Maintaining the triad U.S. bomber force needs a new nuclear cruise missile BY ELBRIDGE COLBY AND THOMAS MOORE

Maintaining the triad

U.S. bomber force needs a new nuclear cruise missile

BY ELBRIDGE COLBY AND THOMAS MOORE

Does the U.S. want to maintain a credible bomber leg of the triad of nuclear delivery systems? With little high-level debate, this question may be slowly rolling toward “no” due to the atrophying of the mainstay nuclear weapon of the heavy bomber force, the AGM-86B air-launched cruise missile (ALCM). This is a mistake.