Date

Dec 17, 1991

Description

Ongoing research at the Department of Energy and Los Alamos Laboratory validated Mikhailov's concern (see Document 16) about U.S. development of third-generation, very low-yield nuclear weapons. With the recent Presidential Nuclear Initiative sharply curtailing roles and missions for tactical nuclear weapons, the labs sought ways to keep the weapons relevant. Moreover, the imminent breakup of the Soviet Union raised new questions about future global stability. This presentation to Defense Department officials concerned the possibility of developing very low-yield nuclear weapons that could be used for a variety of post-Cold War conflicts and contingencies. According to the labs, as the sole superpower, the United States needed nuclear weapons for "deterrence," "stability," and "insurance," especially if nuclear-armed Third World adversaries emerged or if dangerous "spill-overs" from the Soviet breakup emerged, such as "Russian imperialism" or the loss of "central control" over Soviet nuclear weapons. Moreover, to "preclude" nuclear proliferation in NATO Europe, the United States would sustain an "extended deterrence" posture through nuclear deployments and programs of cooperation.

For such purposes, the labs sought high-level support for a secure and stable stockpile of non-strategic nuclear forces (NSNF). A new tactical nuclear "triad" was emphasized, with specific roles for air-and sea-launched weapons, including stand-off bombs and airborne short-range attack missiles. A central element of the briefing was the proposal for a family of "very low-yield" nuclear weapons as "counters against Third-world nuclear threats." They would include a 10-ton earth-penetrating warhead, a 100-ton anti-theater ballistic missile, and a 1000-ton (kiloton) battlefield nuclear weapon. The report did not mention testing such weapons, but that very likely remained on the agenda of the labs that produced this briefing.

Source

Department of Energy FOIA release

Document published in following posting(s):

U.S. Presidents and the Nuclear Taboo

Nov 30, 2017