US House of Representatives in favor of Nuclear-Armed Sea-Launched Cruise Missile SCLM-N.

According to information published by the US Congress on June 21, 2023, the United States House Committee on Armed Services expresses a vote in favor of recreating the Nuclear-Armed Sea-Launched Cruise Missile (SCLM-N) program.
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A Tomahawk Land Attack Missile is test-launched off the coast of California by the USS Annapolis submarine. (Picture source: US DoD)

Historically, the US had deployed a nuclear-armed version of the Tomahawk land-attack cruise missile (TLAM-N) in the 1980s on surface ships and submarines. However, these missiles were withdrawn at the end of the Cold War and finally retired by the Obama Administration in 2013, citing their redundancy.

The Trump Administration reinstated the project under a new name, SLCM-N, claiming it was necessary for non-strategic regional presence and to counterbalance Russia's violation of the Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces (INF) Treaty.

The Biden Administration's FY2022 budget sought funding for research and development of the missile, but later eliminated it, leading to questions from Congress.

General Milley, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, and Defense Secretary Austin supported the project, but noted the country's robust nuclear capabilities and the SLCM-N's cost outweighed its marginal capabilities.

The cancellation of the SLCM-N has sparked a debate over its necessity, with some arguing its deployment could increase the likelihood of nuclear war and create misperceptions, while others maintain it could deter nuclear threats and reassure US allies.

The SLCM-N's arms control implications have also been discussed, with proponents saying it could influence negotiations with Russia and China. Operational concerns, such as security protocols, conventional weapon availability, and international relations have also been raised. Despite these concerns, supporters argue the Navy has the capacity to deploy a large number of cruise missiles without detracting from its operations.