Global Nuclear Politics
Department of Politics, University of York, Autumn term 2020-21
Background note for lecture 2: Introducing nuclear deterrence
For background reading see Andrew Futter, The Politics of Nuclear Weapons, ch.
4 Nuclear weapons: Understanding the MADness’
This note outlines some core concepts and definitions related to the overarching
concept of nuclear deterrence. The lecture will focus on nuclear deterrence, but
these secondary ideas are crucial and will be referred to in the lecture.
Deterrence, coercion, defence: Distinctions can be drawn between
deterrence, defence, and coercion. Defence is about resisting an attack.
Deterrence is about persuading someone not to do something because of the
unacceptable consequences of your retaliation, so it is fundamentally about
maintaining the status quo. Coercion is about compelling someone to do
something that they otherwise would not wish to do through threat of harm, in
that sense it is about changing the status quo.
Delivery vehicles: nuclear weapons have been developed for delivery by a
variety of means. This includes long-range intercontinental ballistic missiles for
submarines, fixed silos on land and mobile missile systems based on trucks and
trains. Medium-range ballistic missiles have also been developed along with
tactical short -range missiles for battlefield use. Nuclear-armed cruise missiles
have been developed for submarines, land-based systems, fighter and bomber
aircraft, and ships. Nuclear-bombs have been deployed on fighter aircraft and
bombers, and ships and helicopters for anti-submarine nuclear depth charges.
Small nuclear weapons have been developed for mortars and backpack atomic
demolition mines.
MIRVs: technology for multiple warheads on a single
long-range missile was developed in the 1970s as
warhead science allowed for greater miniaturisation.
MIRV stands for ‘multiple independently-targetable
re-entry vehicles’. The nuclear warhead is carried to
its target within what is called a re-entry vehicle that
includes the cone shaped heat shield to protect the
warhead during atmospheric re-entry.
10-warhead US Peacekeeper ICBM ‘bus’
Ballistic missile defences: these were first developed in the 1950s and
involved nuclear warheads aboard interceptor missiles. The idea was that when
an attack was detected, radars tracking incoming enemy missiles would guide
interceptor missiles towards them which, when close enough, would detonate
their nuclear charges and destroy the enemy’s incoming nuclear warheads.
Nuclear-armed interceptors were later abandoned but conventional interceptors
have been pursued ever since primarily by the US but also the USSR and then
Russia. US president Ronald Reagan’s dream was that an extensive space-based
missile defence system to destroy incoming warheads would make nuclear
disarmament possible. It was called the ‘Strategic Defense Initiative’ and
nicknamed ‘Star Wars’.
1
Department of Politics, University of York, Autumn term 2020-21
Background note for lecture 2: Introducing nuclear deterrence
For background reading see Andrew Futter, The Politics of Nuclear Weapons, ch.
4 Nuclear weapons: Understanding the MADness’
This note outlines some core concepts and definitions related to the overarching
concept of nuclear deterrence. The lecture will focus on nuclear deterrence, but
these secondary ideas are crucial and will be referred to in the lecture.
Deterrence, coercion, defence: Distinctions can be drawn between
deterrence, defence, and coercion. Defence is about resisting an attack.
Deterrence is about persuading someone not to do something because of the
unacceptable consequences of your retaliation, so it is fundamentally about
maintaining the status quo. Coercion is about compelling someone to do
something that they otherwise would not wish to do through threat of harm, in
that sense it is about changing the status quo.
Delivery vehicles: nuclear weapons have been developed for delivery by a
variety of means. This includes long-range intercontinental ballistic missiles for
submarines, fixed silos on land and mobile missile systems based on trucks and
trains. Medium-range ballistic missiles have also been developed along with
tactical short -range missiles for battlefield use. Nuclear-armed cruise missiles
have been developed for submarines, land-based systems, fighter and bomber
aircraft, and ships. Nuclear-bombs have been deployed on fighter aircraft and
bombers, and ships and helicopters for anti-submarine nuclear depth charges.
Small nuclear weapons have been developed for mortars and backpack atomic
demolition mines.
MIRVs: technology for multiple warheads on a single
long-range missile was developed in the 1970s as
warhead science allowed for greater miniaturisation.
MIRV stands for ‘multiple independently-targetable
re-entry vehicles’. The nuclear warhead is carried to
its target within what is called a re-entry vehicle that
includes the cone shaped heat shield to protect the
warhead during atmospheric re-entry.
10-warhead US Peacekeeper ICBM ‘bus’
Ballistic missile defences: these were first developed in the 1950s and
involved nuclear warheads aboard interceptor missiles. The idea was that when
an attack was detected, radars tracking incoming enemy missiles would guide
interceptor missiles towards them which, when close enough, would detonate
their nuclear charges and destroy the enemy’s incoming nuclear warheads.
Nuclear-armed interceptors were later abandoned but conventional interceptors
have been pursued ever since primarily by the US but also the USSR and then
Russia. US president Ronald Reagan’s dream was that an extensive space-based
missile defence system to destroy incoming warheads would make nuclear
disarmament possible. It was called the ‘Strategic Defense Initiative’ and
nicknamed ‘Star Wars’.
1
