One of the major areas in which the U.S., China, Russia and probably other nations are now competing with great vigour is the chase for hypersonic weapons. We have lived with hypersonic weapons for generations because many classes of missiles, especially Intercontinental Ballistic Missiles (ICBMs), have existed since the late 1950s. We have not had a nuclear war because of the age old concept of deterrence, not because one nation can field more modern weapons than another. So a Russian general may threaten nuclear war against the United States, but he or she will know that no major war today is worth its price. David J. Bercuson is a fellow of the Canadian Global Affairs Institute and director of the Centre for Military, Security and Strategic Studies at the University of Calgary.

Source: National Post January 22, 2019 14:32 UTC