In this report, Evan Montgomery and I analyze the cost of U.S. nuclear forces over the coming 25 years. We conclude that the cost of U.S. nuclear forces is not a matter of affordability but of priority. While the cost of nuclear forces will grow substantially over the coming decade, these costs will peak at less than five percent of total defense spending in the late 2020s. The real challenge is that many nuclear modernization programs will be occurring nearly simultaneously with modernization of many of our conventional forces. We present several options to reduce nuclear modernization costs, but most of the savings accrue in the 2020s beyond the Budget Control Act budget caps.
Tuesday, August 4, 2015
The Cost of U.S. Nuclear Forces
In this report, Evan Montgomery and I analyze the cost of U.S. nuclear forces over the coming 25 years. We conclude that the cost of U.S. nuclear forces is not a matter of affordability but of priority. While the cost of nuclear forces will grow substantially over the coming decade, these costs will peak at less than five percent of total defense spending in the late 2020s. The real challenge is that many nuclear modernization programs will be occurring nearly simultaneously with modernization of many of our conventional forces. We present several options to reduce nuclear modernization costs, but most of the savings accrue in the 2020s beyond the Budget Control Act budget caps.