Pentagon
Developing 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-yield
submarine-launched nuclear-tipped cruise missiles, a senior Department of
Defense official told lawmakers Wednesday.
Both Russia and China are making substantial improvements to
their nuclear forces, notably increases to low-yield nuclear weapons, John
Rood, the Under Secretary of Defense for policy, said during a Senate Armed
Services strategic forces subcommittee hearing.
Inside the Pentagon’s Fiscal Year 2020 budget request, Rood
said, the military is requesting money for a low-yield modification to an
existing warhead for submarine-launched ballistic missiles and
submarine-launched cruise missiles.
Military leaders and lawmakers have debated the need for
creating submarine-launched low-yield ballistic missiles for some
time, but the cruise missile plan is newer.
“The sub-launched cruise missile is further behind, and we’re
just doing an AoA or analysis of alternatives at this stage,” Rood said.
Rood brought up the low-yield nuclear missile work when
responding to a question from Sen. Josh Hawley (R-Mo.) about the importance of
low-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 government
agencies the Russian government is developing low-yield nuclear weapons because
of a perceived advantage.
The Russian thinking, Rood said, is if the U.S. does not have
similar weapons, the U.S. will not be able to respond to a Russian low-yield
nuclear weapon strike. The Russians are counting on a U.S. desire to not
escalate a low-yield nuclear strike by responding with the larger nuclear
warheads currently in the U.S. arsenal.
However, the Pentagon’s desire to continue the low-yield nuclear
weapons plan is already facing resistance on the other side
of Capitol Hill in the House Armed Services Committee.
A week ago, when Air Force Gen. John Hyten, commander of U.S. Strategic
Command, 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 such
weapons are needed, and Rep. Adam Smith (D-Wash.), the HASC chair, has been a
frequent critic of the low-yield weapon plan, often stating the nation’s
current nuclear deterrent is more than adequate.
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