ABSTRACT
A range of considerations are forcing policymakers to re-evaluate the future of the United States (US) nuclear weapons arsenal. This chapter provides an overview of the evolution, complex contemporary dynamic, and possible future directions of US nuclear weapons policy. Both US and Soviet strategic nuclear weapons platforms were initially one-dimensional in that they were dependent upon bomber aircraft to penetrate enemy airspace and deliver payloads in the event of war. Presently, the debate over the status of US nuclear weapons policy in Congress is centered largely upon financial considerations. Significant difference of opinion exists as to the necessary size of the US nuclear weapons arsenal and the size and nature of its delivery systems. As of 2016, the US and Russia each maintain nearly 1000 nuclear missiles on high alert, also commonly known as hair-trigger alert. Emerging technology may permit controlled blasts of nuclear payloads in which the intensity of the strike can be increased or decreased at will.
