Modernizing U.S. Nuclear Command, Control, and Communications

Modernizing U.S. Nuclear Command, Control, and Communications PDF Author: David A. Deptula
Publisher:
ISBN:
Category : Command and control systems
Languages : en
Pages : 37

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Book Description
While the modernization of the systems that make up the nuclear triad are currently planned and now under debate, the fundamental underpinning for their success tends to get little attention. Specifically, the nuclear command, control, and communications (NC3) system that allows positive control of these weapons in peace and, if necessary, in war is a crucial modernization requisite. It is these systems that define an architecture that coalesces in a coherent fashion all the activities, processes, and procedures performed by military commanders and support personnel that, through the chain of command, allow for senior-level decisions on nuclear weapons employment. As a result of the highly classified nature of these activities, little has been written about the NC3 architecture. The intent of this study is to illustrate, in an unclassified setting, America’s NC3 infrastructure in order to convey the absolute criticality of modernizing it. Only with a modernized NC3 system can we ensure that the U.S. retains a resilient and robust command and control architecture that is fundamental to the effectiveness of the nuclear triad. In this regard, the NC3 enterprise is truly the “fifth pillar” of the nation’s overall nuclear modernization program—together with modernization of the triad’s weapons systems, and the nuclear warhead stockpile itself. Simply put, when it comes to nuclear modernization, NC3 is the least expensive, yet perhaps the most critical.

Modernizing U.S. Nuclear Command, Control, and Communications

Modernizing U.S. Nuclear Command, Control, and Communications PDF Author: David A. Deptula
Publisher:
ISBN:
Category : Command and control systems
Languages : en
Pages : 37

Get Book Here

Book Description
While the modernization of the systems that make up the nuclear triad are currently planned and now under debate, the fundamental underpinning for their success tends to get little attention. Specifically, the nuclear command, control, and communications (NC3) system that allows positive control of these weapons in peace and, if necessary, in war is a crucial modernization requisite. It is these systems that define an architecture that coalesces in a coherent fashion all the activities, processes, and procedures performed by military commanders and support personnel that, through the chain of command, allow for senior-level decisions on nuclear weapons employment. As a result of the highly classified nature of these activities, little has been written about the NC3 architecture. The intent of this study is to illustrate, in an unclassified setting, America’s NC3 infrastructure in order to convey the absolute criticality of modernizing it. Only with a modernized NC3 system can we ensure that the U.S. retains a resilient and robust command and control architecture that is fundamental to the effectiveness of the nuclear triad. In this regard, the NC3 enterprise is truly the “fifth pillar” of the nation’s overall nuclear modernization program—together with modernization of the triad’s weapons systems, and the nuclear warhead stockpile itself. Simply put, when it comes to nuclear modernization, NC3 is the least expensive, yet perhaps the most critical.

Nuclear Command, Control, and Communications

Nuclear Command, Control, and Communications PDF Author: James J. Wirtz
Publisher: Georgetown University Press
ISBN: 1647122457
Category : Political Science
Languages : en
Pages : 246

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Book Description
he first overview of US NC3 since the 1980s, Nuclear Command, Control, and Communications explores the current NC3 system and its vital role in ensuring effective deterrence, contemporary challenges posed by cyber threats, new weapons technologies, and the need to modernize the United States’ Cold War–era system of systems.

Nuclear Command, Control and Communication (NC3)

Nuclear Command, Control and Communication (NC3) PDF Author: Kristin Goodwin
Publisher:
ISBN:
Category : Command and control systems
Languages : en
Pages : 17

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Book Description
"Thou0gh often overlooked in policy debates surrounding the modernization of U.S. nuclear forces, the nuclear command, control and communication (NC3) systems and personnel which support those forces represent one of the most important investments Congress and the military will make regarding the future security of the United States. The United States faces an increasingly multipolar world where the proliferation of advanced technologies and weapon systems have enabled comparatively weaker nations and even non-state actors to exert an inordinate amount of pressure on U.S. national interests and security. U.S. NC3 nodes make a tempting target for potential aggressors, as disrupting or destroying them could severely blunt U.S. nuclear retaliatory capabilities. This method of attack could theoretically be accomplished with a relatively small-scale "bolt from the blue" strike. Even without a conspicuous rival facing the United States today, the capabilities being developed by potential adversaries have serious ramifications for the future of U.S. national security."--Abstract.

