Pentagon urged to accelerate modernization of US nuclear triad
Photo: The Pentagon urged to accelerate the modernization of the US nuclear triad (media.defense.gov)
The Pentagon has urged lawmakers to expedite the modernization of the nuclear triad to more effectively deter strategic and space threats from China and Russia, according to the US Department of Defense.
General Anthony Cotton, the commander of the US Strategic Command, stated that recent investments by Russia and China in the defense sector, particularly in space, underscore the need to strengthen the strategic advantage of the United States.
"The most important message I want to deliver today is that the forces under my command are ready to deter our adversaries and respond decisively should deterrence fail," noted Cotton while addressing the Senate Armed Services Committee.
According to him, the United States is facing challenges today that it has never encountered before.
"We are confronting not one but two nuclear peers: the Russian Federation and the People's Republic of China. This reality combined (with) missile developments in North Korea, Iran's nuclear ambitions, and the growing relationships amongst those nations adds new layers of complexity to our strategic calculus," he emphasized.
Cotton also highlighted the accelerated pace of China's development of fixed intercontinental ballistic missile launchers and noted that China's nuclear arsenal could reach nearly 1000 warheads by 2030.
As of January, the Pentagon stated that China's fleet of reconnaissance satellites had grown to more than 359 systems, more than tripling its presence in space for intelligence gathering since 2018. Russia also continues to develop and deploy its space and anti-satellite arsenal.
"While our legacy systems continue to hold potential adversaries at risk, it is absolutely critical we continue to speed, at speed with the modernization of our nuclear triad," Cotton added.
Threat of Russia deploying nuclear weapons in space
On Wednesday, February 14, the chairman of the House Intelligence Committee, Mike Turner, declared a serious threat to the national security of the United States. According to intelligence reports, Russia is planning to deploy nuclear weapons in space.
National Security Advisor to the US President, Jake Sullivan, confirmed this information, and President Joe Biden instructed his administration to engage in negotiations with Russia regarding the potential testing of nuclear weapons in space. Later, it was reported that the White House was attempting to conduct secret talks with Russia to persuade the Kremlin to abandon the testing of space-based nuclear weapons.
The American news network CNN obtained details about Russia's development of nuclear space weapons and the potential threats it poses.
