Why the Pentagon Says It Needs Low-Yield Nukes
The military thinks a smaller bomb is essential for deterring—and fighting—adversaries.
By Kyle Mizokami
Dec 5, 2019
The W76-2 warhead is a new, low-yield nuclear weapon
The Pentagon believes other countries—especially Russia—could use low-yield nukes early in a conflict, so it needs its own.
The W76-2 has an explosive yield of 10 kilotons, or 10,000 tons of TNT, or less.
The Pentagon reaffirmed its determination to field a new nuclear weapon designed to allow the U.S. to match Russian and Chinese nukes on the battlefield. In an interview with Seapower magazine, Undersecretary of Defense for Policy John Rood stated that the nukes are necessary to counter Russian plans to use low-yield nuclear weapons early in a conflict, frightening its enemies into a ceasefire. According to Seapower:
https://www.popularmechanics.com/military/weapons/a30123767/low-yield-nuke/
