Here's everything that the US Nuclear Triad would consist of, after Donald Trump made a bold statement about what the biggest threat to humanity really is.
In a bombshell interview with Fox News yesterday (9 March), President Trump stated that while the Biden administration prioritised climate change as 'the biggest existential threat' on Earth, it's really nuclear weapons that we should be worried about.
The former businessman highlighted that 'the level of destruction' that could be caused by these weapons of mass destruction is beyond anyone's imagination.
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The 47th President of the US explained: "We spend a lot of money of nuclear weapons - the level of destruction is beyond anything you can imagine. It's just bad that you have to spend all this money on something that if it's used, it's probably the end of the world."
The US boasts 5,044 warheads, second to Russia's 5,500, putting the nation in a favourable position if anything were to go haywire.
Amidst talk of a 'World War 3' in a heated exchange with Volodymyr Zelenskyy in the White House, Trump will be relying on his nation's defense.
What is a nuclear triad?
Like many other of the world's most powerful nations, the US has a nuclear triad.
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It is a military strategy, and as the word suggests, there are three types of nuclear weapons that are included within it.
They are: land-based missiles, submarine-launched missiles, and strategic bombers.
The main purpose of a triad is to prevent an enemy from destroying all of the country's weapons in its first strike, allowing there to be alternatives. There is an official website detailing all the information behind America's nuclear triad, set up by the US Department of Defense.
It is described as 'the backbone of America's national security', with the website describing each section of the triad, along with short videos showcasing their capabilities in each area.
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From land
The US Department of Defense say that 'more than 10,000 people' are ready to operate 400 combat-reasy LGM-30G Minuteman III intercontinental ballistic missiles (ICBMs), which are kept in hardened silos across the country.
The Minuteman is a weapon system that uses ballistic missiles with worldwide range, while being connected to an underground launch control centre, ready to go at any time.
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Launch crews, which include two officers, carry out around-the-clock alerts in the launch control centre.
From sea
Here, ballistic missile submarines - also known as 'boomers' - are used as undetectable platforms for attack.
Just one boomer is said to provide the sixth most powerful nuclear power in the world.
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They state on their site: "Assure we can strike at any time, anywhere, even after a surprise attack. This survivability gives national leadership greater flexibility in the decision-making process."
Ohio-Class Ballistic Missile Submarines are used to make what is known as 'the most survivable leg of the triad, with their stealth making them near impossible to track, though the Ohio-class SSBNs will be replaced by the Columbia-class SSBN program in the next decade.
There are currently 14 Ohio0class SSMNs deployed, which can carry 20 submarine-launched ballistic missiles with 'independently targeted warheads'.
From air
Described as 'the most flexible leg of the triad' on the website, the US Department of Defense state that the US have '46 nuclear-capable B-52H Stratofortress and 20 B-2A Spirit aircraft' which can provide 'massive firepower in a short time anywhere on the globe'.
They claim that they can get through 'the most advanced defenses' and describe the B-52 as a long-range, heavy bomber than can carry out a number of misisons.
These can carry nuclear or precision guided conventional weapons that can be targeted at any point, worldwide.
The B-2 Spirit is known as a stealth bomber, which can deliver both 'conventional and nuclear weapons'. However, the B-21 Raider - the next generation of stealthy bombers - is starting to replace them.
Topics: Donald Trump, US News, Army, World News
Joshua Nair