U.S. to trim air, sea and land nuke launchers under U.S.-Russia treaty: officials

Reuters ^

[Sub-Driver]

U.S. to trim air, sea and land nuke launchers under U.S.-Russia treaty: officials 11:32am EDT

By David Alexander

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The United States will scale back its land, sea and air nuclear missile launchers under a New START treaty with Russia but not retire a ballistic missile squadron as some lawmakers had expected, U.S. officials told Reuters.

The U.S. military will disable four missile launch tubes on each of its 14 U.S. nuclear submarines, convert 30 B-52 nuclear bombers to conventional use and empty 50 intercontinental ballistic missile silos, senior administration officials said on condition of anonymity.

The plan is expected to be formally announced on Tuesday.

One official said the government wanted to maintain flexibility across its land, sea and air weapons systems. "It provides us a bit of a hedge," said the official.

The New START treaty reached in President Barack Obama's first term called for cuts in the number of deployed strategic nuclear warheads in the United States and Russia to 1,550 apiece by 2018, down from the previous ceiling of 2,200. It was agreed in 2010 and went into force on February 5, 2011.

[GeronL]

Unilateral disarming

[b4its2late]

These last 6 yrs have been the most bizarre this country has ever experienced. They might as well allow Iran to send their chosen ambassador to the un.