State's nuclear weapon. Congress wants it to be ready
Preparing for the dual threat from China and Russia, the US Congress Commission has commissioned a serious modernization and diversification of the United States nuclear arsenal. Experts consider this to be an unnecessary and provocative move against the adversary.
9:23 AM EDT, October 17, 2023
The modernization of the USA's nuclear arsenal is intended to ensure that intercontinental missiles with atomic warheads will survive and be "ready for use" in the event of nuclear aggression from Russia or China. A sufficiently large portion of the nuclear arsenal should be secured to be able to be used for a retaliatory strike against a potential aggressor. Of course, these are not the only preparations the USA makes in case of aggression from the other side of the Pacific. Americans also accumulate critical ammunition supplies and secure blood supply chains for soldiers and civilians who may need it during a potential conflict.
Modernization of the nuclear arsenal
Efforts to modernize the outdated nuclear system of the US have been underway for some time. The report from the Congressional Commission on US Strategic Posture is pushing for the strengthening and acceleration of ongoing actions. According to it, the current situation is "fundamentally different from anything we have experienced in the past, even in the darkest days of the Cold War".
The Commission's recommendations include the deployment of tactical nuclear weapons in Asia and Europe, as well as the production of larger numbers of B-21 Stealth bombers and Columbia-class nuclear submarines. It also emphasizes the use of such new technologies as hypersonic weapons and artificial intelligence. According to commission member Matthew Kroenig, the United States and its allies must be capable of simultaneously deterring and defeating both potential opponents.
Criticism of expert environments
According to analysts, the government's adherence to the report's recommendations will generate prohibitive costs for the country, which will absorb funds normally allocated for other defense projects. The initiative aiming to improve an already highly efficient system of American nuclear resources will simply push other atomic powers into an arms race, and as a result, instead of deterring Moscow and Beijing, it will only cause them to also expand their atomic arsenals.
If the United States gathers more atomic potential than is necessary to issue a potential response to a possible attack from one of its main rivals, Russia and China may conclude that additional warheads are being prepared to make the first move in a nuclear exchange. Experts suggest that such action provokes more than it deters.
