Why is the United States abandoning several strategic weapons systems at onceThe updated US National Defense Strategy, published on October 27, lists the country's main opponents and allies for the first time in five years.
China is named as the main strategic competitor. Russia, according to the document, poses an "acute threat", while North Korea, Iran and international terrorism have receded into the background. The strategy also outlines a commitment to maintaining the nuclear triad — aviation, sea and land nuclear weapons, as well as its continuous modernization. Which weapons the Pentagon will abandon, and which will be developed as a priority — in the material of Izvestia.
Direct and acute threats
This year, in the unclassified version of the American National Defense Strategy, a special place is given to the plans for nuclear weapons (NW) of the United States. The previous version of the document was published in 2018 under another president and in other geopolitical realities. The new strategy notes the increasing influence of China and Russia in the role of opponents of the United States.
The document notes that China has become the main strategic competitor and threat to the United States for the coming decades. It is not only competing with American democracy, but is also building up its nuclear arsenal. China is blamed for its increased activity in the Indo-Pacific region, as well as plans for large-scale modernization of the armed forces.
According to the US military, Russia poses an "acute threat" to the US and its allies in several key areas. It possesses nuclear weapons and conventional long-range cruise missiles capable of striking directly at the territory of the United States. It is also noted that our country has the capabilities to shoot down space satellites, conduct underwater operations, conduct cyber and information warfare.
DBK "Bastion" during the launch of cruise missiles
Image Source: Photo: TASS/Press Service of the Ministry of Defense of the Russian Federation
North Korea and Iran, in light of the announcement of new, more powerful opponents, have receded into the background and are less often mentioned in the new strategy. And very little space has been given to the once main enemy of the United States — international terrorism. It is claimed that the main international terrorist groups have been defeated and do not pose any particular danger.
The Strategy states that the United States has seriously reduced the number and variety of its nuclear weapons since the end of the Cold War. But the remainder will be preserved and upgraded as planned to ensure nuclear deterrence. In the event of a war with its use, it should be enough to win.
This time, the United States again did not declare the non-use of nuclear weapons first, limiting itself to the assurance that they would consider its use only in case of "extreme circumstances to protect the vital interests of the United States and its allies."
Referring to the strengthening of the nuclear potential of its new adversaries, the Pentagon reaffirmed its commitment to maintaining its own nuclear triad (aviation, sea and land nuclear weapons), as well as its constant modernization. What are the United States preparing to counter new threats until the middle of the 21st century?
Hello, weapons
The published version of the Strategy states that after a deep modernization, the B-52 strategic bombers will be kept in service at least until 2050. They will be used as an aerial platform for launching modern and promising long-range nuclear missiles, including hypersonic ones.
The B-21 Rider strategic bombers under development will completely replace today's fleet of B-2A Spirit stealth strategists. In total, at least 100 new aircraft will be purchased.
Columbia - class submarine missile carrier
Image Source: Photo: commons.wikimedia.org/U.S . Navy illustration
New nuclear munitions capable of hitting well-fortified and underground facilities will be developed for aviation. The main carrier of the B61-12 nuclear bombs will be the fifth-generation F-35A fighter. He will replace the outdated F-15E in this role.
At least 12 Columbia-class strategic missile submarines will be built for the US Navy by the early 2030s to replace today's Ohio-class submarines. The missiles will not be changed at the same time. The new boats will be equipped with the same Trident II that have been in service since the early 1990s. They will be overhauled with extended service life and equipped with upgraded W88 Alt 370 warheads with a capacity of 470 kilotons.
Ground-based mine intercontinental missiles will gradually be replaced with new ones. The Minuteman III will be replaced by Sentinel with W87-0 and W87-1 warheads. At the same time, the number of combat-ready missiles will be constantly maintained at the level of 400 units.
Cancelled rockets
For the first time, the Strategy spelled out the rejection of the most ambitious project of the time of President Donald Trump — the development of a long-range nuclear sea-based cruise missile SLCM-N for submarines. It was supposed to revive the opportunity lost after the decommissioning of the fleet of nuclear Tomahawks. But the project remained at the initial stage of development, and even according to the optimistic estimates of the US military, its completion should not have been expected before 2035.
— From the very beginning, the SLCM-N program was reproached for its senselessness, including many active US military, — military expert Dmitry Boltenkov told Izvestia. — The US Navy has hundreds of intercontinental ballistic missiles with nuclear warheads. Adding to them slow, much more vulnerable to air defense cruise missiles looked like a personal whim of the previous American president.
B61 Hydrogen Bomb
Image Source: Photo: commons.wikimedia.org/U.S . Air Force Airman 1st Class Callie Norton
It was believed that cruise missiles with a low-power warhead could be used in the event of the use of tactical nuclear weapons by the enemy, so as not to bring matters to a global nuclear confrontation. But even this argument was quickly knocked out of the hands of their supporters. Almost simultaneously, a version of "lightweight" combat units for submarine-launched ballistic missiles was created. Already in 2019, the first of them went on trial combat duty, and such "tactical" warheads will be in service for many more years, the expert recalled.
An iconic relic of the Cold War, the unguided B83—1 aerial bomb, the most powerful nuclear weapon of the United States, also fell under the knife of budget cuts. Heavy ammunition with a TNT equivalent of 1.2 megatons, intended for strategic bombers, will be removed from service. There is no talk about their elimination in the Strategy, perhaps they will be placed in special storage.
It is planned to replace heavy bombs in aviation with less powerful, but more accurate adjustable B61-12 with a variable power of 0.3–450 kilotons. Pentagon analysts believe that a direct hit of such bombs will be enough to destroy the vast majority of shelters and targets, both tactical and strategic.
Anton Lavrov
