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U.S. Considers Expanded Nuclear Arsenal, a Reversal of Decades of Cuts
(www.nytimes.com)
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this post was submitted on 09 Jun 2024
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5000 nukes will annihilate everyone. Earth wouldn't recover for centuries.
Now, yes, delivery systems determine if the nukes can actually be used, but having more than 5000 nukes is just a hat on a hat. As long as they're 5000 functional nukes there's just no reason to have more.
Unless the enemy can intercept the missiles, then you need more to guarantee first strike capability.
If you need 500 nukes to hit and the enemy can destroy 90% of missiles then you build 5000+
Again, that's more about delivery systems than just having more nukes. The capacity to intercept comes down to how fast and stealthy the missiles are.
Again, it's not a matter of numbers. It's a matter of maintaining a credible MAD threat so that any adversaries does not see nuclear war as a viable option. Nuclear weapons are meant to be brandished credibly as a response, not used.
I'm pretty sure that numbers are how you present a credible MAD threat.