Defense Department News:

U.S. Strategic Command is responsible for America’s nuclear deterrence, using nuclear weapons-capable submarines, intercontinental ballistic missiles and strategic bombers. The two peer nuclear-armed nations that have displayed aggressive behaviors are China and Russia.

Navy Adm. Charles A. Richard, commander of Stratcom, spoke virtually today about the threat at the Center for Strategic and International Studies Project on Nuclear Issues Capstone Conference.

“As a nation, we have not had to consider the implications of engaging in competition through possible crisis or direct armed conflict with a nuclear-capable adversary in nearly three decades,” he said. “Now, for the first time in our history, we face two nuclear-capable strategic peer competitors at the same time.”

Richard said he’d like to see a reduced role for nuclear weapons by the U.S., Russia and China and would like to extend the olive branch…



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