Leaked documents reveal US ambitions to expand nuclear arsenal to counter Russia and China

DraftNuclear Posture Review (NPR)A leaked document prepared by the US Department of Defense last weekend shows that Pentagon officials not only want to modernize the aging nuclear force, but also develop many new weapons to counter Russia, China and many other countries, according toSCMP.

One of the proposed weapons is a “small-yield nuclear warhead” to be fitted to submarine-launched Trident ballistic missiles. Although classified as a low-yield weapon, each warhead would be more powerful than the bombs dropped on Hiroshima and Nagasaki during World War II.

The emergence of small nuclear weapons is said to be in response to "the deterioration of the strategic environment". The Pentagon believes that many countries possess nuclear arsenals that are not covered by current treaties, requiring the US to develop similar weapons to respond when necessary.

The concept appears to be focused on Russia, which the US accused of violating the New START treaty by deploying nuclear cruise missiles last year. Washington asserts that Moscow is calculating the advantage of a preemptive strike with small-scale weapons of mass destruction.

The Pentagon has also proposed developing a new generation of nuclear-tipped submarine-launched cruise missiles (SLCMs). The Obama administration considered phasing out SLCMs in its 2010 nuclear review, but defense officials say the weapon remains vital today.

New missiles and warheads will add to the cost of modernizing the US nuclear arsenal, which has been in service for decades. The US Congressional Budget Office estimated last year that Washington would have to spend $1.2 trillion over the next 30 years to build and maintain a new generation of nuclear weapons.

The US Department of Defense did not deny the authenticity of the draft NPR on January 12, but declined to comment on its content. "A number of drafts have been submitted, but the NPR is not yet complete. It will be approved by the President and the Secretary of Defense," the Pentagon said in a statement.

Some experts say the US should not seek to build new nuclear weapons. Jon Wolfsthal, a former nuclear official on the US National Security Council, said the Trump administration is sending a strong message that Washington will use nuclear weapons if necessary. However, they have gone too far in suggesting that the US needs to add next-generation weapons.

Congress has rejected several attempts to add nuclear missiles to submarines, citing concerns about Russia’s reaction to an unconventional warhead being launched, Wolfsthal said. The NPR is expected to be released after President Trump delivers his State of the Union address on January 30. Previous administrations have also conducted assessments of the US nuclear force to help shape strategy for the coming years.