The nation's nuclear forces, which are foundational to national security, are safe, secure, effective and credible, said Air Force Gen. Anthony J. Cotton, commander of U.S. Strategic Command, who testified today at a Senate Armed Services Committee hearing in Washington.
Stratcom stands ready to respond decisively, whether on the ground, in the air or beneath the seas, should deterrence fail, he said. The Stratcom mission has never been more critical than today.
The United States, its allies and partners face a deteriorating security environment. Cotton said the Chinese Communist Party is rapidly expanding its nuclear forces into a fully functional triad with more than 600 nuclear warheads and counting.
"Russia has modernized the majority of its nuclear arsenal. North Korea continues with its unlawful and destabilizing programs in pursuit of weapons of mass destruction and ballistic missiles, and Iran continues to pursue uranium enrichment," he said.
He added that the tools of war are changing, from novel missile systems to counter U.S. space capabilities, from cyberattacks against critical infrastructure to competition in the electromagnetic spectrum.
"To effectively deter adversaries across the spectrum of threats requires sustained legacy triad systems and urgently completing the multigenerational, decades-long modernization of all three legs of the nuclear deterrent and its critical [nuclear command, control and communications] systems," he said.
No portfolio needs recapitalization more than the nuclear portfolio, he said, noting that modernization requires continued, uninterrupted funding and an industrial base capable of steady and continuous production.
"Commitment to modernization will ensure that U.S. strategic weapons continue to deter aggression, assure our allies and partners and allow us to achieve national objectives if deterrence fails," he said.
In testimony prepared in advance and submitted to lawmakers, Cotton wrote, "People are the cornerstone of our organization — they make deterrence credible. U.S. Stratcom relies on a team of nearly 41,000 military, civilian and contractor personnel, steadfast in their dedication to our diverse mission. We must continue to attract, develop, and retain this valuable resource through career-enhancing experiences, targeted professional development and a robust internship program to ensure personnel are postured to meet challenges ahead."