Standoff Over the LRSO: Assessing the long-range stand-off missile's impact on strategic stability

Technical Report · Fri Jun 01 04:00:00 EDT 2018

DOI:https://doi.org/10.2172/1528845· OSTI ID:1528845

Heimer, Brandon Walter ^[1]

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1. Sandia National Lab. (SNL-CA), Livermore, CA (United States). Systems Analysis and Engineering

While there is consensus both in the executive branch and Congress on the need to recapitalize the U.S. nuclear weapons enterprise, the delivery system and W80-4 warhead proposed to comprise the LRSO have generated considerable debate. Much of the public debate has focused on its potential to affect the strategic nuclear balance and stability. This paper seeks to elucidate both Russian and Chinese perspectives on strategic stability and apply them to a systematic analysis of how the LRSO might either enhance or diminish strategic stability for the purpose of better informing the decision-making process rather than advocate a particular position on this issue.

• Research Organization: Sandia National Laboratories (SNL-CA), Livermore, CA (United States)
• Sponsoring Organization: USDOE National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA)
• DOE Contract Number: AC04-94AL85000; NA0003525
• OSTI ID: 1528845
• Report Number(s): SAND--2018-6544R; 664545
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

45 MILITARY TECHNOLOGY, WEAPONRY, AND NATIONAL DEFENSE