nuclear-news

USA govt understates the cost of its nuclear weapons arsenal

Study: Government Low-Balls Cost of Nuclear Fleet, USA News, June 5, 2012 The federal government is low when calculating the amount it spends on the U.S. nuclear weapons arsenal, says a new report, and several longtime atomic arms analysts say government officials have no clue how much the world’s most lethal weapons really cost.

The Stimson Center released a study Tuesday that concludes Washington will spend between $352 billion to $392 billion over the next decade to modernize its nuclear fleet. The think tank’s researchers dove into Pentagon budget documents to conclude the Defense Department pegs the same costs between $221 billion to $244 billion.

“Official estimates [rely] on a narrow definition of the nuclear enterprise, or even of strategic nuclear offensive forces, understate the actual costs the United States spends on nuclear weapons without settling once and for all what is the single right cost of the nuclear
enterprise,” states the report…… http://www.usnews.com/news/blogs/dotmil/2012/06/05/study-government-low-balls-cost-of-nuclear-fleet

June 6, 2012 - Posted by Christina Macpherson | USA, weapons and war