Faulty Assumptions About the Global Nuclear Threat May Require Changes in U.S. Sea-Based Nuclear Force

If the United States is to sustain a viable national strategic deterrent force against rapidly expanding threats, the assumptions made in 2010 regarding the Columbia-class submarine must be revisited. Most important is the need to reconsider how many of these submarines will be needed and what their submarine-launched ballistic missile (SLBM) capacity per hull will need to be relative to a diversified threat that includes North Korea and a potentially nuclear Iran. Finally, in the immediate future, plans to field a sea-launched cruise missile-nuclear (SLCM-N) to meet emerging targeting requirements should be accelerated.

Despite today’s deteriorating global threat environment, President Biden seems intent on reviving Obama’s nuclear disarmament efforts.

Without delaying initial delivery, the Administration should consider future Columbia-class design and modification plans and accelerate deployment of the SLCM-N.

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