Episode notes
In this episode of NucleCast, Dr. Kyle Balzer discusses three topics: the submarine launch cruise missile (SLCM-N), the origins of tailored deterrence, and the concept of hedging the hedge. SLCM-N is seen as a missing piece in the US nuclear posture, providing regional presence, promptness to respond, widespread deployment, and complicating adversary defense planning. Tailored deterrence, which dates back to the Cold War, involves understanding the values and priorities of adversaries to deter them effectively. Hedging, or maintaining extra warheads, is crucial in a complex and unpredictable threat environment. The conversation emphasizes the need for intelligence on adversary thinking, bipartisan support for SLCM-N, and continued debate and implementation of nuclear strategies.
Kyle Balzer is a Jeane Kirkpatrick Fellow at the American Enterprise Institute, where he specializes in US nuclear strategy and policy. He is currently working on a book project, The Revivalist: James R. Schlesinger and the Rebirth of Cold War U.S. Nuclear Strategy. It examines the origins of diagnostic net assessment and competitive nuclear strategies. His work has been published in Breaking Defense, National Review Online, The Hill, The National Interest, and War on the Rocks.
Kyle holds a Ph.D. in US diplomatic history from Ohio University, where he studied the relationship between American grand strategy and nuclear deterrence policy.
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