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United States Strategic Command convened its premiere Deterrence Symposium Aug. 5-6 at the CHI Health Center in Omaha, Nebraska, gathering military leaders, defense policy officials, academic and industry experts, and international partners under the theme: “Peace Through Strength: Turning Defense Strategy into Decisive Deterrence Action.” “This kind of intellectual firepower rarely assembles in one place,” said U.S. Navy Adm. Rich Correll, USSTRATCOM commander. “Peace Through Strength reflects our national strategic priorities and the foundation of our national security posture.”
Across two days of panels and keynotes, speakers examined how to operationalize the National Defense Strategy through a credible nuclear deterrent, sustain current force readiness while modernizing capabilities, integrate across the Joint Force and global partners, and expand the defense industrial base. A central focus was USSTRATCOM’s role in delivering a safe, secure, effective and credible nuclear deterrent designed to prevent crises from escalating by demonstrating clear operational capabilities. “The demands on this command and on the Joint Force writ large have never been greater,” said Correll. “But here’s what has not changed; the fundamental role of deterrence in national security and the mission to deter strategic attack.”
Sessions addressed the multi-domain nature of modern challenges, spanning policy, current operations, and rapid developments in space, cyberspace, and conventional weapons. U.S. Air Force Maj. Gen. AnnMarie Anthony, director of the Joint Electromagnetic Spectrum Operations Center, outlined threats U.S. Department of War warfighters may encounter in today’s electromagnetic environment. “We at STRATCOM have the responsibility to ensure that the Joint Force can operate and prevail through a contested, congested, and constrained [electromagnetic spectrum].”
The Honorable Elbridge Colby, Under Secretary of War for Policy, discussed the formation of the National Defense Strategy in a fireside chat with Ambassador Michael Froman, Council on Foreign Relations president. “Nuclear strategy and nuclear forces are an absolutely essential part of the National Defense Strategy…the number one priority,” said Colby.
Officials highlighted a dual-path approach to force management as the United States recapitalizes the nuclear triad and its supporting command, control and communications systems. Planners underscored the need to sustain legacy systems to ensure uninterrupted deterrence while testing and deploying modernized platforms. “It is much easier to stay strong than it is to get strong,” said U.S. Air Force Lt. Gen. Michael Lutton, USSTRATCOM deputy commander. “When we look at modernizing our force, it’s important that force be sustained and we modernize into the future without any gap in that strength or that capability.”
Allied representatives emphasized the operational advantages of multinational partnerships, noting that integration across the Joint Force and with global partners broadens credible response options and complicates adversary decision-making. Correll praised the force’s readiness and the value of partnerships, saying, “The Soldiers, Sailors, Airmen, Marines, Guardians and civilians of U.S. Strategic Command and our Joint Force represent the finest warfighting talent in the world. They maintain the watch 24/7/365 trained, ready and committed to executing the mission with precision and professionalism. They are the reason our deterrence is credible,” adding that “[allies and partner nations] represent an asymmetric advantage that no competitor or adversary can match. Together our collective deterrence force is as formidable as it has ever been.”
The symposium concluded with the presentation of the General Larry D. Welch Deterrence Writing Award, recognizing professional dialogue and advanced research in strategic deterrence, and a keynote address by Gen. Christopher Mahoney, Vice Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff. “The triad remains the bedrock of our strategic deterrence. STRATCOM remains the heart of the mission,” said Mahoney.
