NATO (North Atlantic Treaty Organization) deterrence and defense after the INF (Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces) treaty. Final report, June 1988-June 1989

Technical Report · Wed Jun 21 00:00:00 EDT 1989

OSTI ID:5370100

Garrett, S A

The treaty between the Soviet Union and the United States eliminating a whole class of intermediate-range nuclear forces (INF) in Europe raises a number of questions about NATO's future ability to deter Warsaw Pact aggression. Future choices on Alliance strategy and doctrine will be influenced by a variety of factors, including the image of new thinking in Soviet security policy enunciated by General Secretary Gorbachev, changing West European opinion toward the use of nuclear weapons for NATO deterrence, the complications inherent in further nuclear and conventional arms-control negotiations, assessments of the current conventional arms balance in Europe, and ongoing questions about NATO cohesion as well as the continued coupling of American security with that of her European allies. In the post-INF environment it may well be that U.S. Navy nuclear assets will assume an increasingly important role, particularly the Tomahawk Land Attack Missile/Nuclear (TLAM/N). The TLAM/N has many attractive attributes that can be supportive of NATO deterrence of the WTO, but there are also a number of unresolved questions to be addressed concerning this particular weapons system. Modernization of NATO's land-based short-range nuclear forces (SNF), such as the Lance missile, is also seen by many as critical to the maintenance of Alliance security in the aftermath of INF.

• Research Organization: Naval Postgraduate School, Monterey, CA (USA)
• OSTI ID: 5370100
• Report Number(s): AD-A-211349/6/XAB; NPS-56-89-010
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

98 NUCLEAR DISARMAMENT, SAFEGUARDS, AND PHYSICAL PROTECTION
ARMS CONTROL
TREATIES
CONVENTIONAL WARFARE
NATO
CRUISE MISSILES
INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS
MILITARY STRATEGY
NUCLEAR DETERRENCE
NUCLEAR WEAPONS
PROGRESS REPORT
PUBLIC OPINION
SECURITY
USA
USSR
WESTERN EUROPE
ASIA
DOCUMENT TYPES
EASTERN EUROPE
EUROPE
INTERNATIONAL ORGANIZATIONS
MISSILES
NORTH AMERICA
WARFARE
WEAPONS
350101* - Arms Control- Policy
Negotiations
& Legislation- Treaties- (1987-)