There are currently eight nations with a declared nuclear weapon capability. While the majority of press, diplomatic, and technical discussions on deterrence focus on warheads and delivery vehicles, the associated nuclear command, control, and communications (NC3) system is the part of the nuclear architecture that will ensure the decision maker is able to effectively employ the weapons. This paper will review terms (e.g., C2, C3, NC2, NC3, Counter NC3) to ensure common understanding; introduce the nuclear command, control, and stability framework (2007 by James Conley) with the 2015 updates by the Virginia Tech Applied Research Corporation; collect open source NC3 System information on the eight declared nuclear nations to fill in the framework; describe Counter NC3 activities; and introduce a few alternate NC3 approaches that may contribute to nuclear stability.
About the author: Carol Ann Jones supports management, oversight, and investment strategy of Department of Defense National Leadership Command Capability. Through her position as chair of the NC3 Issues Working Group (NC3IWG), she provides leadership and guidance on NC3 roadmaps and architectures; identifies, analyzes, and staffs potential or reported issues; and advocates recommendations through appropriate forums to inform Senior Leader decisions.
