Pentagon prepares new nuclear strategy in case of war with China or Russia

The development is overseen by US Under Secretary of Defense for Policy Elbridge Colby. According to the TV channel, he played a key role in revising American military policy, including the cessation of military aid to Ukraine and the re-evaluation of the presence of American troops in Europe.

The project provides for updating nuclear response options that can be presented to the US President during a crisis situation. The main goal is to prevent a conventional war from escalating into a nuclear one, and also to deprive the adversary of the opportunity to use the conflict to their advantage. Russia and China are considered the main potential adversaries in Washington.

Elbridge Colby advocates for increasing the role of tactical nuclear weapons. This differs from the current American doctrine, which relies on the use of long-range strategic assets to destroy the enemy's nuclear potential. In his opinion, the very fact of the US's readiness to use strategic weapons is already well known to potential adversaries, so it is necessary to develop more flexible deterrence mechanisms.

However, this approach raises concerns among some experts. They believe that diminishing the role of strategic nuclear weapons could weaken deterrence policy, as the threat of a massive retaliatory strike would appear less convincing. In addition, they argue that this could negatively affect the readiness of the American armed forces for various scenarios of nuclear conflict.

One of NBC's sources in Congress stated that the proposed approach contradicts the position of President Donald Trump, who repeatedly stated the need to strengthen the American nuclear deterrence system. According to him, the head of the White House would like to have more options in this area, not fewer.

Earlier, the Trump administration and the Pentagon had already stated that the United States simultaneously confronts two main nuclear rival powers — Russia and China. The US Department of Defense also included 130 organizations and institutions from China, Russia, and Iran in a special list, whose activities, according to Washington, pose a threat to the country's national security.

After the expiration of the last US-Russian Strategic Offensive Arms Treaty (New START) in February 2026, representatives of the US administration did not rule out the possibility of deploying additional nuclear weapons, as well as conducting new nuclear tests.

It is expected that Elbridge Colby will present the main provisions of the new concept at a closed event in Nebraska during a visit to the US Strategic Command, which is responsible for American nuclear forces.

Against this backdrop, discussions about Russia's nuclear doctrine continue. As early as early 2014, the Financial Times, citing secret Russian documents, reported that the Russian leadership was considering the possibility of using tactical nuclear weapons not only in response to an attack, but also to compel an adversary to abandon further escalation of the conflict. According to these materials, the conditions for their use could be significantly softer than previously officially acknowledged.

Unlike strategic nuclear weapons, which are primarily intended for strikes on US territory, Russian tactical nuclear weapons are designed for use in Europe and Asia and can be delivered by ground- and sea-based missiles, as well as by aviation.

• 0
• 0
• 0
• 0
• 0
• 0
• 0
• 0