Written by Peter Huessy via RealClearWire
Indeed, a nuclear arms race exists, but the United States has not been actively participating in it since the Cold War and the fall of the USSR.
On the contrary, the U.S. has significantly reduced its dependence on nuclear weapons and its arsenal by over 90 percent.
Russia and China are two major countries engaged in an accelerating nuclear arms race. While the U.S. has taken crucial steps to modernize its strategic nuclear forces, Russia and China have significantly expanded their nuclear capabilities, potentially exceeding treaty limits.
Russia has modernized its strategic nuclear forces, with a substantial increase in the number of nuclear warheads they can deploy. They have replaced older systems with more advanced ones, resulting in a warhead count that surpasses agreed limits.
China’s nuclear build-up has been described as “breath-taking” by U.S. officials. Despite claiming a minimal deterrent posture, China’s deployed forces enable them to execute various policies and strategies.
China’s strategic nuclear arsenal includes a significant number of ICBMs, SLBMs, and bombers, showcasing their increasing capabilities.
While Russia and China have completed their strategic nuclear modernization and build-up programs, the U.S. is only modernizing its existing arsenal without increasing its capabilities.
The U.S. is replacing aging systems on a one-for-one basis, with no intention of expanding its deployed nuclear warheads. This approach contrasts with the actions of Russia and China, who have not only modernized but also enhanced their nuclear capabilities.
As Russia, China, and North Korea have been actively “Arms Racing,” the U.S. has remained on the sidelines. The U.S. strategic force modernization program focuses on replacing outdated systems without increasing capability, in contrast to the actions of other nations.
The chart below illustrates the average annual production rate for three alternative nuclear forces based on projected force structures planned by the United States, Russia, and China.
The U.S. faces a deterrence challenge with Russia possessing a large number of strategic nuclear warheads, and China rapidly expanding its nuclear arsenal.
According to U.S. officials and strategic assessments, the U.S. will need to enhance its nuclear forces to address this growing threat.
The opinions expressed in this article are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of ZeroHedge.
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