Scanners may not detect all nuclear weapons bound for U.S.

Flaws persist in masterminding a multi-program, $2.8 billion yearly anti- smuggling detection system to block rogue nations and terrorists from mounting a nuclear attack on the United States, the Government Accountability Office stated in a report to Congress.

Scanners installed at overseas ports to check U.S.-bound cargo for nuclear weapons and materials aren't sure to find all such contraband.

The findings were contained in testimony presented to the Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee.

While the Missile Defense Agency is well along in providing a multi- layered shield against rogue states or terrorists using nuclear-tipped missiles to mount an atomic attack on U.S. cities, the other part of the equation -- to block enemies from smuggling nukes into the United States -- isn't going well, according to the GAO report.

The GAO focused on an umbrella agency that is to coordinate multi-agency efforts to block smuggling, called the Domestic Nuclear Detection Office (DNDO), an entity within the Department of Homeland Security. DNDO was established by a presidential directive in 2005.

The goal is to prevent rogue states or terrorists from smuggling nuclear weapons into the United States, blocking those enemies before the weapons ever get near U.S. shores. For example, screening detectors are being installed at foreign ports to scan cargo containers bound for the United States to see if they contain concealed contraband weapons, before those containers are loaded onto ships bound for U.S. ports.

On the one hand, DNDO has done well to develop a global nuclear detection architecture, but the agency lacks an overarching strategic plan to help guide how it will achieve a more comprehensive architecture, GAO found.