"Russia is engaged in a large-scale buildup of strategic nuclear forces that has been underway for a decade”

Adm. Cecil Haney, the US Strategic Forces commander told the House Armed Services Committee

Bill Gertz:

State Department cables sent to Washington earlier this year included dire warnings that Russia is vastly increasing its nuclear arsenal under policies similar to those Moscow followed during the Soviet era.

The cables, according to officials familiar with them, also stated that the Russian strategic nuclear forces buildup appears aimed at achieving nuclear superiority over the United States and not nuclear parity.

The nuclear modernization has been “continuous” and includes adding fixed intercontinental ballistic missiles (ICBMs) and mobile ICBMs, along with a new class of strategic missile submarines, Haney said in testimony.

The new Borei Class Ballistic Missile Submarine Yuri Dolgoruky, Typhoon Class in the backround. The Borei Class carries a newly developed Bulava Missile

The new Bulava has a range of 6200 miles, and can carry up to 10 separate warheads, with 150 kiloton nuclear payloads, with an accuracy of 200 yards from target.

This is similar to the new road mobile land launched Topol M ICBM with a range of 6,800 miles and carries a megaton range warhead. HOWEVER, this new missile is now being replaced

The replacement is the RS-24 with a range of 7,500 miles and 3 warheads of  3 kilotons each, and the same accuracy.

The TU-160 bomber REMAINS the heaviest aircraft in the world, which is NOT a transport.

“Russia has articulated their value in having strategic capability, and as such, each area they have invested in both in terms of nuclear strategic capability as well as space capability and cyberspace capability in terms of things,” Haney said.

“And as a result, we have seen them demonstrate their capability through a variety of exercises and operations. They maintain their readiness of that capability on a continuous fashion. And it’s a capability I don’t see them backing away from.”

By contrast, Haney testified to the committee that U.S. nuclear forces are in urgent need of modernization to update aging nuclear weapons, delivery systems, and support and production infrastructure, most of which were made decades ago.