The U.S. Air Force's Indifference Toward Nuclear Weapons

By Lawrence J. Korb | June 17, 2008

Article Highlights

• During the Cold War, the U.S. Air Force received a bulk of the country's defense budget because of its significant role in delivering nuclear weapons.
• But after the Soviet Union disintegrated, the air force became more interested in traditional air missions and the next generation of fighter planes.
• This disinterest manifested itself in two recent nuclear-related mishaps that cost the air force chief of staff and secretary their jobs.
• Generally, the military considers nuclear weapons costly and unnecessary, as conventional weapons can capably complete nuclear missions.

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This article was originally published in Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists.