Nuclear security

Top nuclear commander says Russia and China are developing high-speed hypersonic weapons and America can't defend against them

A top nuclear commander warned that the US should add more nuclear weapons to its arsenal because Russia and China are actively developing a new high-speed hypersonic weapon.

US Air Force general John Hyten, commander of the US Strategic Command, said Tuesday that Russia and China are 'aggressively pursuing' hypersonic weapons, a type of nuclear missile that flies a a very high speed. 

According to Hyten, the US doesn't have any type of nuclear weapon that can defend against a hypersonic missile so he suggests the country get to work.   

'We don't have any defense that could deny the employment of such a weapon against us,' he told the Senate Armed Services Committee, according to CNBC.

Hyten said that means the US has to rely on deterrence against the hypersonic warfare. 

'Both Russia and China are aggressively pursuing hypersonic capabilities. We've watched them test those capabilities,' he said, adding that the US needs to step up its nuclear weapon arsenal. 

'I strongly agree with the need for a low-yield nuclear weapon,' the commander added. 'That capability is a deterrence weapon to respond to the threat that Russia, in particular, is portraying. President (Vladimir) Putin announced as far back as April of 2000 that the Russian doctrine will be to use a low-yield nuclear weapon on the battlefield.'