New Threats Demand Rapid Reconstitution of Space-Based Nuclear C3

Nuclear weapons have played a crucial role in U.S. national security since their development in the 1940s. Over time, Presidents adjusted nuclear deterrence strategies, and the stockpile peaked at more than 30,000 warheads during the Cold War.1 In 1991, however, President George H. W. Bush cut the stockpile to about 10,000 warheads and entered a moratorium on nuclear testing.2 The Clinton administration subsequently signed the Comprehensive Test Ban Treaty, and, despite the treaty’s lack of Senate ratification, the United States has continued to forgo nuclear testing. The United States once again finds itself having to deter Russia and China, two...