National Defense

Talking Points by Issue

National Defense

Aug 7, 2020 2 min read

National Defense
A U.S. Navy officer launches an F-35B Lightning II with Marine Fighter Attack Squadron 211, 13th Marine Expeditionary Unit (MEU) on September 27, 2018. United States Marine Corp / Handout / Getty Images

Policy Proposals

  1. Modernize the nuclear deterrent to ensure its reliability and effectiveness for decades to come.
  2. Develop and deploy a comprehensive, layered missile defense system.
  3. Address vulnerabilities to an Electromagnetic Pulse (EMP) and increase resilience of the domestic electric grid.
  4. Support the development of a space-based sensor layer to augment needed data for missile defense systems.

Quick Facts

  1. The U.S. has not tested its nuclear warheads since 1992.
  2. The U.S. currently has only 44 Ground-Based Midcourse Defense interceptors to protect the homeland.
  3. Over 20 countries have ballistic missiles, including U.S. competitors and adversaries such as China, Russia, and North Korea.

How to Talk About National Defense

The Duty to Defend

  • Providing for the common defense is one of the primary responsibilities of the federal government.
  • There is a widening gap between this responsibility and the readiness of the U.S. missile defense programs.

Nuclear Consequences

  • U.S. nuclear weapons have kept peace by deterring a large-scale attack against our country and allies.

A Developing Threat

  • As our adversaries build their missile arsenals, the U.S. nuclear weapons age, and our nuclear triad is overdue for modernization.

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