Nuclear weapon modernization increases tensions among nuclear powers

New York Times : China, Russia, and the US are all actively working to develop a new generation of nuclear weapons that are smaller and more precise than previous devices. And because of each country’s modernization efforts, no progress has been made on new arms-control treaties. In the US, the next generation of weapons is intended to reinforce nuclear deterrence by replacing older weapons with updated versions. That program, estimated to cost $1 trillion over 30 years, is prompting China and Russia to not just modernize weapons but also develop new types of warfare. For example, Russian news reports say that the country’s navy is developing a drone that can spread radioactive contamination over a wide area. Independent analysts worry that Russia would be willing to violate the Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty as part of its development process. And China is developing a hypersonic missile similar to one that the US has tested unsuccessfully. Analysts are particularly worried that all those efforts may increase the likelihood that nuclear weapons are used in a local conflict and that they weaken the concept of mutual assured destruction that has served to deter the use of nuclear weapons since the 1950s.