Senator King Questions Nuclear Warhead Testing and Stratcom Readiness

Nuclear Testing and International Activity

• ❓ Senator Angus King inquired whether any other countries are currently conducting explosive testing of nuclear warheads.
• 🇰🇵 The nominee confirmed that, to his knowledge, the last publicly confirmed explosive nuclear test was by North Korea in 2017.
• 🇷🇺🇨🇳 He also clarified that Russia and China have not conducted such tests that are publicly known, with China's last acknowledged test being in 1996.
• 🤔 King suggested that the President's statement about "testing our nuclear weapons on an equal basis" might refer to delivery systems rather than explosive warhead testing, citing Russia's new Skyfall missile.

Strategic Command Exercises and Readiness

• 🛡️ King emphasized the importance of presidents participating in nuclear strike exercises early in their terms, noting that no president since Reagan (or Carter, per follow-up) has done so.
• 💻 Regarding the National Command and Control (NC3) system, King stated that attacks are likely ongoing and asked about red team exercises to identify vulnerabilities.
• ✅ The nominee confirmed that red teaming is a part of the process, emphasizing the need to assume adversary capability and account for vulnerabilities.

Electronic Warfare and Deterrence

• 📡 King raised concerns about the United States' standing in electronic warfare, suggesting it may not be where it needs to be.
• 🇺🇦 The nominee acknowledged that while the joint force is focused on electronic warfare, lessons learned from the Russia-Ukraine conflict are informing progress.
• 🚀 The fundamental principle of deterrence was discussed, with King questioning how new weapon systems, such as a space-based warhead that drastically reduces response time, impact strategic analysis and the calculus of response.