Pentagon: No Plans to Develop New Missile Systems After INF Withdrawal

Russia has said they'll develop intermediate missiles

Though the US is in the process of withdrawing from the Intermediate Nuclear Forces (INF) Treaty, a major Cold War treaty, the Pentagon says that there are no plans to actually develop any intermediate range nuclear weapons.

The US pullout from INF came after years of accusing Russia of a violation of the treaty based on a single missile. Russia maintains that missile was never tested in the range that would be covered by the INF, and was only deployed and tested at a shorter range.

Russia responded to the US withdrawal from the treaty by withdrawing themselves, and says that they intend to develop some actual intermediate-range nuclear missiles once the treaty is cancelled.

Intermediate range missiles are more practical for Russia than the US at any rate. The US replaced their traditional INF-covered missiles with submarine-based ones, and would struggle to convince EU nations to host US nuclear arms even if they were developed.

With no intention of even attempting to make those missiles, it makes even less sense for the US to withdraw from the deal. If there were no plans for new missiles, all they did was give Russia a legal justification to develop new missiles.

Author: Jason Ditz

Jason Ditz is Senior Editor for Antiwar.com. He has 20 years of experience in foreign policy research and his work has appeared in The American Conservative, Responsible Statecraft, Forbes, Toronto Star, Minneapolis Star-Tribune, Providence Journal, Washington Times, and the Detroit Free Press.