Adam interviews Dr. Kyle Balzer and Bob Peters on their recent article in Breaking Defense. They discuss the future of the Sentinel ICBM program, particularly the potential for mobile basing options. They explore the cost implications, strategic effectiveness, and the need for political engagement to advocate for a more robust nuclear deterrent. The conversation emphasizes the importance of adapting to a changing threat environment, particularly with the rise of peer competitors like China, and the necessity of public discourse on nuclear strategy.

Kyle Balzer is a Jeane Kirkpatrick Fellow at the American Enterprise Institute, where he specializes in US nuclear strategy and policy. He is currently working on a book project, The Revivalist: James R. Schlesinger and the Rebirth of Cold War U.S. Nuclear Strategy. It examines the origins of diagnostic net assessment and competitive nuclear strategies. His work has been published in Breaking Defense, National Review Online, The Hill, The National Interest, and War on the Rocks.

Robert J. Peters is Chief of the Strategic Integration Directorate within the Strategic Trends and Effects Department (STED) at the Defense Threat Reduction Agency (DTRA). He leads efforts to generate actionable insights on counter-WMD and emerging threats, assess agency effectiveness, and foster strategic dialogues with allies through research and exercises.

Previously, Peters was a Senior Research Fellow at the National Defense University’s Center for the Study of Weapons of Mass Destruction. He also served as Special Assistant to the DASD for Countering WMD at the Office of the Secretary of Defense-Policy, and held roles at Northrop Grumman and the Potomac Institute.

He holds an MA in National Security Studies from Georgetown University and a BA in Political Science and History from Miami University. His published work includes articles in Strategic Studies Quarterly, 38 North, and the Nonproliferation Review.

Article Link: Forge ahead with the Sentinel ICBM, but consider making it mobile - Breaking Defense

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