[Yang Nak-gyu's Defense Club] US Nuclear Forces Significantly Strengthened... Signs of Deployment to Strategic Weapons

[Asia Economy Reporter Yang Nak-gyu] The United States is significantly strengthening its nuclear forces. The U.S. Department of Defense announced the fiscal year 2021 budget plan, allocating a record-high amount for new weapons research and development focused on enhancing nuclear forces and missile defense.

According to the FY2021 budget plan released by the U.S. Department of Defense, President Donald Trump requested a national security budget of $740.5 billion (878 trillion KRW) from Congress, of which $705.4 billion (837 trillion KRW) was allocated to the Department of Defense. The rationale behind the U.S. increasing its nuclear-related budget is fundamentally based on the concern that its military superiority is being eroded by China and Russia in key regions.

The most notable aspect of the 2021 budget plan is the modernization of nuclear forces, with a budget of $28.9 billion. This includes $7 billion for command and control system improvements, $2.8 billion for the next-generation long-range bomber B-21, $4.4 billion for Columbia-class ballistic missile submarines, and $1.5 billion for Ground-Based Strategic Deterrent (GBSD). These are primarily aimed at modernizing nuclear delivery systems and command and control systems.

Some predict that the budget for the National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA), which is responsible for nuclear weapon safety under the Department of Energy, has also increased by about 20%, with $19.8 billion allocated. Of this, $15.6 billion is expected to be used for nuclear weapons programs, including support for nuclear warhead storage and life extension programs.

Last year, the U.S. published a report opposing its own policy of no first use of nuclear weapons, signaling an increase in nuclear forces budget in next year’s budget.

On the 12th (local time), the Ohio-class strategic nuclear submarine USS Maine conducted a test launch of the submarine-launched ballistic missile (SLBM) 'Trident II' off the coast of San Diego, California. (Provided by U.S. Navy Pacific Command)

The Trump administration opposes the Obama administration’s nuclear policy
Significantly strengthen capabilities to deter North Korean attacks
Modernization of nuclear weapons delivery systems such as nuclear-powered submarines is necessary

The report titled "Dangers of a Nuclear No First Use Policy," posted on the U.S. Department of Defense website, stated that "Implementing a no first use policy could weaken the U.S. capability to deter attacks from Russia, China, and North Korea." It further noted, "Alliances with NATO, Japan, and South Korea have relied on the U.S. extended nuclear deterrence from the beginning," and "The U.S. no first use policy would raise deep concerns among many allies and partner countries." This is interpreted as the Trump administration clearly opposing the existing policy stance carried over from the Obama administration.

The Department of Defense also released a separate report titled "Need to Modernize Nuclear Weapons Delivery Systems," explaining that "Most of the U.S. nuclear weapons delivery systems have exceeded their service life and cannot be maintained beyond 2025?2035." It mentioned the U.S. nuclear modernization programs including Ground-Based Strategic Deterrent (GBSD), Long-Range Standoff missile (LRSO), nuclear missile-equipped strategic nuclear-powered submarines (SSBN), F-35A fighter jets, and B-21 strategic bombers.

On the 3rd, the U.S. Navy officially announced the deployment of submarine-launched ballistic missiles (SLBMs) equipped with the W76-2 low-yield nuclear warhead. The U.S. Naval Institute (USNI) reported through the Federation of American Scientists (FAS) press release that the Ohio-class strategic nuclear submarine USS Tennessee, which returned to the King's Bay nuclear submarine base in Georgia, was the first to be equipped with the Trident-II SLBM carrying the low-yield nuclear warhead.

The warhead has been miniaturized to enhance deterrence capabilities by equipping not only nuclear submarines and strategic bombers but also tactical aircraft such as the F-22 and F-35. The Los Alamos National Laboratory developed the W76-0 high-yield warhead with 100kt in 1978, the W76-1 with a reduced yield of 90kt in 2008, and succeeded in developing the low-yield W76-2 warhead with 5?7kt in 2018. The Trident-II D-5 SLBM was developed by Lockheed Martin in the U.S. It has a range of 12,000 km and a ballistic speed reaching Mach 24. It is equipped with multiple independently targetable reentry vehicle (MIRV) capabilities. The U.S. Navy also conducted an actual launch of the Trident-II D-5 SLBM on the 12th. Although no warhead was mounted, it is highly likely that a training warhead with the same weight as the SLBM low-yield nuclear warhead 'W76-2' was fired.

A military expert said, "With the increased possibility of North Korean provocations, the U.S. has entered full-scale crisis management," adding, "Once the U.S. begins deploying strategic weapons equipped with nuclear warheads in earnest, that alone provides sufficient deterrence."

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.