Article

Congress has mandated the restart of the nuclear-armed sea-launched cruise missile (SLCM-N) program, which has been under debate since its proposal by the Trump Administration in 2018. The Biden Administration initially sought to cancel the program, citing the sufficiency of the W76-2 SLBM for deterrence, but Congress provided funding through the FY2024 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA).

The NDAA requires the Department of Defense (DOD) to initiate a major acquisition program for the SLCM-N and adapt the W80-4 warhead for it, aiming for initial operational capability by September 30, 2034. Despite Biden's budget requests excluding SLCM-N funding, Congress allocated $2 billion to accelerate work on the missile and its warhead in FY2025. Proponents argue SLCM-N is necessary for deterrence and assurance to allies, while critics raise concerns about cost and operational tradeoffs.