China's Vast New Nuclear Build-Up
China is significantly increasing its nuclear weapons capabilities. Several recent reports show that China is constructing 120 missile silos for ICBMs near Yumen in Gansu, up to 110 silos near Hami in the eastern part of the Xinjian region and up to 40 silos in Ordos in Inner Mongolia. ICBMs are defined as missiles with a minimum range of 5,500 kilometers, and primarily designed for nuclear weapons delivery.
"The silo construction at Yumen and Hami constitutes the most significant expansion of the Chinese nuclear arsenal ever," according to Matt Korda and Hans Kristensen, in a report on the Hami field for the Federation of American Scientists. "All told... discoveries indicate that China might be constructing nearly 300 new missile silos," they wrote in September.
~ READ MORE HERE ~
Why Nuclear Subs For Australia Make Perfect Sense
News broke last week that Australia, Great Britain, and the United States have forged a new alliance dubbed AUKUS, for Australia-U.K.-U.S. Among other things, the alliance will help the Royal Australian Navy (RAN) construct a contingent of at least eight nuclear-powered attack submarines (SSNs) by the late 2030s. While allied leaders named no names, the SSN initiative is meant to help counter a certain large, domineering Asian country that operates the world’s most numerous navy.
~ READ MORE HERE ~
Clarifying the Issue of Nuclear Weapons Release
In the United States, the president—and only the president—has the authority to order the use of nuclear weapons. This exclusive authority is consistent with president’s Constitutional role as commander in chief of the armed forces and reflects the principle of civilian control of the military. It is also consistent with the intent of the nation’s Founders—expressed in the Federalist Papers—to ensure that the direction of war be executed by a sole commander. As Alexander Hamilton stated in Federalist 74, “Of all the cares or concerns of government, the direction of war most peculiarly demands those qualities which distinguish the exercise of power by a single hand.”
~ READ MORE HERE ~
Overview of Current National Security Threats to the U.S.
On Tuesday, the Senate Homeland Security Committee heard testimony from some of the United States’ top national security officials during its annual hearing on threats to the country. International terrorism and domestic terrorism remain leading threats, while cybercrime and ransomware attacks, especially those emanating from China and Russia, are also major concerns.
~ READ MORE HERE ~ |
![The DF-41 (Dong Feng [East Wind]-41, CSS-20) is a Chinese intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM). It has an operational range of up to 15,000 km, making it China’s longest-range missile, and is reportedly capable of loading multiple independently-targeted warheads (MIRV). - ALLOW IMAGES](https://threatjournal.com/images/DF41.jpg "The DF-41 (Dong Feng [East Wind]-41, CSS-20) is a Chinese intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM). It has an operational range of up to 15,000 km, making it China’s longest-range missile, and is reportedly capable of loading multiple independently-targeted warheads (MIRV).")
