Defence chief: US to test nuclear systems as part of modernisation effort

US Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth said on April 29 that the United States plans to conduct tests of nuclear weapons and their delivery systems as part of a broader modernisation strategy.

Speaking during a hearing before the House Armed Services Committee, Hegseth indicated that the United States intends to test its nuclear capabilities on par with other countries. 

He also noted that the modernisation of the U.S. nuclear triad—comprising land-, air-, and sea-based forces—would proceed in line with commitments made by President Donald Trump.

According to Hegseth, Washington is working to expand its strategic toolkit by developing new approaches to deterrence and escalation management, as part of efforts to maintain national security and adapt to evolving global threats.

Defending the White House’s request for the defence budget increase, Hegseth says Trump aims to put the US’s defence industrial base “back on a wartime footing”.

By Sabina Mammadli