US Nuclear Deterrent Faces Threat from Aging Weapons Systems

Vice Chairman of the US Joint Chiefs of Staff Gen. Paul Selva stated the weapons systems will not remain viable and the US military is now at a point "where we must concurrently recapitalize each component of our nuclear deterrent."

WASHINGTON (Sputnik) — The ability of the United States to both deter a nuclear strike and respond to an attack with atomic weapons requires modernization of both nuclear bombs and delivery systems, Vice Chairman of the US Joint Chiefs of Staff Gen. Paul Selva stated on Tuesday.

"Our nuclear deterrent … is nearing a crossroads," Selva told the US House of Representatives Armed Services Committee. "To date we have preserved this deterrent by extending the lifespan of nuclear forces and infrastructure, in many cases for decades beyond what was originally intended."

Selva also noted that the systems will not remain viable and the US military is now at a point "where we must concurrently recapitalize each component of our nuclear deterrent."

President Donald Trump has expressed concern that the United States has fallen behind in its nuclear weapons capacity and that he would like to restore the nation's nuclear supremacy.