The Obama administration plans to spend $7.6 billion in the coming year on nuclear weapons, but that does not reflect the full cost of maintaining and operating the nation’s nuclear arsenal. There is additional spending for nuclear nonproliferation and for nuclear reactors. And the military spends many billions more on multiple delivery platforms: bombers, missiles, and submarines. How much of this spending is necessary for U.S. national security? Could the United States maintain a credible deterrent with a smaller, less expensive force? Join us for a discussion with national security and budget experts who will discuss nuclear-weapons spending in the current budget and explore plans for the nation’s nuclear arsenal.

The Cato Institute gratefully acknowledges the support of the Ploughshares Fund in helping make this event possible.