As we enter the uncharted realm of 2020 and the coming decade, we have to pause and ask — How fast will the nuclear control dominoes continue to collapse, one arms agreement after another? Who can put in place nuclear arms control agreements now? We have to ask. Who can do?

Hypersonic missile becomes operational

This past year the world witnessed an unparalleled multi-national nuclear weapons proliferation.

The lid is again off Pandora’s nuclear box. The U.S. has chosen to embark on a nationally described ‘modernization’ of its nuclear weapons complex, delivery systems, and capabilities — the Russian Federation and China are engaged now with determination to match the U.S.

The ‘modernization’ of nukes means much more than upgraded operational systems.

 

Hypersonic nuclear weapons … a new weapons in space race

• The new Russian weapon can fly ’27 times the speed of sound’… the ‘Avangard’ is a hypersonic glide vehicle… a similar system is being developed by China

The coming generation of nuclear weapon delivery systems as with the Avangard cannot be defended against. Technology is reaching limits even as the nuclear arms race, with collapsing arms agreement limits, is about to take an unprecedented leap.

Yet, here we are again, as if the race to escalate, the nuclear proliferation with its immense dangers, of the previous generation have been forgotten.

Our Strategic Demands position, given this reality, is to launch our own warnings — know the embarking on new offensive and defensive nukes, attempting to destroy nations while intercepting a next generation of launched nuclear weapons via ground- or space-based interceptors will be a fools errand.

• The Avangard is launched atop an ICBM, but unlike a ‘regular ballistic missile warhead that follows a predictable path after separation’, the next generation nuclear weapons can take sharp maneuvers in the atmosphere en route to target.

The U.S. with its own hypersonic delivered nuclear weapons is planning for space interceptors of Russian and Chinese hypersonic weapons. U.S. officials have talked publicly about putting ‘a layer of sensors in space to more quickly detect enemy missiles, particularly hypersonic weapons. Space interceptors and lasers are in development.

 

While the U.S. pushes development of more nuclear weapon pits and triggers, more systems to deliver tactical and strategic nuclear weapons, new ‘dial-up’ and ‘usable’ nuclear weapons, the world sleeps…

Few observe, fewer have any ability to change the trajectory of this nuclear rush forward.

Those who do have the power to change the course, unfortunately, choose to abandon nuclear weapons agreements and to rush to judgment.