Rethinking the Trident Force

Abstract

Today, the nuclear forces of the United States consist of about 10,000 deployed warheads that can be delivered by long-range bombers, land-based intercontinental ballistic missiles (ICBMs), and submarine-launched ballistic missiles (SLBMs). Those forces (also known as the nuclear triad) are designed to deter a nuclear war and, if necessary, fight one. U.S. nuclear forces are likely to shrink throughout the 1990s as limits from recent arms control agreements take effect. By 2003, the United States will have only about 3,500 deployed strategic nuclear warheads, provided that the second Strategic Arms Reduction Talks Treaty (START II) is ratified and carried out. Some shrinkage has already taken place over the past two years, especially among land-based missiles and bombers. In addition, the Department of Defense (DoD) has terminated virtually every program to modernize the U.S. nuclear arsenal, largely in response to budget pressures and the end of the Cold War.

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Document Details

Document Type
Technical Report
Publication Date
Jul 01, 1993
Accession Number
ADA530410

Entities

People

  • David Mosher

Organizations

  • Congressional Budget Office

Tags

Communities of Interest

  • Ground and Sea Platforms
  • Weapons Technologies

DTIC Thesaurus Topics

  • Arms Control
  • Arms Control Treaties
  • Attack Submarines
  • Ballistic Missile Submarines
  • Ballistic Missiles
  • Chemical Reactions
  • Explosives
  • Fire Control Systems
  • Fleet Ballistic Missiles
  • High Explosives
  • Intercontinental Ballistic Missiles
  • Material Degradation Processes
  • National Security
  • Nuclear Warheads
  • Plastic Explosives
  • Rockets
  • Test And Evaluation

Readers

  • Missile Defense Systems.
  • Strategic Security Studies