U. S. considers it inappropriate to deploy sea-based nuclear missile
2022.10.27 11:53
U. S. considers it inappropriate to deploy sea-based nuclear missile
By Tiffany Smith
Budrigannews.com – Even though senior military officials have publicly recommended keeping the development of nuclear-armed sea-launched cruise missiles, Pentagon documents released on Thursday stated that the United States would stop making them.
President Joe Biden may be able to respond to Democratic demands to reduce the United States’ nuclear arsenal without sacrificing key components of its nuclear “triad” of nuclear-tipped ground-based intercontinental ballistic missiles, nuclear-capable bomber aircraft, and submarine-launched nuclear weapons by abandoning the submarine-launched cruise missile.
However, it is uncertain whether the efforts to repeal it will be resisted by Congress, which could be under Republican control following the elections next month.
On Thursday, the Biden administration made available three documents: the Review of Missile Defense, the Nuclear Posture Review, and the National Defense Strategy. They outlined the military’s priorities for the coming years together and emphasized Washington’s commitment to “a very high bar for nuclear employment.”
The military decided in 2018 to develop a new nuclear-armed sea-launched cruise missile in response to the Russian threat under President Donald Trump’s administration.
However, the Biden administration stated in its review that the sea-launched cruise missile program (SLCM-N) was unnecessary and would be terminated due to the availability of “means to deter limited nuclear use” by the United States.
U.S. General Mark Milley told lawmakers in April that he had not changed his mind about the SLCM and that he thought there had to be more than one option.
During a briefing, a senior U.S. defense official stated that “everyone’s voices have been heard” when asked if any military officials had suggested that the SLCM-N be canceled. The official went on to say that the program was scrapped because the missiles would not be ready until 2035 even if it had been fully funded.
The official, who spoke on condition of anonymity, stated, “As it stands right now, there is no need to develop SLCM-N.”
The W76-2 low-yield submarine-launched ballistic missile, which the Pentagon fielded in 2020 to address Russia’s potential employment of similar-scale tactical nuclear weapons — the kind that Moscow has threatened to use in Ukraine to salvage its war there — is one program that Biden is keeping from the Trump administration.
U.S. officials claim they have not observed any indications that Moscow is preparing to use nuclear weapons, despite Russian President Vladimir Putin’s statements that Russia could use nuclear weapons to defend itself.
According to the Kremlin, Putin observed exercises by Russia’s strategic nuclear forces on Wednesday.
