Non Strategic Nuclear Weapons - Federation of American Scientists

U.S. Non-Strategic Nuclear Weapons
on the nuclear mission that other NATO countries do not have. This controversial arrangement
– of preparing non-nuclear weapons states party to the nuclear Non-
Proliferation Treaty (NPT) to deliver U.S. nuclear weapons – dates back to the Cold War
before the NPT entered into effect, but today it seems inappropriate.
Some have argued that for these countries to renounce nuclear weapons and advocating
their withdrawal is incompatible with the principle of nuclear burden sharing: “The
problem with Germany piously stepping first in line to renounce nuclear weapons on its
territory is that the country has not concurrently renounced nuclear deterrence. It wants
to continue to enjoy the protection of America’s nuclear umbrella, without sharing the
burden of risk associated with stationing weapons in Germany. In other words, the country
wants others to risk nuclear retaliation on its behalf, but it would rather not be a target
itself.” 65
Figure 10: German Nuclear Strike Planning
U.S. supervisors observe German personnel load a B61 nuclear bomb trainer onto a German Tornado fighter-bomber
that would be used by a German pilot to deliver U.S. nuclear weapons in war. This nuclear sharing arrangement was
accepted during the Cold War but is incompatible with non-proliferation standards in the 21st century."
Image credit: German Air Force
65 Franklin Miller, et al., Germany Opens Pandora’s Box, Briefing Form, Centre for European Reform, February 2010, p. 2,
http://www.cer.org.uk/sites/default/files/publications/attachments/pdf/2011/bn_pandora_final_8feb10-245.pdf
Federation of American Scientists www.FAS.org 32