The United States must be prepared for the myriad of nuclear threats it will face in the twenty-first century. American preeminence and security will be challenged in the coming decades. Countries of concern to U.S. security are developing, or have developed, a weaponized capability; the rise of potential peer competitors will bring about threats to U.S. allies and its deployed forces. The inaction of the United States to revitalize its nuclear capability will leave the U.S. dangerously vulnerable when the new threats materialize. The United States has the capability to meet these threats, but it cannot afford to wait to prepare itself after the threats emerge.
","abstract_html":"<p>The United States must be prepared for the myriad of nuclear threats it will face in the twenty-first century. American preeminence and security will be challenged in the coming decades. Countries of concern to U.S. security are developing, or have developed, a weaponized capability; the rise of potential peer competitors will bring about threats to U.S. allies and its deployed forces. The inaction of the United States to revitalize its nuclear capability will leave the U.S. dangerously vulnerable when the new threats materialize. The United States has the capability to meet these threats, but it cannot afford to wait to prepare itself after the threats emerge.</p>","abstract_has_math":false,"creators":["Jason, Brien Purcell"],"institution":null,"degree_name":"Master of Science in Defense and Strategic Studies","degree_level":"Masters","degree_discipline":"Defense and Strategic Studies","degree_department":null,"school":null,"contributors":["Bradley Thayer"],"advisors":[],"committee_chairs":[],"committee_members":[],"year":2009,"date_issued":"2009-01-01T08:00:00Z","date_published":"2009-01-01T08:00:00Z","updated_at":"2026-07-24T03:16:37Z","subjects":["nuclear weapons","missile defense","post-cold war environment","American security","rogue states","peer competitor","Defense and Security Studies"],"languages":[],"rights":["© Brien Purcell Jason"],"rights_urls":[],"identifier_entries":[]},"links":{"outbound_url":"https://bearworks.missouristate.edu/theses/1429","outbound_label":"Repository record","outbound_source":"dc:identifier"},"metadata_groups":[{"id":"people","label":"People","entries":[{"key":"dc:contributor","label":"Contributor","values":["Bradley Thayer"]},{"key":"dc:creator","label":"Author","values":["Jason, Brien Purcell"]}]},{"id":"academic_context","label":"Academic Context","entries":[{"key":"thesis:degree_discipline","label":"Discipline","values":["Defense and Strategic Studies"]},{"key":"thesis:degree_level","label":"Degree Level","values":["Masters"]},{"key":"thesis:degree_name","label":"Degree Name","values":["Master of Science in Defense and Strategic Studies"]}]},{"id":"subjects_keywords","label":"Subjects and Keywords","entries":[{"key":"dc:subject","label":"Dc Subject","values":["nuclear weapons","missile defense","post-cold war environment","American security","rogue states","peer competitor","Defense and Security Studies"]}]},{"id":"language_rights","label":"Language and Rights","entries":[{"key":"dc:rights","label":"Dc Rights","values":["© Brien Purcell Jason"]}]},{"id":"identifiers","label":"Identifiers","entries":[{"key":"dc:identifier","label":"Identifier","values":["https://bearworks.missouristate.edu/theses/1429"]}]},{"id":"additional","label":"Additional Metadata","entries":[{"key":"dc:description.abstract","label":"Abstract","values":["The United States must be prepared for the myriad of nuclear threats it will face in the twenty-first century. American preeminence and security will be challenged in the coming decades. Countries of concern to U.S. security are developing, or have developed, a weaponized capability; the rise of potential peer competitors will bring about threats to U.S. allies and its deployed forces. The inaction of the United States to revitalize its nuclear capability will leave the U.S. dangerously vulnerable when the new threats materialize. The United States has the capability to meet these threats, but it cannot afford to wait to prepare itself after the threats emerge.
"]},{"key":"dc:title","label":"Title","values":["Improving U.S. Nuclear Capability"]}]}],"canonical_facts":{"dc:contributor":["Bradley Thayer"],"dc:creator":["Jason, Brien Purcell"],"dc:description.abstract":["The United States must be prepared for the myriad of nuclear threats it will face in the twenty-first century. American preeminence and security will be challenged in the coming decades. Countries of concern to U.S. security are developing, or have developed, a weaponized capability; the rise of potential peer competitors will bring about threats to U.S. allies and its deployed forces. The inaction of the United States to revitalize its nuclear capability will leave the U.S. dangerously vulnerable when the new threats materialize. The United States has the capability to meet these threats, but it cannot afford to wait to prepare itself after the threats emerge.
"],"dc:identifier":["https://bearworks.missouristate.edu/theses/1429"],"dc:rights":["© Brien Purcell Jason"],"dc:subject":["nuclear weapons","missile defense","post-cold war environment","American security","rogue states","peer competitor","Defense and Security Studies"],"dc:title":["Improving U.S. Nuclear Capability"],"thesis:degree_discipline":["Defense and Strategic Studies"],"thesis:degree_level":["Masters"],"thesis:degree_name":["Master of Science in Defense and Strategic Studies"]},"updated_at":"2026-07-24T03:16:37Z"}