The Bunker-Busting Nuke: Essential Capability or Destabilizing Weapon?

Abstract

The nuclear weapons community has not seen such controversy over the development of a nuclear warhead since the neutron bomb. Over 20 years ago, the national and international debate on the neutron bomb ultimately killed the program and canceled plans for deployment. Militarily, the neutron bomb was easy to justify-it was designed to kill combatants without creating extensive structural damage to bridges and buildings or causing unnecessary fallout that could potentially kill millions of civilians and jeopardize friendly forces.2 In other words, it was designed to execute its mission with minimal collateral damage. Despite sound military requirements and clear war fighting justifications, the weapon was nevertheless defeated on the battlefields of public opinion and political discourse because it was deemed "too useable" and therefore destabilizing.

Open PDF

Document Details

Document Type
Technical Report
Publication Date
Jan 01, 2002
Accession Number
ADA441722

Entities

People

  • Michael J. Morgan

Organizations

  • National War College

Tags

Communities of Interest

  • Counter WMD

DTIC Thesaurus Topics

  • Atomic Demolition Munitions
  • Bombs
  • Cold War
  • Collateral Damage
  • Command And Control
  • Command And Control Systems
  • Control Systems
  • Intercontinental Ballistic Missiles
  • Munitions
  • National Security
  • Nuclear Bombs
  • Nuclear Warheads
  • Nuclear Weapons
  • War Colleges
  • Weapons
  • Weapons Effects
  • Weapons Of Mass Destruction

Readers

  • Marksmanship and Weaponry.
  • Strategic Security Studies