[News in War History] Northeast Asia Stirred by One US Kentucky-Class Battleship... The Power of the 'Three Major Nuclear Forces'

Kentucky Ship, 1600 Times Hiroshima Atomic Bomb Power
Three Major Nuclear Power Concepts Established After WWII
Collapsing NPT System... Concerns Over Second Nuclear Proliferation

The USS Kentucky (SSBN-737), an Ohio-class nuclear-powered ballistic missile submarine (SSBN - Ship Submarines Ballistic-missile Nuclear-propulsion), one of the United States' formidable nuclear forces, has attracted worldwide attention as it docked at Busan Port. The Kentucky, arriving in Busan for the first time in 42 years, is regarded as a decisive weapon comparable to the entire military power of a nuclear-armed country. It is highly unusual for such a fearsome weapon to publicly enter an allied nation's port, especially with the president of the country on board.

This move is seen as a strong warning message against North Korea's ongoing missile provocations, while also serving to check China's increasing military provocations in the Taiwan Strait. The mere demonstration that the U.S. can deploy its 'Nuclear Triad' forces in Northeast Asia at will acts as a powerful deterrent against hostile nations.

On the 19th, President Yoon Suk-yeol inspected the interior of the USS Kentucky (SSBN-737), an Ohio-class nuclear-powered ballistic missile submarine (SSBN) of the United States, which docked at the Busan Naval Operations Command Busan Operational Base. He is seen looking through the periscope. [Image source=Yonhap News]

In this article, we will explore the history of the Nuclear Triad, including strategic nuclear submarines, which serve as the most reliable deterrent weapons in global conflict zones, and examine how they currently influence international affairs.

◆News: Hiroshima Atomic Bomb '1600 Times More Powerful,' USS Kentucky's Arrival at Busan

[Image source=Yonhap News]

On the 19th, the U.S. military publicly revealed the USS Kentucky docked in Busan. President Yoon Suk-yeol also visited the Busan operational base that afternoon and toured inside the submarine. This was the first time a strategic nuclear submarine, one of the U.S.'s three nuclear forces, was publicly shown internally with an allied leader on board, drawing significant international media attention.

The U.S. Navy operates 14 Ohio-class SSBNs, including the Kentucky. The Ohio-class measures 170 meters in length and 12 meters in width, making it one of the largest SSBNs in the world. Most notably, it carries about 20 Trident II D5 submarine-launched ballistic missiles (SLBMs) with intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM)-level range, effectively matching the military power of an entire nation. These missiles are known to have a destructive power 1,600 times greater than the atomic bomb the U.S. dropped on Hiroshima during World War II.

Its nuclear capability is estimated to surpass North Korea's nuclear arsenal, which is believed to consist of about 20 to 30 warheads. North Korea responded with strong condemnation. According to North Korea's Korean Central News Agency on the 20th, Defense Minister Kang Sun-nam stated in a released statement, "The increased visibility of the deployment of strategic assets, including strategic nuclear submarines, may correspond to the conditions for nuclear weapon use outlined in our national nuclear policy laws," expressing strong opposition to the Kentucky's arrival at Busan Port.

Analysts suggest that the powerful nuclear force's arrival in Busan is not solely aimed at North Korea but also strongly intended to check China, which has caused discomfort in Beijing. On the 20th, China's state-run Global Times commented, "Since taking office, President Yoon has provoked China and Russia but has pleased the U.S. by unconditionally siding with Japan and provoking North Korea without practical benefits. The U.S. nuclear-powered submarine's visit to Busan is merely a gesture of support and praise for Yoon's pro-American, pro-Japanese, and pro-NATO policies that sacrifice South Korea's national interests."

◆History 1: The Concept of the 'Nuclear Triad' Established During the Cold War

The Minuteman-III, an intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) of the U.S. military. [Image source=U.S. Department of Defense]

The U.S. began to possess such powerful Nuclear Triad forces starting from the Cold War period after World War II. Around the Cuban Missile Crisis in 1962, concerns about the outbreak of nuclear war were continuously raised in the U.S. The nuclear deterrence strategy against the Soviet Union that emerged at that time was the concept of the Nuclear Triad.

The Nuclear Triad refers to a military system equipped with three types of weapons: intercontinental ballistic missiles (ICBMs), submarine-launched ballistic missiles (SLBMs), and strategic bombers capable of nuclear bombing. Even among nuclear-armed countries, few possess and operate all three components of the Nuclear Triad. Only some major powers maintain all three.

