Not More, But More Assured: Optimizing US Nuclear Posture/ Douglas Barrie and Timothy Wright
Material type:
TextPublication details: 2024Subject(s): Online resources:
In:
Survival Global Politics and Strategy, Volume 66, Number 4, , August - September 2024, Page 7-28Summary:
US modernisation plans
Inflated concerns?
Quantity or quality?
Assured delivery
Additional information
Footnotes
Full Article Figures & data Citations Metrics Reprints & Permissions View PDF(open in a new window)View EPUB(open in a new window)
Share
Back to Top
Abstract
The Congressional Commission on the Strategic Posture of the United States has urged Washington to adopt new measures to maintain a credible nuclear deterrent against Russia and China in a deteriorating security environment. Any effort by the United States to match its two nuclear peers warhead for warhead, delivery system for delivery system, would be costly folly, potentially reprising the Cold War arms race. A qualitative rather than quantitative response may well be more effective. Developing nuclear-capable hypersonic glide vehicles and cruise missiles, though challenging, would improve Washington’s ability to shape an opponent’s decision calculus and reduce its capacity to pursue deterrence by denial. These systems would also enhance the United States’ ability to hold at risk multiple high-value, well-defended targets and reinforce planners’ confidence in retaliatory strikes. Finally, a qualitative focus would enable the US to argue more credibly for quantitative limitations at levels similar to or lower than those existing today.
| Item type | Current library | Call number | Status | Date due | Barcode | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Journal Article | Mindef Library & Info Centre Journals | US Nuclear Posture (Browse shelf(Opens below)) | Not for loan |
Browsing Mindef Library & Info Centre shelves, Shelving location: Journals Close shelf browser (Hides shelf browser)
US modernisation plans
Inflated concerns?
Quantity or quality?
Assured delivery
Additional information
Footnotes
Full Article Figures & data Citations Metrics Reprints & Permissions View PDF(open in a new window)View EPUB(open in a new window)
Share
Back to Top
Abstract
The Congressional Commission on the Strategic Posture of the United States has urged Washington to adopt new measures to maintain a credible nuclear deterrent against Russia and China in a deteriorating security environment. Any effort by the United States to match its two nuclear peers warhead for warhead, delivery system for delivery system, would be costly folly, potentially reprising the Cold War arms race. A qualitative rather than quantitative response may well be more effective. Developing nuclear-capable hypersonic glide vehicles and cruise missiles, though challenging, would improve Washington’s ability to shape an opponent’s decision calculus and reduce its capacity to pursue deterrence by denial. These systems would also enhance the United States’ ability to hold at risk multiple high-value, well-defended targets and reinforce planners’ confidence in retaliatory strikes. Finally, a qualitative focus would enable the US to argue more credibly for quantitative limitations at levels similar to or lower than those existing today.
US, NUCLEAR, CHINA, STRATEGIC
There are no comments on this title.