| Summary/Abstract |
Among the changing characteristics of nuclear deterrence in the 21st century, compared to the first nuclear age that preceded it, is the relationship between nuclear weapons and cyber war. It might be supposed that nuclear weapons, the ultimate weapons for mass destruction, and cyber conflicts, involving nonlethal and precisely targeted attacks on information systems and computer networks, would be polar opposites on the menu of military means. On the other hand, there is the potential for cyber attacks to be employed against command-control systems that enable nuclear weapons to perform their assigned missions. In addition, information warfare might be used during a nuclear crisis to mislead the opponent about another state’s intentions or capabilities.
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