The concept of the Nuclear Triad arose during the nuclear arms race between the U.S. and the Soviet Union in the Cold War. It was originally based on the idea that a country must have means to retaliate in case of a nuclear first strike by the enemy. Even if ICBMs were destroyed first, strategic nuclear submarines operating in international waters and strategic bombers already airborne could launch nuclear weapons to retaliate against the enemy.

This was a product of the 'Mutually Assured Destruction (MAD)' strategy. MAD means that if one of two hostile countries launches a preemptive nuclear attack, the other can still retaliate with nuclear forces, ensuring mutual destruction. This mutual assured destruction prevents both countries from engaging in nuclear war.

After the U.S. and Soviet Union acquired the Nuclear Triad, major powers competed to develop their own triad forces. During the Cold War, France succeeded in acquiring the Nuclear Triad, followed by China and India. Although their nuclear forces' scale and operational capabilities currently lag behind those of the U.S. and Russia, China and India are continuously investing in strengthening their nuclear arsenals and are expected to gradually catch up.

◆History 2: The Aging Nuclear Triad Weapon Systems Still on Display

The B-52 strategic bomber participating in the South Korea-U.S. joint air exercise on the 13th.
[Image source=Yonhap News]

Although the Nuclear Triad weapons are equivalent to the military power of an entire nation, most were developed in the 1960s and have been in operation for over 60 years. The ICBMs, SLBMs, and strategic bombers are mostly Cold War-era weapons.

A representative example of the U.S.'s aging nuclear force is the 'Minuteman.' Starting with the Minuteman-I developed in 1962, the currently used Minuteman-III is an upgraded version developed in 1970. It has been in continuous operation for over 60 years.

According to the U.S. Department of Defense, over 10,000 specialists maintain 24-hour readiness at Minuteman launch sites across five states. The successor to replace the Minuteman ICBM is expected to be developed only in the 2030s, so the Minuteman remains the U.S.'s primary ICBM for nearly another decade.

[Image source=U.S. Navy]

The SLBMs, which have seen little change since the 1960s, are also considered aging weapons by modern standards. The Trident II D5 missile, reportedly carried by the Kentucky submarine that recently arrived in Busan, was deployed in 1990 but its development began in the 1970s. During the Cold War, various SLBMs were developed especially to prepare for a first-strike attack on land-based missile silos, but after the Cold War ended, only upgraded versions of existing models were developed due to the excessive budget consumption.

As for strategic bombers, the B-52 Stratofortress, which first flew over 70 years ago, is still in service and aiming for a 100-year operational lifespan. Known as the 'Flying Fortress,' this aircraft is one of the longest-serving active strategic weapons worldwide. Development began right after World War II in 1945, with over 740 units produced, and it has been deployed in nearly every U.S. war since then.

In conclusion, none of the U.S.'s Nuclear Triad weapons are truly 21st-century systems. The main reason is that over 30 years of peace since the end of the Cold War led to arms reduction policies and a lack of new development. Additionally, the excellent performance of the weapons developed at that time allowed for continued operation with only partial upgrades, resulting in many long-serving weapons.

◆Implication: The Crumbling NPT Regime... Nuclear Forces Spreading Worldwide

[Image source=AP Yonhap News]

With the Ukraine war, North Korea's nuclear provocations, and China's threats in the Taiwan Strait, the world, which had been relatively peaceful since the end of the Cold War, is now exposed to simultaneous localized conflict risks, emphasizing the importance of the Nuclear Triad once again.

The U.S. government is investing huge budgets to acquire new Nuclear Triad forces by the early 2030s. China is also establishing large-scale nuclear weapon facilities in regions such as the Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region and producing vast quantities of ICBMs. Russia, engaged in the Ukraine war, is accelerating nuclear force modernization regardless of the conflict.

The cost of maintaining nuclear forces is expected to be at least 30 to 40 trillion Korean won annually, but many countries are already preparing to build independent nuclear arsenals due to growing security concerns and anxieties.

Consequently, there are increasing worries that the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT) regime may effectively collapse. If possessing the Nuclear Triad is perceived as a guarantee of security, nuclear weapons are expected to spread to even more countries in the future.

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