The Pentagon began to equip Intercontinental ballistic missiles Trident II (D5), standing on the armament of strategic submarines nuclear-powered missile-launched (SLBM), new nuclear warheads of low power W76-2

U. S. Navy Photo by John Kowalski/Released / DVIDS

According to experts, warheads W76-2 will be equipped with one or two of the 20 missiles Trident II (D5), standing on the arms of each of the 14 U.S. ballistic missile submarines. This rocket will carry one or more warheads

U. S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 1st Class Ronald Gutridge/Released / DVIDS

The Pentagon began to equip Intercontinental ballistic missiles Trident II (D5), standing on the armament of strategic submarines nuclear-powered missile-launched (SLBM), new nuclear warheads of low power W76-2, said the Federation of American scientists (FAS).

According to her, the first of these SSBNs of the Ohio class – Tennessee, equipped with 1-2 missiles with new warheads W76-2, at the end of December 2019 already went on combat duty in the Atlantic from a base of strategic submarines in kings Bay.

According to experts, warheads W76-2 will be equipped with one or two of the 20 missiles Trident II (D5), standing on the arms of each of the 14 U.S. ballistic missile submarines. This rocket will carry one or more warheads, “Interfax”.

The capacity of each warhead is about 5-6 kilotons – that’s a third of the power dropped on Hiroshima us bombs.
The remaining 18 missiles on each SSBN will continue to be equipped with warheads W76-1 with a capacity of 90 kilotons and W88 capacity of 455 kilotons. Each of these missiles can carry up to eight warheads under standard.

The strategy of nuclear deterrence Russia

The administration of U.S. President Donald trump announced plans for the creation of new nuclear warheads of low power in the beginning of 2018. Under a new nuclear strategy in February 2019 at the enterprise Pantax, Texas produced the first nuclear warhead small capacity W76-2 to upgrade the parts of Intercontinental ballistic missiles Trident II (D5) SSBN for.

As previously reported, the National nuclear safety administration of the United States, the first batch of new warheads low power W76-2, produced from more powerful W76-1, was supposed to go in the U.S. Navy until the end of September last year.

The number of warheads produced is not officially disclosed. It noted only that it will be small. According to available data, up to September last year could be produced about 20 such warheads. In the past financial year for their creation was allocated 65 million dollars. In the current fiscal year, the office received $ 60 million for this purpose.

The Pentagon also plans to create low-yield nuclear warheads for cruise missiles, sea-based, that will be installed on attack submarines and surface ships.

The Pentagon argues the need for the deployment of nuclear weapons of low power (tactical) because it would “effectively deter Russia” and will not allow her to “use its potential of tactical nuclear weapons.”

The administration of Donald trump believes that the weapon of low power will do a full-scale nuclear war less likely, giving US a more flexible deterrent. According to Washington, this supposedly will prevent the use of enemy in particular, Russia’s tactical weapons in the hope that the States will not agree to the use of its powerful strategic nuclear weapons in response to a limited nuclear attack.
As noted in U.S. nuclear strategy, adopted in 2018, the availability of low-yield nuclear weapons “will help to ensure that potential adversaries will not be able to take advantage of if a limited nuclear escalation, making the use of nuclear weapons less likely.”

Supporters of the new strategy argue that the Kremlin has developed its nuclear strategy “escalate to victory” in which frameworks it is planned to use nuclear weapons if Russia will fail in any aggression against NATO using conventional weapons. American analysts believe that Vladimir Putin can go on the limited use of nuclear weapons in the hope that the Americans and their allies will not hesitate to respond in kind.

However, the United States is already in possession of about 1,000 nuclear warheads of low power is a cruise missile for B-52 bombers and bombs to stealth strategic bomber B-2, designed to break the tight defense of the enemy.

Supporters of the new strategy argue that these weapons may be useless, since their application requires to use aircraft that may be vulnerable to new types of Russian air defense. At the same time, ballistic missiles Trident II will be able to break through such a defense.

On the other hand, in real combat conditions, the Russian military in the event of the launch of such missiles are unlikely to be able to determine what it carries a warhead – W76-2 or much more powerful W76-1. Accordingly, to respond to a launch Moscow will be as a full-fledged nuclear attack. In this scenario, the American President is unlikely to order the use of Trident II, even with a reduced charge capacity. Thus, the strategy of the American containment of Russia will work as a containment strategy themselves, say the skeptics.

However, new weapons can be used against those who do not yet possess nuclear weapons – North Korea or Iran.

Anyway, a new arms race in the region of nuclear charges of low power increases the risk of use of weapons of mass destruction.