Adm. Charles Richard, head of the US Strategic Command and overseer of the US nuclear arsenal stated during a Congressional hearing on Tuesday that China and Russia are modernizing their nuclear weapons and capabilities faster than the US. Adm. Richard warned that if the US does not start investing more in nuclear defense and infrastructure, the US will be at risk of losing nuclear weapons credibility. According to Adm. Richard, Russia is actively engaged in conventional nuclear modernization, alleging that they are roughly 80% complete while the US has not even started the process.
Richard stated that Russia is modernizing virtually every aspect of its nuclear weapons program, including the weapons themselves. Richard furthered that China, another adversary, is improving its nuclear capabilities at such a rate that there are new discoveries pertaining to the topic every week. China’s stockpile remains smaller than the United States’ and Russia’s nuclear arsenals, however, despite the unprecedented expansion.
Read More: Top military official warns China and Russia are modernizing nuclear weapons faster than US
