The Pentagon on Friday released a new Nuclear Posture Review, the first since 2010.
Many analysts see a shift in U.S. nuclear strategy expressed in the document, which calls for the development of new, low-yield nuclear weapons in response to shifts in Russian military strategy and capabilities.
The review also expresses doubts that the decades-long reduction in global nuclear stockpiles can continue.
One thing that hasn’t changed, though, is the cost involved in maintaining the U.S. nuclear deterrence. Although the estimate is approximate, the review sticks with projections made last year by the Congressional Budget Office: Maintaining and upgrading the U.S. nuclear arsenal will cost roughly $40 billion a year over three decades, for a total of $1.2 trillion.
Adjusted for inflation, that number is closer to $1.6 trillion, according to an analysis cited by The New York Times.