To deter prospective nuclear adversaries, the United States must retain superiority across the range of nuclear strike capabilities. In turn, we should welcome the new deployment of low-yield nuclear warheads on U.S. ballistic missile submarines (SSBNs).

As the Federation of American Scientists reported on Wednesday, the U.S. Navy has begun deploying SSBNs with W76-2 warheads. It says that the USS Tennessee, which is roughly halfway through an Atlantic Ocean deterrence patrol (Russia deterrence), is loaded with the W76-2. The federation estimates that “one or two of the 20 missiles on the USS Tennessee and subsequent subs will be armed with the W76-2, either singly or carrying multiple warheads. Each W76-2 is estimated to have an explosive yield of about five kilotons. The remaining 18 missiles on each submarine like the Tennessee carry either the 90-kiloton W76-1 or the 455-kiloton W88. Each missile can carry up to eight warheads under current loading configurations.” The next Pacific Ocean SSBN deterrent patrol is also likely to carry the W76-2.