The Current State of the US Nuclear Arsenal

Abstract

The US nuclear arsenal has reached a critical point in its existence. Approaching the end of their service lives, the weapons that make up the current arsenal must either be upgraded or replaced in order to maintain their effectiveness as deterrents. Nuclear deterrence is still necessary to prevent other states from deploying nuclear weapons, and the arsenal in its current state will not be able to serve this purpose in the near future. To create a long-term, reliable nuclear deterrent, it is recommended that the current weapons in the US nuclear arsenal be replaced with a Reliable Replacement Weapon. Current Life Extension Programs are short-term solutions that do not guarantee the United States will have a modern, reliable nuclear force well into the twenty-first century.