War → Nuclear War → Nuclear Deterrent
Many believe that the best defence strategy is to possess nuclear weapons. Their destructive power is so great,
possesion deters any enemy from attacking you.
Pakistan has used this strategy for many years to
deter India from attacking its terretory. India has a much larger and stronger conventional military so Pakistan would have little
chance of defending itself given a massive conventional military attack. Likewise, North Korea is relying on the development of nuclear weapons to defend itself from
its enemies and particularly from stronger military powers.
Everyone understands that a major nuclear exchange would not only wipe out a
significant proportion of a countries population, but would also destroy the ecomomy and severely damage all supporting infrastructure (medical, communications,
water supply, food supply, power etc.). Government and any established power structure would also cease to function effectively.
The prospect of two or more nuclear powers attacking each other would therefore lead to mutually
assured destruction (MAD), you destroy our way of life and we will destroy yours.
Nuclear destruction!
Source: GETWALLPAPERS. See: https://getwallpapers.com/collection/nuclear-explosion-wallpaper
The ballistic missile submarine - the ultimate nuclear deterent!
The ballistic missile submarine (SSBM) must be the ultimate nuclear deterent. The USA Ohio Class and the UK Vanguard Class nuclear submarines, for example, can carry up to 16 long range intercontinental Trident missiles, each of which can be equiped with up to 12 independently targetable nuclear warheads. At say a minimum of 100 kilotons per warhead, that is a destructive power of around 20 megatons per submarine. The SSBM's strength as a deterent lies in the fact that they can remain undetected/hidden in deep water for long periods and attack from virtually any part of the ocean worldwide. Unlike silo based ICBM's whose locations will be well known, the constantly on the move submarine is immune from first strike attack, and can respond in retrospect should a nuclear conflict break out.
World's ballistic missile submarines
Source: Popular Mechanics. See: https://www.popularmechanics.com/military/navy-ships/a21204892/nuclear-missile-submarines-chart/