American Nuclear Attack Doctrine

American Nuclear Attack Doctrine PDF Author: U. S. Military
Publisher:
ISBN: 9781549826597
Category :
Languages : en
Pages : 87

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Book Description
Here is the official U.S. Air Force (USAF) doctrine for nuclear war, addressing the issue of command and control, and clearly stating that only the President can make explicit orders to employ nuclear weapons at any level. This doctrine document was updated in 2015. Air Force nuclear forces consist of delivery systems; nuclear command, control, and communications (NC3) capabilities; personnel; and the physical infrastructure for sustainment. Intercontinental ballistic missiles (ICBMs) and dual-capable bombers and fighters are the Air Force's delivery platforms. Combined with the Navy's submarine-launched ballistic missiles (SLBMs) and other assets, these forces form the nuclear triad. Each nuclear-capable system offers distinct advantages. SLBMs offer survivability whereas ICBMs are the most responsive, offering prompt, on-alert capability combined with dispersed fielding; also, attacks on ICBMs are unambiguous attacks against the United States. Dual-capable bomber and fighter aircraft offer mission flexibility and a capability to provide distinct signaling in a crisis through posturing to alert and through shows of force. Deterrence, extended deterrence, assurance, dissuasion, and defeat stem from the credibility of our nuclear capabilities in the minds of those we seek to deter, assure, or dissuade. The objectives of deterring adversaries and assuring allies require visible and credible nuclear capabilities. This credibility is attained through focused day-today training, periodic exercises, and regular inspections which underpin the credibility of US nuclear capability. As a bonus, this reproduction also includes the historic vintage 1961 civil defense document about radioactive fallout and shelters. Written during the most dangerous days of the Cold War, this guide was designed to advise Americans on what to do after a thermonuclear attack. The text reads: "There is no escaping the fact that nuclear conflict would leave a tragic world. The areas of blast and fire would be scenes of havoc, devastation, and death. For the part of the country outside the immediate range of the explosions, it would be a time of extraordinary hardship-both for the Nation and for the individual. The effects of fallout radiation would be present in areas not decontaminated. Transportation and communication would be disrupted. The Nation would be prey to strange rumors and fears. But if effective precautions have been taken in advance, it need not be a time of despair. These are somber subjects, and they presuppose a catastrophe which can be made very unlikely by wise and positive policies, pursued with imagination and faith. Still, realistic preparation for what might happen is far more useful than blindness, whether from fear or ignorance. A sane and sober person can assume that, whatever comes to pass, he would draw on his reserve of courage and intelligence-and the unquenchable will to live-and begin to build again."

Restricted Data

Restricted Data PDF Author: Alex Wellerstein
Publisher: University of Chicago Press
ISBN: 022602038X
Category : History
Languages : en
Pages : 558

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Book Description
"Nuclear weapons, since their conception, have been the subject of secrecy. In the months after the dropping of the atomic bombs on Hiroshima and Nagasaki, the American scientific establishment, the American government, and the American public all wrestled with what was called the "problem of secrecy," wondering not only whether secrecy was appropriate and effective as a means of controlling this new technology but also whether it was compatible with the country's core values. Out of a messy context of propaganda, confusion, spy scares, and the grave counsel of competing groups of scientists, what historian Alex Wellerstein calls a "new regime of secrecy" was put into place. It was unlike any other previous or since. Nuclear secrets were given their own unique legal designation in American law ("restricted data"), one that operates differently than all other forms of national security classification and exists to this day. Drawing on massive amounts of declassified files, including records released by the government for the first time at the author's request, Restricted Data is a narrative account of nuclear secrecy and the tensions and uncertainty that built as the Cold War continued. In the US, both science and democracy are pitted against nuclear secrecy, and this makes its history uniquely compelling and timely"--

The Future of the U.S. Intercontinental Ballistic Missile Force

The Future of the U.S. Intercontinental Ballistic Missile Force PDF Author: Lauren Caston
Publisher: Rand Corporation
ISBN: 0833076264
Category : Political Science
Languages : en
Pages : 185

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Book Description
The authors assess alternatives for a next-generation intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) across a broad set of potential characteristics and situations. They use the current Minuteman III as a baseline to develop a framework to characterize alternative classes of ICBMs, assess the survivability and effectiveness of possible alternatives, and weigh those alternatives against their cost.

Cyber Threats and Nuclear Weapons

Cyber Threats and Nuclear Weapons PDF Author: Herbert Lin
Publisher: Stanford University Press
ISBN: 1503630404
Category : Political Science
Languages : en
Pages : 206

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Book Description
The technology controlling United States nuclear weapons predates the Internet. Updating the technology for the digital era is necessary, but it comes with the risk that anything digital can be hacked. Moreover, using new systems for both nuclear and non-nuclear operations will lead to levels of nuclear risk hardly imagined before. This book is the first to confront these risks comprehensively. With Cyber Threats and Nuclear Weapons, Herbert Lin provides a clear-eyed breakdown of the cyber risks to the U.S. nuclear enterprise. Featuring a series of scenarios that clarify the intersection of cyber and nuclear risk, this book guides readers through a little-understood element of the risk profile that government decision-makers should be anticipating. What might have happened if the Cuban Missile Crisis took place in the age of Twitter, with unvetted information swirling around? What if an adversary announced that malware had compromised nuclear systems, clouding the confidence of nuclear decision-makers? Cyber Threats and Nuclear Weapons, the first book to consider cyber risks across the entire nuclear enterprise, concludes with crucial advice on how government can manage the tensions between new nuclear capabilities and increasing cyber risk. This is an invaluable handbook for those ready to confront the unique challenges of cyber nuclear risk.

