创办者，以及持久团FAS
The more that weapons of mass destruction (WMD) spread to other countries, the more likely countries will use these weapons in armed conflict or potentially lose control of them. FAS seeks to prevent the further spread of such weapons to other countries or non-state actors (see the issue area on nuclear and radiological terrorism for ways to deal with the latter threat). Many of FAS’s founding members in 1946 worked to educate the U.S. Congress about the need for appropriate controls on nuclear technologies in order to stop (at best) or limit (more practically) the proliferation of these technologies to other countries. FAS at that time called for (and won) civilian control of the newly formed Atomic Energy Commission (AEC) and argued for international control of technologies needed for making nuclear weapons (this was not achieved). (To separate the advocacy and regulatory aspects of nuclear power, the AEC was later split in the 1970s into two U.S. government agencies: the Department of Energy and the Nuclear Regulatory Commission.)
Since 1946, FAS experts have researched methods to improve controls on technologies that can be used to make nuclear, biological, and chemical weapons and have educated policymakers, the public, and the press about these methods. In general, there are two approaches to stopping or limiting the spread of WMD: nonproliferation and counter-proliferation.
防扩散方法
Nonproliferation typically involves the creation and enactment of treaties, international conventions, domestic laws, regulations, and even non-binding codes of conduct. An exemplar of this approach is the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT) of 1970. The NPT is one of the most universally adhered to treaties with all but four countries as members. Five of the members (China, France, Russia, the United Kingdom, and the United States) are defined in the NPT as nuclear weapon states while the other almost 190 member countries are defined as non-nuclear weapon states. The former states have agreed in article VI of the treaty to pursue nuclear disarmament and a treaty on general and complete disarmament while the latter have agreed in articles II and III to not acquire nuclear explosives and to maintain proper safeguards on their peaceful nuclear programs. Article IV contains the grand bargain that the nuclear capable states will aid other states in acquiring peaceful nuclear technologies. While article IV does not explicitly mention acquisition uranium enrichment and reprocessing of plutonium, many states have often interpreted this article has providing such access. The concern is that enrichment and reprocessing can be applied to make highly enriched uranium and plutonium, the essential fissile material necessary to manufacture nuclear weapons.
FAS项目上不扩散法和政策
FAS最近开始的防扩散法律和政策，这是由克里斯托弗·比德韦尔，FAS的高级研究员，律师和一名退休海军军官执导的新项目。该方案指出，大规模杀伤性武器制作工作防扩散达到预期的目的，需要嵌入一个法律基础，结合和互补的两个元素中的技术解决方案和政策选择的混合。既不这两种元素可以在真空中显影。其实玩两个元素交相辉映。为了让这些元素一起工作，FAS提供了一个平台，防扩散科技界可以用法律和政策界互动，想通过防扩散挑战。当前的重点领域包括：归属，出口管制，使用制裁和经济杠杆，基础设施保护和验证/支持大规模杀伤性武器扩散目标的监测。
双重用途核燃料循环和扩散的FAS的评估
如前所述，FAS自成立以来一直在了解如何更好地防止或限制和平利用核能的误操作成武器计划工作。查尔斯·弗格森，FAS总裁，一直引领FAS在这个关键领域的工作自2010年以来特别是FAS一直注重其对伊朗和东亚的工作。弗格森博士和阿里Vaez有更加有效的保障写了大量与监控伊朗核计划的。其他研究人员FAS如克里斯·比德韦尔和马克杨松最近研究和写在伊朗核问题。从2011年至2013年，弗格森博士共同主持L.戈登片状，曼斯菲尔德基金会，美国，日本核工作组，然后执行董事。弗格森博士还共同牵头，涉及日本，韩国和美国核能和防扩散专家三方倡议。FAS将继续分析和教育周围可能影响进一步扩散全球核能发展。
反扩散的方法
虽然防扩散方法已在，由于不扩散核武器条约的制定只有少数国家开发核武器的非常成功，这些方法是不够的。反扩散方法旨在制止大规模杀伤性武器或材料的转让和专有技术，使大规模杀伤性武器，击落与大规模杀伤性武器武装的导弹，甚至采用武力，以防止使用大规模毁灭性武器。
FAS分析导弹防御
For instance, FAS experts have investigated the benefits and risks of missile defense in countering threats of missiles armed with WMD. Presently, Charles Ferguson and Bruce MacDonald, an adjunct senior fellow, are examining the strategic implications of a possible Chinese development and deployment of missile defense. In recent years, FAS has sponsored analytic work on the potential effects of U.S. missile defense deployment on U.S.-Russia nuclear arms control and arms reductions. Since the 1960s, FAS leaders such as Hans Bethe, Richard Garwin, and Herbert York have testified to Congress and written extensively about missile defense to further the public debate. FAS will continue to analyze and track missile defense developments especially its technological effectiveness in shooting down missiles and its effects on arms control and international security.