ABSTRACT

Introduction The United States initially developed its land-based intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) fleet to increase the credibility of nuclear deterrence during the Cold War. Since the Cold War ended the threat has changed, but persists. Critics, however, contend ICBMs are no longer relevant in the post-Cold War world and, in a fiscally constrained environment, the cost of modernizing the system outweighs any security benefit it provides; thus, retirement of ICBMs is warranted. Contrary to this view, ICBMs continue to serve as a key contributor to national security and must remain in the arsenal to deter against both current and future threats.