Strategic deterrence is the foundation of U.S. national defense, but it’s only as strong as the nuclear triad that supports it.

Think of the nuclear triad—land, sea and air—as a three-legged stool that holds up the entire strategy. For this "stool" to remain steady, the weapons, systems and devices within each leg must be credible.

But what does it take to ensure that credibility? And what role do the teams at Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory play in keeping the U.S. secure? Tune in to find out.

--- 

Big Ideas Lab is a Mission.org original series. 

Executive Produced and Written by Lacey Peace. 

Sound Design, Music Edit and Mix by Daniel Brunelle. 

Story Editing by Daniel Brunelle. 

Audio Engineering and Editing by Matthew Powell. 

Narrated by Matthew Powell. 

Video Production by Levi Hanusch. 

Guests featured in this episode (in order of appearance): 

• Michael Zika, Principal Associate Deputy Director for Strategic Deterrence at Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory
• Dr. Marvin Adams, Deputy Administrator for Defense Programs at the National Nuclear Security Administration
• Brad Wallin, Deputy Director for Strategic Deterrence at Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory
• Jong Oliver, Senior Advisor and Chief of Staff of LLNL’s Strategic Deterrence Directorate

Brought to you in partnership with Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory.