Limited War is Back
The anniversary of the Victory in World War II is an occasion to reflect on the danger of a new war breaking out between great powers. The end of World War II ushered in the nuclear era. Ever since that time scholars have been ceaselessly debating two problems
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. First: Is a direct military showdown between the nuclear powers possible? And if so, will they dare use nuclear weapons? Second: Can nuclear war be interpreted according to the Clausewitz formula whereby “war...
... strategic nuclear forces of Russia, China and the United States, which are leading the quest for hypersonic technologies. The Americans will realize the concept of a Prompt Global Strike, while Russia and China would be able to surely overcome any future BMD system and engage the nonnuclear version of their strategic nuclear forces during the early phases of a conflict in order to prevent it from escalating.
So far, this concerns technology but not arms because the Russian, Chinese and American experimental hypersonic vehicles are still in the R&D and testing stages.
www.vandenberg.af.mil
Minotaur IV launch, April 23, 2010
Operational gliding missiles systems will significantly expand the range ...