Nuclear Deterrence--The Defense Science Board's Perspective

In December 2016, in the waning days of the Obama administration, the Defense Science Board [DSB] completed a report titled, "Seven Defense Priorities for the New Administration." It made recommendations to the new Trump administration on key issues in the world of defense. The Board has published 12 studies over the 14 years on this topic. So it is clear the Board has spent a lot of time thinking about this. A defense mission of this importance seems worthy of sustained and focused attention. As the new administration and Congress goes forward with the nuclear modernization program initiated by President Obama, the Board's experts help us take stock. They help us understand how nuclear threats are evolving and how we should compensate. They help us understand where we have been and where we should go. In its report, the DSB correctly noted that our nuclear forces remain a cornerstone of U. S. national security. Given how critical these nuclear systems are and with costly modernization programs occurring concurrently, we can't afford to get this wrong. There is no more important defense objective than preventing a nuclear attack on the United States or its allies, and the foundation for prevention is deterrence. Ensuring a credible nuclear deterrent for the long-term future will continue to be a major priority for this Nation and the Congress.