By Geoff Wilson and John Isaacs Admiral Charles Richard, Commander of the U.S. Strategic Command, painted a dire picture of the nuclear threats the United States faces from abroad, and claimed that they could only be met by renewing the U.S. commitment to nuclear dominance over the coming century. In his two days of testimony […]
Fact Sheet: The W93 Warhead
The W93 is a new nuclear warhead intended for deployment on U.S. ballistic missile submarines by 2040 at an estimated preliminary total cost of more than $15 billion in Department of Energy (DOE)/ National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA) and Department of Defense (DOD) funds. Many questions surround the W93, particularly on its status as the first completely […]
Fact Sheet: The Nuclear Triad
Updated May 12, 2025 The U.S. nuclear arsenal comprises thousands of nuclear weapons and three methods of delivery, sometimes called “legs.” Warheads can be launched from the air via strategic bombers carrying gravity bombs or cruise missiles, from the sea by submarines holding ballistic missiles, or from underground silos housing intercontinental ballistic missiles. Collectively, these […]
The NDAA process, explained
By Monica Montgomery The National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) authorizes appropriations and establishes policy for the Department of Defense (DOD), nuclear weapons programs at the Department of Energy (DOE), defense intelligence programs, and other defense activities of the federal government (e.g., military construction projects, homeland security programs). The Defense Department is one of the only […]
Conference Outcomes of the FY 2021 National Defense Authorization Act
Topline Funding Nuclear Weapons and Related Programs Columbia Class Strategic Submarine House: $4.33 billion, the requested amount Senate: $4.51 billion, an increase of $175 million Conference Outcome: $4.46 billion, an increase of $130 million B-21 Long-Range Strike Bomber House: $2.8 billion, the requested amount Senate: $2.8 billion, the requested amount Conference Outcome: $2.8 billion, the requested amount Ground Based Strategic Deterrent (GBSD) House: $1.52 billion, the […]
