U.S. and Soviet strategic command and control: implications for a protracted nuclear war

Download
Author
Lippold, Kirk S.
Date
1989-03Advisor
Kartchner, Kerry M.
Second Reader
Taylor, James G.
Metadata
Show full item recordAbstract
This thesis will address the relative ability of the
command and control systems of the United States and Soviet
Union to support a protracted nuclear war. It will address
the organizations as well as the various systems used to
support the respective National Command Authorities. This
includes the threat warning and attack assessment equipment
used to determine strategic and tactical warning, the
communications equipment used to alert forces of increased
readiness and the contribution of these systems in the
conduct of nuclear strikes, if required. It also includes
a review of the technical factors associated with the
performance of C 3 in a nuclear environment. The result is a
net assessment of the two command and control systems that
highlights the strengths and weaknesses inherent in each.
Specific recommendations, such as better aircraft support
schemes and more robust command and control systems, are
developed to help enhance the United States' position
regarding this vital national security issue.
Rights
This publication is a work of the U.S. Government as defined in Title 17, United States Code, Section 101. Copyright protection is not available for this work in the United States.Collections
Related items
Showing items related by title, author, creator and subject.
-
Indian Nuclear command and control dilemma
Kumar, Rakesh (Monterey, California. Naval Postgraduate School, 2006-09);The aim of the thesis is to analyze India's nuclear weapons command and control system as it has evolved since the nation's 1998 nuclear weapons tests. The small size of India's nuclear weapons arsenal does not imply that ... -
Command and control: an introduction
Bethmann, Ronald Clinton; Malloy, Karen Allene (Monterey, California. Naval Postgraduate School, 1989-03);The authors present an introduction to command and control (C2) and establish a foundation for understanding the complex nature of C2 and the C2 process. A historical perspective is presented which demonstrates the importance ... -
Assessing the risk of inadvertent nuclear war between India and Pakistan
Smith, Stephen A. (Monterey, California. Naval Postgraduate School, 2002-12);Conventional warfare between India and Pakistan could inadvertently escalate to nuclear warfare. Asymmetries in military doctrine and capability undermine deterrence stability and could lead to the use of nuclear weapons ...