2019 Missile Defense Review

2019 Missile Defense Review PDF Author: Department Of Defense
Publisher: Independently Published
ISBN: 9781794441101
Category : History
Languages : en
Pages : 108

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Book Description
2019 Missile Defense Review - January 2019 According to a senior administration official, a number of new technologies are highlighted in the report. The review looks at "the comprehensive environment the United States faces, and our allies and partners face. It does posture forces to be prepared for capabilities that currently exist and that we anticipate in the future." The report calls for major investments from both new technologies and existing systems. This is a very important and insightful report because many of the cost assessments for these technologies in the past, which concluded they were too expensive, are no longer applicable. Why buy a book you can download for free? We print this book so you don't have to. First you gotta find a good clean (legible) copy and make sure it's the latest version (not always easy). Some documents found on the web are missing some pages or the image quality is so poor, they are difficult to read. We look over each document carefully and replace poor quality images by going back to the original source document. We proof each document to make sure it's all there - including all changes. If you find a good copy, you could print it using a network printer you share with 100 other people (typically its either out of paper or toner). If it's just a 10-page document, no problem, but if it's 250-pages, you will need to punch 3 holes in all those pages and put it in a 3-ring binder. Takes at least an hour. It's much more cost-effective to just order the latest version from Amazon.com This book includes original commentary which is copyright material. Note that government documents are in the public domain. We print these large documents as a service so you don't have to. The books are compact, tightly-bound, full-size (8 1/2 by 11 inches), with large text and glossy covers. 4th Watch Publishing Co. is a HUBZONE SDVOSB. https: //usgovpub.com

Hacking the Bomb

Hacking the Bomb PDF Author: Andrew Futter
Publisher: Georgetown University Press
ISBN: 1626165661
Category : Political Science
Languages : en
Pages : 286

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Book Description
Are nuclear arsenals safe from cyber-attack? Could terrorists launch a nuclear weapon through hacking? Are we standing at the edge of a major technological challenge to global nuclear order? These are among the many pressing security questions addressed in Andrew Futter’s ground-breaking study of the cyber threat to nuclear weapons. Hacking the Bomb provides the first ever comprehensive assessment of this worrying and little-understood strategic development, and it explains how myriad new cyber challenges will impact the way that the world thinks about and manages the ultimate weapon. The book cuts through the hype surrounding the cyber phenomenon and provides a framework through which to understand and proactively address the implications of the emerging cyber-nuclear nexus. It does this by tracing the cyber challenge right across the nuclear weapons enterprise, explains the important differences between types of cyber threats, and unpacks how cyber capabilities will impact strategic thinking, nuclear balances, deterrence thinking, and crisis management. The book makes the case for restraint in the cyber realm when it comes to nuclear weapons given the considerable risks of commingling weapons of mass disruption with weapons of mass destruction, and argues against establishing a dangerous norm of “hacking the bomb.” This timely book provides a starting point for an essential discussion about the challenges associated with the cyber-nuclear nexus, and will be of great interest to scholars and students of security studies as well as defense practitioners and policy makers.

Complexity, Security and Civil Society in East Asia

Complexity, Security and Civil Society in East Asia PDF Author: Peter Hayes
Publisher: Open Book Publishers
ISBN: 1783741120
Category : Political Science
Languages : en
Pages : 270

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Book Description
Complexity, Security and Civil Society in East Asia offers the latest understanding of complex global problems in the region, including nuclear weapons, urban insecurity, energy, and climate change. Detailed case studies of China, North and South Korea, and Japan demonstrate the importance of civil society and ‘civic diplomacy’ in reaching shared solutions to these problems in East Asia and beyond. Each chapter describes regional civil society initiatives that tackle complex challenges to East Asia’s security. In doing so, the book identifies key pressure points at which civil society can push for constructive changes¯especially ones that reduce the North Korean threat to its neighbors. Unusually, this book is both theoretical and practical. Complexity, Security and Civil Society in East Asia presents strategies that can be led by civil society and negotiated by its diplomats to realize peace, security, and sustainability worldwide. It shows that networked civic diplomacy offers solutions to these urgent issues that official ‘complex diplomacy’ cannot. By providing a new theoretical framework based on empirical observation, this volume is a must read for diplomats, scholars, students, journalists, activists, and individual readers seeking insight into how to solve the crucial issues of our time.