International cooperation

RFNC-VNIIEF International scientific and technical collaboration (ISTC) is closely connected with the world scientific community activities directed towards nuclear weapons nonproliferation.
RFNC-VNIIEF International scientific and technical collaboration is carried out in compliance with intergovernmental and frame agreements on international nonproliferation and nuclear weapons reduction treaties, prohibition of nuclear weapons testing and joint studies in fundamental and applied science and industrial partnership.
RFNC-VNIIEF first international contacts were made in 1990. In that time there have been signed memoranda and protocols with scientific institutions of the USA, France, China, Czech Republic and Belgium.
RFNC-VNIIEF major directions of international collaboration are:
•    high-density physics;
•    high-temperature plasma physics;
•    nuclear physics;
•    laser physics and high-power laser technology;
•    gas-dynamics and physics of explosion;
•    numerical and theoretical simulation and information technologies;
•    atomic energy safety;
•    high-clean isotopes production;
•    tritium technologies;
•    development of equipment for various scientific production needs;
•    other advanced technologies (including biomedical) and advanced materials.
RFNC-VNIIEF partners in ISTC at the moment are: International scientific institutions of IAEA and CERN, scientific foundations of China and South Korea.
RFNC-VNIIEF is a regular participant in major workshops held by IAEA and International and European physics societies.
In 2014 international collaboration within the frames of the Agreement for Physical Protection, Control and Accounting of Nuclear Materials was brought to the conclusion. Cooperation between The USA and RF started with signing of the Agreement between Russian Federation and the United States of America for safe and reliable transportation, storage and utilization of weapons and prohibition of weapons proliferation (Nanna-Lugar Program).
In February 1993 there was signed the first contract in the area of modernization of physical protection, control and accounting of nuclear materials systems between RFNC-VNIIEF and Livermore National Laboratory. The agreement for collaboration in the field of physical protection, control and accounting of nuclear materials between the government of Russian Federation and the USA government was signed on October 2, 1999. This agreement served as a background for frame (general) agreements with American national laboratories - LANL, ORNL, LLNL, PNNL.

Sizing up of collaboration in the field of physical protection, control and accounting of nuclear materials

On October 16, 2013 at the General Meeting of IAEA in Vienna S.V. Kirienko, Director General of “Rosatom” State Corporation for Atomic Energy and E. Moniz,DOE Minister signed the Agreement for collaboration in scientific studies and developments in nuclear and energy spheres. This Agreement is, first of all, aimed at collaboration in civil nuclear and energy field and at the same time it provides for non-proliferation of nuclear weapons including measures on IAEI insurance arrangements, physical protection and technologies developments.

Meeting of the Directors of the USA National Weapons laboratories and Institutes of “Rosatom” State Corporation.Sarov. 2012

On October 23-25, 2013 in the USA within the frames of the 25-th anniversary of the joint experiment at Nevada test site there was held a meeting between the leaders of the US DOE/NNSA and “Rosatom” state corporation. RFNC-VNIIEF delegation led by its director took part in this meeting. The participants discussed the results of scientific and technological collaboration and its perspectives, execution of previously agreed works and outlined future cooperation within the Agreement.The parties negotiated the program for collaboration for medium-term period.Currently, the Agreement has been suspended.

Since 1992 RFNC-VNIIEF has been collaborating with International Science and Technology Center (ISTC). During this time there have been carried out about 500 projects.Because of Russia withdrawal from “The Agreement on establishment of International Science and Technology Center” (the order of President of RF dated 11.08.2010), all works on ISTC projects realization have been completed, memorandum on termination of the last project in progress has been signed.

Yukiya Amano IAEA Director General visits exposition of the Nuclear Center at “ATOMEXPO 2013”

In 1997 RFNC-VNIIEF organized the Center for Nuclear Physics Data, incorporated into Nuclear Reaction Data Center Network, acting under the aegis of IAEA with the purpose of coordinating data acquisition, compiling and diffusion in the world community. Center for Nuclear Physics Data provides information to IAEA EXFOR international library of experimental data on a regular basis, from where RFNC-VNIIEF in its turn gets new aggregated libraries on nuclear constants of thermonuclear fusion. Since 2014 Center for Nuclear Physics Data is responsible for compilation of all experimental data on charged particles reactions obtained on the territory of Russia and countries of former Soviet Union, except for the Ukraine.
On May 20, 2015 RFNC-VNIIEF was visited by IAEA delegation led by Mr. TeroVarjoranta, IAEA Deputy Director General, Head of the Departmentof Safeguards. Russian side was presented by Grigoriy Berdennikov, RF Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary, Aleksandr Usoltsev, Director of International Collaboration Department of “Rosatom” State Corporation, etc. This visit was held in compliance with previously reached agreements and was prepared by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Russia and Permanent Mission of RF in international organizations in Vienne.

IAEA delegation led by Mr. TeroVarjoranta, IAEA Deputy Director General in RFNC-VNIIEF

During the visit there was held a meeting with RFNC-VNIIEF leaders. RFNC-VNIIEF director Valentin Kostyukov made a report “RFNC-VNIIEF – the center for national security”. Leading specialists of the institute gave presentations on directions of mutual interest. The parties discussed collaboration perspectives of RFNC-VNIIEF and IAEA on technical aspects of IAEA safeguards implementation.
One of the global scientific projects on matter fundamental properties studies, being realized in CERN, is Big Hadron Collider, development of which has incorporated more than 400 physical institutes of the world and major industrial companies. Starting from 1997, RFNC-VNIIEF has been caring out research works on development, operation and upgrading of PHOS thermal photons spectrometer (ALICE experiment). The goal of ALICE experiment is to solve one of the fundamental tasks of modern physics- to obtain knowledge of structure, origin and evolution of baryon matter of the Universe.
In fact the spectrometer in ALICE experiment has operated in nonstop mode with short-term technical breaks for support manning since October 2009 till February 2013. In February 2013 the Big Hadron Collider was stopped for maintenance and upgrading.In 2014 RFNC-VNIIEF employees performed a great amount of works on support manning, maintenance, assembly, makeready and preparation for test operation of PHOS thermal photons spectrometer, therebyproviding the spectrometer readiness for the second session of physical measurements in 2015. The spectrometer (for the first time!) composed of 4 units has been included into ALICE experiment (Big Hadron Collider ring, 53 m depth) and linked up with all life support system. 4-units spectrometer will enable qualitative leap of physical data logging during Big Hadron Collidermeasurements.
In 2015 RFNC-VNIIEF organized and conducted two international conferences:
•    XVII Khariton’sReadings;
•    The Fifth International Conference and Ninth International School for young scientists “Interaction of Hydrogen Isotopes with Structural Materials. IHISM'14”.  

Presentation of R.I. Ilkaev, RFNC-VNIIEF Director at XVII Khariton’s Readings
During the first six months of 2015 RFNC-VNIIEF participated in nine international events:
•    “International Military and Technical Conference “Army-2015”;

•    IV conference “Informational Technologies”«Information technologiesfor Defence and Industrial Complex».

In 2014 RFNC-VNIIEF exhibited its developments and technologies at 11 international exhibitions in Russia and abroad and was awarded with 6 diplomas and medals (4 gold and 2 silver medals) as well as specials prizes and certificates.

Prizes awarded at Geneva Exhibition of Inventions