Today, the Department of Defense released the unclassified Nuclear Posture Review (NPR), National Defense Strategy (NDS), and Missile Defense Review (MDR).

For the first time in its history, the Department conducted all major strategic reviews in an integrated way, aligned with the National Security Strategy. By weaving these documents together, the entire Department is matching resources to goals.

The 2022 NPR reaffirms that as long as nuclear weapons exist, the fundamental role of U.S. nuclear weapons is to deter nuclear attack on the United States, our Allies, and our partners. The United States would only consider the use of nuclear weapons in extreme circumstances to defend the vital interests of the United States or its Allies and partners. The NPR takes a comprehensive and balanced approach to defending vital national security interests and reducing nuclear risks while affirming a continuing commitment to a safe, secure, and effective nuclear deterrent and strong and credible extended deterrence.

The 2022 NPR has made the following decisions to ensure a safe, secure, and effective deterrent while taking responsible steps to advance the goal of reducing the role of nuclear weapons in U.S. strategy. This approach offers a sound path toward sustained security and stable deterrence.

• Adopt a strategy and declaratory policy that maintain a very high bar for nuclear employment while assuring Allies and partners, and complicating adversary decision calculus.
• Adopt an integrated deterrence approach that works to leverage nuclear and non-nuclear capabilities to tailor deterrence under specific circumstances.
• Eliminate “hedge against an uncertain future” as a formal role of nuclear weapons.
• Take steps to strengthen extended deterrence and Allied assurance.
• Pursue enhanced security through arms control, strategic stability, non-proliferation, and reducing the risks of miscalculation.
• Affirm full-scope Triad replacement and other nuclear modernization programs, including NC3.
• Retire the B83-1 gravity bomb.
• Cancel the nuclear-armed Sea-Launched Cruise Missile (SLCM-N) program.
• Deliver a modern, adaptive nuclear security enterprise based on an integrated strategy for risk management, production-based resilience, science and technology innovation, and workforce initiatives.

The Department of Energy’s National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA) was a key collaborator in the 2022 NPR. As the steward of the Nation’s nuclear stockpile and a global leader in nonproliferation and arms control, NNSA has an important role to play in meeting the Administration’s goals, in close coordination with interagency partners.

As detailed in the 2022 NPR, NNSA’s priorities to support President Biden’s nuclear strategy include:

• Delivering on stockpile modernization programs to provide our Nation’s nuclear deterrent and support strong, credible extended deterrence commitments to our allies and partners;
• Recapitalizing the Nuclear Security Enterprise—including the infrastructure, production capabilities, and science and technology base—to ensure a safe, secure, and effective nuclear stockpile and afford the Nation the ability to adapt to changes in the security environment;
• Increasing investment in capabilities to support future arms control, risk reduction, and strategic stability initiatives when conditions allow;
• Denying non-state actors’ access to nuclear materials and related technology and disrupting attempts to commit acts of nuclear terrorism; and
• Recruiting and retaining the highly skilled and adaptive NSE workforce critical to fulfilling our stockpile mission and delivering the full range of NNSA’s nonproliferation, nuclear forensics, counterterrorism, and arms control efforts.

Information on the strategic reviews can be found at https://www.defense.gov/National-Defense-Strategy/.

The National Defense Strategy, Nuclear Posture Review, and Missile Defense Review can be found at https://www.defense.gov/News/Publications/.