Nuclear 'Parity' or Nuclear 'Sufficiency': The US-Soviet Strategic Competition.

With the possible exception of the recent conflict in Vietnam, no subject has been so hotly or thoroughly debated during the past two decades as the strategic nuclear balance between the United States and the USSR. Previous discussions have been encumbered by slogans, such as superiority, parity, and essential equivalence, and virtually meaningless direct comparisons of launchers, warheads, etc. The basic yardstick of sufficiency should be whether or not the size and character of the US strategic force is such that it can effectively carry out its assigned missions. The current and programmed inventory was examined and compared to the total target spectrum to determine if the central systems could cover all of the spectrum using accepted targeting methodology under all levels of execution and under the employment policy directed by the Secretary of Defense. It was concluded that the United States should use a force-versus-targets criterion as a guide in future strategic weapons systems decisionmaking and support expositions which insure that all recognize the sufficiency of the American strategic power. Author