The United States intends to maintain a strategic nuclear deterrent force of ICBMs, submarine-launched ballistic missiles, and heavy bombers under a START follow-on agreement with Russia, James Miller, principal deputy undersecretary of defense for policy, told House lawmakers Tuesday. Testifying before the House Armed Services Committee strategic forces panel, Miller said this finding emerged from the Obama Administration’s nuclear posture review, the comprehensive blueprint in development for US nuclear weapons policy. “One of the review’s early conclusions was that the United States should retain a nuclear triad under a new START treaty,” Miller explained. (There had been some rumblings that the bomber leg’s future might be in question.) Miller said this keep-the-triad strategy is reflected in the funding requests made in the Administration’s Fiscal 2011 budget proposal. He said he expects the NPR to be submitted to Congress “within a month.” (Miller’s prepared remarks)
While the Space Force is still making long-term plans to establish high-fidelity live and virtual test and training ranges in the coming years, officials say they're also working with operators to identify near-term gaps and quickly field capabilities to address them.
