The Essence of Changes: A Doctrinal Shift In August 2026, the Pentagon began developing a new nuclear strategy that could become the most significant change in American nuclear policy since the end of the Cold War. The initiative, supervised by Deputy Secretary of Defense for Policy Elbridge Colby, proposes a review of the traditional doctrine that relied on massive strategic retaliation. The key innovation is the emphasis on short-range and low-yield tactical nuclear weapons (TOW) intended for use in regional conflicts with Russia or China. Colby's argument: the current strategy is \"unrealistic\" for limited conflicts, as it relies solely on the threat of using long-range strategic systems. Tactical weapons, in his view, will provide the president with \"realistic and reliable options,\" expanding the space for decision-making and enhancing deterrence effectiveness. The document, according to NBC News, \"leaves no option off the table for the head of state\" and is to be presented at a closed meeting of the Strategic Command of the U.S. Armed Forces. Technical and Operational Component The U.S. already has the necessary means for implementing such a scenario. As Daryl Kimball (Executive Director of the Arms Control Association, ACA) notes, the Pentagon has 1800 rapidly deployable warheads, including strategic and tactical carriers, as well as at least 150 tactical bombs of two types — the gravity bomb B61-12 and the low-yield warhead W76-2 for Trident-2 missiles. An important addition will be the deployment of a new sea-based cruise missile with a nuclear warhead (SLCM-N) for the U.S. Navy, expected by 2030. Chinese military expert Zhang Junsheng notes that Washington may equip hypersonic ground-based missiles with nuclear warheads. According to Kimball's assessment, in the absence of treaty restrictions, the U.S. may increase the number of deployed strategic warheads by several hundred, possibly a thousand or more, in the coming ... Read more