(Washington, D.C.) Could the U.S. ever ensure effective nuclear deterrence with just nuclear-armed bombers and submarines? Could the mission be accomplished without any ICBMs? … essentially no “land-leg” for the triad.
However unlikely or at odds with recent history this concept may be, or however surprising given the current threat conditions, the question is now being raised in Congress and by non-proliferation advocates seeking to both save money and disarm.
Gen. Timothy Ray, Commander of Air Force Global Strike Command, recently said his command only “implements” and does not make policy decisions, but did make reference to how the ICBM makes a difference.
“The Triad is an expression of national policy, and our ability to do more with bombers is underwritten by the ICBM. It is a well-worn path about the responsiveness of the ICBM, immediacy and flexibility of the bombers and the survivability of the undersea force,” Ray told The Mitchell Institute in a video interview.
Ray is also naturally responsible for meeting and responding to the current threat circumstance regarding nuclear weapons deployed by potential U.S. adversaries. This topic receives a lot of attention as many Congressional reports and other public studies are clear to point out the accelerated pace at which China is adding ICBMs to its arsenal. Not long ago, Ray made a public comment that the Chinese plan to double the size of their nuclear arsenal by the end of the decade.
“This triad lives in the context of a modernized Russian triad.The triad lives in the context of a real and rapidly growing Chinese triad, and it lives in the mind of our allies,” Ray said.
An interesting Air Force TV report called “Around the Air Force” seems to reinforce this plan by stating that efforts to modernize the land-based leg through weapons systems and command and control upgrades is well underway.
