Air Force Chief of Staff Claims US 'Can’t Afford' Not to Buy New Nuclear Weapons

The United States has to invest in modernizing the country’s nuclear weapons, Air Force Chief of Staff Gen. David Goldfein said at the Air Warfare Symposium in Florida on Thursday.

WASHINGTON (Sputnik) — When asked whether the United States can afford nuclear modernization, Goldfein stated, "We can’t afford not to do it."

"The only thing more expensive than deterrence is fighting a war, and the only thing more expensive than fighting a war is losing the war," he added.

The US nuclear triad consists of three components: strategic bombers, intercontinental ballistic missiles and ballistic missiles launched from submarines.

Goldfein noted that the missiles are the most responsive leg of the triad, while the bomber leg is the most flexible and the submarine force is the most survivable.

Nuclear weapons remain a key component of the US national defense strategy and officials have maintained their commitment to protecting the nuclear deterrent.

In February, the US Congressional Budget Office said in a report that plans to modernize the US nuclear weapons stockpile over the next decade will came with a price tag of $400 billion.