Class
Article
College
College of Engineering
Department
Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering Department
Faculty Mentor
Jeannie Johnson
Presentation Type
Poster Presentation
Abstract
Amid increasing tensions between NATO and Russia, the previous US administration called for the development and deployment of new low-yield nuclear weapons to deter Russian aggression in Europe. However, it appears that these weapons may be stoking Russian fears of Western nuclear aggression, exacerbating the fraught security environment in Europe, and pushing Russia closer to the threshold for nuclear use. This presentation considers the effect of recent US nuclear doctrine changes and new low-yield nuclear capabilities on Russia’s nuclear strategy by identifying key aspects of Russian nuclear doctrine and Russian threat perceptions that are affected by recent US nuclear policies. In particular, the presentation shows that low-yield nuclear weapons reinforce Russia’s fears that any conflict between the West and Russia will inevitably lead to nuclear war and encourage Russia to consider preemptive defensive strikes to prevent escalation. It also shows that low-yield nuclear weapons validate Russia’s nuclear strategies to manage nuclear escalation by providing the US a low-yield response option that is perceived as reducing the risk of uncontrolled escalation. Finally, the presentation identifies several ways by which the US can complement traditional deterrence strategies with confidence-building measures to reduce the risk of inadvertent nuclear escalation. Presentation Time: Wednesday, 1-2 p.m. Zoom link: https://usu-edu.zoom.us/j/82747382202?pwd=MmJHRFF0SG5kR21RQ0RsR2lDN1RBdz09
Location
Logan, UT
Start Date
4-12-2021 12:00 AM
Included in
Deterring Russian Nuclear Threats With Low-Yield Nukes May Encourage Limited Nuclear War
Logan, UT
Amid increasing tensions between NATO and Russia, the previous US administration called for the development and deployment of new low-yield nuclear weapons to deter Russian aggression in Europe. However, it appears that these weapons may be stoking Russian fears of Western nuclear aggression, exacerbating the fraught security environment in Europe, and pushing Russia closer to the threshold for nuclear use. This presentation considers the effect of recent US nuclear doctrine changes and new low-yield nuclear capabilities on Russia’s nuclear strategy by identifying key aspects of Russian nuclear doctrine and Russian threat perceptions that are affected by recent US nuclear policies. In particular, the presentation shows that low-yield nuclear weapons reinforce Russia’s fears that any conflict between the West and Russia will inevitably lead to nuclear war and encourage Russia to consider preemptive defensive strikes to prevent escalation. It also shows that low-yield nuclear weapons validate Russia’s nuclear strategies to manage nuclear escalation by providing the US a low-yield response option that is perceived as reducing the risk of uncontrolled escalation. Finally, the presentation identifies several ways by which the US can complement traditional deterrence strategies with confidence-building measures to reduce the risk of inadvertent nuclear escalation. Presentation Time: Wednesday, 1-2 p.m. Zoom link: https://usu-edu.zoom.us/j/82747382202?pwd=MmJHRFF0SG5kR21RQ0RsR2lDN1RBdz09