ABSTRACT
The case for dealerting strategic forces has been set out by Bruce Blair and Frank N. von Hippel. In one statement De-alerting means lengthening the fuse on nuclear weapons by increasing the preparation time needed to launch the weapons. Three arguments make the case for dealerting compelling— provided the actual measures taken do the job. First, some dealerting steps would inhibit accidental or unauthorized launch. Second, by definition dealerting measures prevent "hair-trigger decisions to launch," such as "launch on warning." Third, dealerting introduces time for thought and negotiation, to draw back from an initial disposition to launch a nuclear attack. Some dealerting measures would place a premium on how to reverse dealerting, leading to a reconstitution race. Dealerting are not required to train for a reconstitution race, because deterrence does not require equal numbers, but only enough probability that deterrence would be enforced.
