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decade. This effort is required for the U.S. to maintain its nuclear triad—and will be the bare minimum needed to maintain U.S. strategic nuclear deterrence.

1. Accelerate the timelines of critical modernization programs including the Sentinel missile, Long Range Standoff Weapon (LRSO), Columbia-class ballistic missile submarine, B-21 bomber, and F-35 Dual Capable Aircraft.

2. Reject any congressional proposals that would further extend the service lives of U.S. capabilities such as the Minuteman III ICBM.

3. Ensure sufficient funding for warhead life extension programs (LEP), including the B61-12, W80-4, W87-1 Mod, and W88 Alt 370.

Develop the Sea-Launched Cruise Missile-Nuclear (SLCM-N). In 2018, the Trump Administration proposed restoring the SLCM-N to help filla growing gap in U.S. nonstrategic capabilities and improve deterrence against limited nuclear attack.*? The Biden Administration canceled this program in its 2022 Nuclear Posture Review (NPR).*° The next President should support and accelerate funding for development of the SLCM-N with the goal of deployment by the end of the decade.

Account for China’s nuclear expansion. To ensure its ability to deter both Russia and the growing Chinese nuclear threat, the U.S. will need more than the bare minimum of nuclear modernization. President Biden’s 2022 NPR described the problem but proposed no recommendations to restore or maintain nuclear deterrence.

1. Consider procuring more modernized nuclear systems (such as the Sentinel missile or LRSO) than currently planned.

2. Improve the ability of the US. to utilize the triad’s upload capacity in case of a crisis.

3. Review what capabilities in addition to the SLCM-N (for example, nonstrategic weapons or new warhead designs) are needed to deter the unique Chinese threat.

Restore the nuclear infrastructure. The United States must restore

its necessary nuclear infrastructure so that it is capable of producing and maintaining nuclear weapons.