October 31, 2022
Pentagon Scraps Submarine Nuclear Cruise Missile Program
The United States’ newly declassified Nuclear Posture Review and its National Defense Strategy show that the U.S. government is intent on modernizing and updating its nuclear arsenal.
by Caleb Larson Follow @calebmlarson on TwitterL
The U.S. Department of Defense has decided to ax the sea-launched nuclear cruise missile, known as the SLCM-N, instead opting to refurbish current stockpiles of nuclear weapons and rely on the Trident, a submarine-launched nuclear ballistic missile.
A fact sheet for the recently-published nuclear posture review, which outlines the United States’ nuclear capabilities, described the future of the U.S. strategic deterrence arsenal.
“The three legs of the U.S. Nuclear Triad are complementary, offering unique attributes that are mutually supporting. Given the uncertain and increasingly volatile security environment, the Nuclear Posture Review (NPR) concluded that a modern Triad possessing attributes of effectiveness, responsiveness, survivability, flexibility, and visibility remains necessary to deter strategic attack, assure allies and partners, and respond in the event of adversary attack.”
“To deter large-scale attacks, the United States will maintain a modern, resilient nuclear Triad and supporting warning and nuclear command, control, and communication (NC3) capabilities. To deter theater attacks and resist nuclear coercion, the United States will continue to field capabilities that support regional security, such as dual-capable aircraft (DCA) and low-yield nuclear systems.”
https://nationalinterest.org/blog/buzz/pentagon-scraps-submarine-nuclear-cruise-missile-program-205627
