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DOD preps for “Limited Nuclear Attack.”
The Department of Defense (DOD) is making critical updates to its nuclear deterrence strategy, preparing for the possibility of a limited nuclear attack. This shift in focus, reported in November 2024, reflects a growing concern over the expansion and modernization of nuclear arsenals by nations like China and Russia.
For years, the U.S. relied on the threat of total retaliation to deter nuclear attacks. But the landscape has changed. Countries like China and Russia are not only increasing the size of their nuclear stockpiles but also diversifying and modernizing their weapons. In response, the DOD has updated its strategy, now factoring in the threat of limited nuclear strikes, a scenario once deemed improbable.
The new strategy incorporates non-nuclear capabilities alongside traditional nuclear forces. This includes enhanced cyber capabilities and precision strike options, providing a broader range of responses to any nuclear threat. The goal is to ensure that the U.S. can respond effectively to any situation, whether it’s a minor provocation or a full-scale nuclear attack.
Central to the new approach is the heightened readiness of U.S. nuclear forces, particularly the Ohio-class submarines, which carry nuclear missiles and are considered one of the most survivable and secure elements of the U.S. nuclear triad. The DOD is focusing on ensuring these forces are always prepared to respond to a limited nuclear attack, which may require a more flexible response than in the past.
A key part of the updated strategy is the B61-13, a modernized version of the B61 gravity bomb. This weapon offers more precision, enabling the U.S. to respond with targeted and proportionate force in the event of a limited nuclear strike. The development of the B61-13 underscores the DOD’s commitment to adapting its nuclear arsenal to meet evolving threats.
The DOD’s strategy update also emphasizes escalation management. The new approach seeks to prevent a limited nuclear attack from escalating into a broader nuclear conflict. This is part of the 491 Report to Congress, which outlines how the U.S. will manage these sensitive situations, balancing a firm response with the need to avoid further escalation.
www.defense.gov/News/News-Stories/Article/Article/3975117/dod-adjusts-nuclear-deterrence-strategy-as-nuclear-peer-adversaries-escalate/
www.defense.gov/News/Releases/Release/Article/3966543/dod-sends-report-to-congress-on-the-nuclear-weapons-employment-strategy-of-the/
www.defense.gov/News/News-Stories/Article/Article/2334600/dod-official-outlines-us-nuclear-deterrence-strategy/
Just WHY do they think it will be limited? Once a few nukes go off, the only limitation will be planet wide!
It's just limited fear porn. 🥴
Limited because they think they can control it.
Kinda like when they detonated the first A-bomb, many scientist were afraid it would ignite the atmosphere and burn the entire world to a crisp so what did they do? They detonated it ANYWAY!
Yeah, our children will begin watching cheesy 8mm films on how to stop, drop, and duck! Woot, woot, history repeats itself. I seriously doubt that the majority of Americans will ever see the effects of a nuke on their town/city. But those military personel on bases had better get their poop in a pile. As a kid being raised on a AF base with nukes all around it, I was completely aware that a target was on the base that I resided on. No big deal for a ten year old kid. We all knew that if a nuke exploded over that base we'd become ash in a nano second and we didn't even care. Maybe we were taught the realities of life at an early age and accepted them as fact instead of wishful thinking. I don't even remember any body on the base cringing about all the nukes store on the base or near the base. We trusted our military personel to keep us safe.
Granpaw used to say, "if you hear the thunder, you're ok, if you don't you're dead, so you're still ok"