By John Isaacs On April 9, the Biden administration released a budget outline for the upcoming fiscal year as a preview to its full request which is delayed as is typical in a transition year. While the details in the “skinny budget” are sparse, the administration has provided topline numbers. The White House will request $753 billion […]
China Is Not the New Soviet Union
By John Isaacs Despite the massive superiority of American military forces over China by most major metrics, there is a rising clamor in Washington, D.C., appealing for a substantial increase in the Biden military budget to confront a resurgent China. However, the United States has a substantial lead in key capacities, such as total annual […]
Fact Sheet: Disposal of Weapons-Grade Plutonium: Current Plans and Controversy
Between 1944 and 1994, the U.S. government produced 99.5 metric tons of plutonium for use in an estimated 70,000 nuclear weapons. Today, roughly 80% of the U.S. nuclear arsenal has been discarded, and the United States is struggling to dispose of the surplus plutonium. Currently, a total of 61.2 tons of plutonium is declared excess […]
3 Reasons Why the United States Doesn’t Need ICBMs
As a part of the $1.5 trillion nuclear modernization plan, the Air Force plans to replace the land-based leg of the nuclear triad with a completely new ICBM, the Ground Based Strategic Deterrent. But do we actually need these ground-based missiles?
Modernizing the Triad
The United States is projected to spend $1.5 trillion (before inflation) to overhaul its nuclear arsenal by rebuilding each leg of the nuclear triad and its accompanying infrastructure. Here’s a breakdown of the costs of some of the biggest line items.