Unraveling Entanglement: Policy Implications of Using Non-Dedicated Systems for Nuclear Command and Control

Format:

Book

Author/Creator:

Snyder, Don

Contributor:

Blanc, Alexis A.

Language:

English

Other Title:

Unraveling Entanglement

Place of Publication:

RAND Corporation 2023

Summary:

The systems used for command and control in the U.S. military are undergoing modernization with an eye toward greater integration and interoperability. Recent arguments have emphasized the increased risk of inadvertent escalation from integrating and comingling conventional and nuclear command and control (NC2) systems. In this report, the authors argue that these concerns are overstated and that the risks introduced are manageable. That said, the different risks associated with using non-dedicated systems for NC2 warrant more-focused attention to (1) achieve mission assurance for command and control, (2) retain presidential and senior leader confidence in command and control capabilities even when systems degrade under attack, and (3) control the ability to send and receive signals of resolve and restraint through command and control.