U.S. Strategic Nuclear Forces: Background, Developments, and Issues
U.S. Strategic Nuclear Forces: Background, Developments, and Issues
- Neue Suche nach: A. F. Woolf
- Neue Suche nach: A. F. Woolf
During discussions about the 2010 Nuclear Posture Review, Congress reviewed and discussed the plans for maintaining and modernizing U.S. strategic nuclear forces. Although the United States plans to reduce the number of warheads deployed on its long-range missiles and bombers, consistent with the terms of the New START Treaty, it also plans to develop new delivery systems for deployment over the next 20-30 years. As a result, the 112th Congress will continue to review these programs during the annual authorization and appropriations process. During the Cold War, the U.S. nuclear arsenal contained many types of delivery vehicles for nuclear weapons. The longer-range systems, which included long-range missiles based on U.S. territory, long-range missiles based on submarines, and heavy bombers that could threaten Soviet targets from their bases in the United States, are known as strategic nuclear delivery vehicles. At the end of the Cold War, in 1991, the United States deployed more than 10,000 warheads on these delivery vehicles. That number has declined to less than 6,000 warheads today, and is slated to decline to 1,550 warheads by the year 2017 if the New START Treaty enters into force. At the present time, the U.S. land-based ballistic missile force (ICBMs) consists of 450 Minuteman III ICBMs, each deployed with between one and three warheads; they will all be reduced to only one warhead over the next few years. The Air Force has deactivated all 50 of the 10-warhead Peacekeeper ICBMs and 50 Minuteman III missiles. The Air Force is also modernizing the Minuteman missiles, replacing and upgrading their rocket motors, guidance systems, and other components. The Air Force had expected to begin replacing the Minuteman missiles around 2018, but has decided, instead, to continue to modernize and maintain the existing missiles, so that they can remain in the force through 2030.
Dokumentinformationen
U.S. Strategic Nuclear Forces: Background, Developments, and Issues
2012
38 pages
Report
Keine Angabe
Englisch
Military Operations, Strategy, & Tactics , Missile Technology , Nuclear Warfare , Bomber aircraft , Department of defense , Intercontinental ballistic missiles , Military capabilities , Military modernization , Nuclear weapons , Strategic weapons , Air force , Cold war , Nuclear warheads , Postwar , Submarine launched , Treaties , Post-cold war era , Start i treaty , Start ii treaty , Nuclear delivery vehicles , Peacekeeper icbms , Minuteman iii missiles , Backfit program , B-1 aircraft , B-2 aircraft , B-52 aircraft