PentagonDeveloping Low-Yield Nuclear Cruise Missiles For Submarines

By: Ben Werner

April 3, 2019 6:07 PM,USNI

The Pentagon is in the early stages of developing low-yieldsubmarine-launched nuclear-tipped cruise missiles, a senior Department ofDefense official told lawmakers Wednesday.

Both Russia and China are making substantial improvements totheir nuclear forces, notably increases to low-yield nuclear weapons, JohnRood, the Under Secretary of Defense for policy, said during a Senate ArmedServices strategic forces subcommittee hearing.

Inside the Pentagon’s Fiscal Year 2020 budget request, Roodsaid, the military is requesting money for a low-yield modification to anexisting warhead for submarine-launched ballistic missiles andsubmarine-launched cruise missiles.

Military leaders and lawmakers have debated the need forcreating submarine-launched low-yield ballistic missiles for sometime, but the cruise missile plan is newer.

“The sub-launched cruise missile is further behind, and we’rejust doing an AoA or analysis of alternatives at this stage,” Rood said.

Rood brought up the low-yield nuclear missile work whenresponding to a question from Sen. Josh Hawley (R-Mo.) about the importance oflow-yield tactical nuclear weapons as an effective modern deterrent.

Based on Russia’s recent development activities and statements,Rood said there’s a growing concern in the Pentagon and other governmentagencies the Russian government is developing low-yield nuclear weapons becauseof a perceived advantage.

The Russian thinking, Rood said, is if the U.S. does not havesimilar weapons, the U.S. will not be able to respond to a Russian low-yieldnuclear weapon strike. The Russians are counting on a U.S. desire to notescalate a low-yield nuclear strike by responding with the larger nuclearwarheads currently in the U.S. arsenal.

However, the Pentagon’s desire to continue the low-yield nuclearweapons plan is already facing resistance on the other sideof Capitol Hill in the House Armed Services Committee.

A week ago, when Air Force Gen. John Hyten, commander of U.S. StrategicCommand, made a similar argument about the need for low-yield nuclear weapons,he was met by skeptical lawmakers in a House Armed Services strategic forces subcommittee.

Rep. Susan Davis (D-Calif.) said she was unconvinced suchweapons are needed, and Rep. Adam Smith (D-Wash.), the HASC chair, has been afrequent critic of the low-yield weapon plan, often stating the nation’scurrent nuclear deterrent is more than adequate.