US Strategic and Nuclear Forces:Building Up to the Ground-Based Strategic Deterrent

On 29 July 2016,the US Air Force issued Request for Proposals notices for both the Ground-Based Strategic Deterrent (GBSD) and the Long-Range Standoff Missile (LRSO).The programmes,regarded as critical because other nations have already upgraded their own strategic and nuclear forces,will provide tens of billions of dollars of new business for the major defence contractors through 2075.Boeing,Lockheed Martin and Northrup Grumman have already expressed interest in bidding on the two GBSD contracts expected to be awarded by the fourth quarter of fiscal 2017.It is unknown whether BAE Systems,Orbital ATK and SpaceX are also interested in the competition.*
It is believed the Air Force is looking to build about 642 new intercontinental ballistic missiles,a one-for-one replacement of the Minuteman III plus test missiles,and link them to modernised silos and launch control systems.*
The Minuteman III flight systems in use today were fielded the late 1990s and early 2000s with an intended 20-year lifespan,the Air Force Nuclear Weapons Center Public Affairs said.The current Minuteman III system will face increased operational and sustainment challenges until it can be replaced.The Air Force is focused on developing and delivering an integrated weapon system,including launch and C2 segments.The new GBSD system will meet existing national requirements,while having the adaptability and flexibility to affordably address changing technological and threat environments through 2075.Deployment is projected to begin in the late 2020s.*
The Minuteman III will have a difficult time surviving in the active anti-access/area denial environment that we will be dealing with in the 2030 and beyond time period,added General Robin Rand,Commander of US Global Strike Command,to the House Armed Services Strategic Forces Subcommittee in March.
Among developments of concern to the national security community would be both laser and microwave emissions countermeasures against the Minuteman III and other legacy strategic assets,and advanced detection capabilities of potential adversaries such as Russia and China.If the US cannot assure that its bombs and warheads will hit their targets,that changes the strategic stability outlook.*
With the flexibilty to receive modifications such as decoys and electronic countermeasures,the new ICBMs will be very modular so they can be readily upgraded against any countermeasures.*
Northrop Grumman has already been selected as prime contractor of the new Long- Range Strategic Bomber,the B-21.*
Lockheed Martin (LMT),Boeing (BA),Northrop Grumman (NOC)

Joint Chiefs Chairman:The Dynamics of War in the 21st Century

General Joseph Dunford,USMC,Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff,participated in a national security forum at The Center For a New American Security in Washington,DC on 14 December.In a discussion with Michele Fluornoy,CEO of the Center and former Deputy Secretary of Defense for Policy from 2009-12,General Dunford said there's a high likelihood that any conflict we might have will be transregional (multi-regional),multi-domain and multi-functional.Our current planning,command and control is not optimised for this.I don't think we'll be as responsive as we should be unless we make some changes.We're doing some things every day to mitigate this challenge.
The character of war in the 21st century is actually pretty dynamic,but I think our organisational structure,command and control need to be changed.The number one challenge is balancing what we're doing in the current fight with what we need for tomorrow,in the context of reduced funding.If we're involved in a conflict with Russia,it's not going to be isolated to the old plan.Our old plans need to be born with the three m's.
In any ICBM scenario,there are the combatant command (COCOM) from which it originates;the COCOM through which it passes;and NORTHCOM to deal with the consequences.I do believe there needs to be a staff that can provide SecDef with a comprehensive operational picture.This is all about SecDef and the National Command Authority.*
The current force is not broken.I certainly believe we are recruiting and retaining a good cut of people.The Marine Corps is a very young force.Be specific about requirements and start from cradle to grave to grow the force that we need to be.*
In Europe,not only do we need a capacity to respond,but on a day-to-day basis we need to be visible.We need to be there so our adversaries can see our physical presence,more rotational forces,an aggregate of forces adequate to fight and win.My joint staff priority is to focus on strategy and joint force readiness.*
The global commons should be accessible to all.The South China Sea should be available for trade and economic activity.It's a combination of a whole of government approach;freedom of navigation;military-to-military relations.We need to have the cyber capability to escalate horizontally in a crisis.*
I don't think we ought to apologise for our values when we go to war.I'm incredibly proud of the discipline of our force since 9-11.This is a war of values,a war of ideas.We actually have something to sell.Our engagement with people in Afghanistan or elsewhere is likely the only Americans they'll ever see,General Joseph Dunford reflcted at The Center For a New American Security.