoring concept originated under the INF Treaty and established an unprecedented regime of intrusive verification measures. Under the terms of the treaty, each signatory was permitted up to 30 inspectors to perform around-the-clock monitoring of a former missile assembly or production plant on the other's national territory to verify that assembly of banned Soviet and U.S. intermediate-range missiles was not occurring.
The Russian portal monitoring site was established at Hercules Plant #1 in Magna, Utah . The plant manufactured rocket motors for the Pershing II intermediate-range missile.
The U.S. portal monitoring site was established at the Votkinsk Machine Building Plant in Votkinsk, Russia . The plant manufactured SS-20 road-mobile intermediate-range missiles. On May 31, 2001, INF portal monitoring ended at both the U.S. monitoring facility in Votkinsk, Russia, and the Russian portal monitoring facility in Magna, Utah, due to the cessation of inspection rights under the INF treaty.
Monitoring under START
The START Treaty also contains provisions for continuous portal monitoring activities at two former Soviet Union (FSU) sites and one U.S. site. The United States began START portal monitoring at Votkinsk, and Pavlograd, Ukraine, in January 1995, following the treaty's entry into force on Dec. 5, 1994. Arms control activities at Pavlograd, where SS-24 ICBMs were assembled, were short-lived. The United States and Ukraine agreed to end portal monitoring at Pavlograd, and operations ceased on May 31, 1995. Under current START Treaty provisions, Pavlograd will continue to be subject only to suspect site inspections. The START portal monitoring at Votkinsk will continue as long as the START treaty remains in force and, as long as items of continuous monitoring are assembled there.
Just as under the auspices of the INF Treaty, START portal monitoring provisions permit monitors to visually observe and physically measure all vehicles exiting the facilities. Monitors are also permitted to inspect the interior of vehicles large enough to contain an item of continuous monitoring under START. Unlike operations under INF, START does not allow for non-destructive radiographic imaging. Monitors still measure the and visually inspect each canister. Additionally, each SS-25 and SS-27 missile exiting the facility will have a unique identifier inscribed upon it which U.S. monitors will record.
The START designated portal monitoring facility in the United States was to be located at the Thiokol Corporation's Strategic Operations facility in Promontory, Utah. Thiokol was the Peacekeeper final assembly facility. A year after the United States provided notification to the Russian Federation of cessation of Peacekeeper missile production, the Russian right to establish and conduct portal monitoring in Promontory under the START treaty ended on April 27, 2001. As a result, there is not a Russian monitoring operation ongoing in the United States.
Agency role
The Defense Threat Reduction Agency (DTRA) deploys no more than 30 monitors who take part in the portal monitoring efforts at Votkinsk. These 30 monitors, comprised of DTRA and contract support personnel, operate and maintain portal monitoring equipment, and provide interpreter/translator services and logistics support. Typically, personnel serve 3-, 6- or 18-week rotations in Votkinsk before returning to the United States . DTRA monitors conduct portal monitoring at the site 24-hours a day.
Defense Threat Reduction Agency
DTRA safeguards America 's interests from weapons of mass destruction by controlling and reducing the WMD threat to the United States and its allies, and providing quality tools and services for the warfighter. This Department of Defense combat support agency is located at Fort Belvoir, Va., and operates field offices worldwide.
