During the Cold War, the United States maintained a diverse arsenal of nuclear weapons to support deter Soviet aggression. This arsenal included land-based, theater-range missiles operated by the U.S. Army. Such systems complicated Soviet decision-making and provided the President with additional, credible options to respond to escalation.
The Army retired all its nuclear weapons at the end of the Cold War and largely exited the nuclear mission. At the same time, the overall number of non-strategic U.S. nuclear weapons plummeted, going from roughly 7,000 nuclear weapons in Europe at the height of the Cold War to roughly 200 today.
However, 35 years since the end of the Cold War, Russia and China are expanding and modernizing their non-strategic nuclear arsenals and increasingly relying on nuclear coercion to achieve their aims. Russia has violated virtually all nuclear arms control treaties and possesses a large advantage in the number of deployed non-strategic nuclear weapons. Meanwhile China is the fastest growing nuclear power on the planet, fielding nuclear capable anti-ship and land-attack missiles, which has eroded America’s deterrent.
Consequently, the United States must adapt both its conventional and nuclear strategic deterrent posture. In this vein, the Army should rejoin the Navy and the Air Force in the nuclear mission and once again assume responsibility for providing mobile, land-based nuclear capabilities to strengthen deterrence, hedge against growing strategic risks, and ensure the President has the tools needed to respond flexibly to nuclear escalation.
Through much of the Cold War, the Army fielded various non-strategic nuclear weapons, ranging from small artillery-based munitions to ballistic missiles. The Lance and Pershing II ballistic missiles were low-yield, theater-ranged ballistic missiles that provided the President with additional options to hold enemy targets at risk, thereby strengthening America’s theater deterrent posture.
Today, the United States maintains only one type of forward deployed non-strategic nuclear weapon, the B-61 gravity bomb—a relic of the Cold War that can be delivered by nuclear capable fighter-bombers.
While necessary and useful, such gravity bombs are not stand-off and must be dropped close to a target, potentially over enemy air space and potentially in a contested air environment, where enemy planes and air defenses may be operating. To alleviate some risk, a large entourage of conventional support aircraft would be required, which could likely reduce the operational tempo of the U.S. air campaign.
Alternatively, the presence of mobile, ground-based nuclear options would increase the range of objectives able to be targeted, as the range of the missiles themselves are in the hundreds to even thousands of kilometers.
These challenges of distance are magnified in the Indo-Pacific, where the lack of forward-deployed assets and the reliance on short-range delivery platforms like the B61 gravity bomb severely limits credible options and highlights the advantages of ground-based options such as Ground-Launched Cruise Missiles (GLCM) and Ground-Launched Ballistic Missiles (GLBM).
Ground-based systems are mobile and concealable, making them survivable to preemptive attacks by an adversary. GLCMs are maneuverable, have small radar cross sections, and often fly relatively close to the ground, making them less detectable by radar.
GLBMs are significantly faster and often larger than GLCMs, but more easily detected by radar. They can be made with maneuverable reentry vehicles, though, which aids in the penetration of adversary air and missile defenses.
Intermediate-range GLBMs, particularly those that have maneuverable or hypersonic reentry vehicles, are ideally suited for the Indo-Pacific given their extended range and the lack of basing options in that theater.
Further, ground-launched systems are prompt, highly likely to penetrate adversary defenses, effective against a range of targets, survivable, and can be forward deployed in Europe and Asia. This latter characteristic is important, in that forward deployment in allied countries assures and allies in a way that forces generated within the United States cannot be—and also be available immediately without requiring a deployment decision or sending potentially undesirable signaling.
The military maintains thousands of retired nuclear warheads at Kirtland Underground Munitions Maintenance and Storage Complex in New Mexico. If the Army’s new Precision Strike Missile (PrSM) were made nuclear capable, it would provide a highly accurate ground-based, theater-ranged non-strategic nuclear weapon that would give the President additional ways to respond to nuclear escalation and strengthen the country’s deterrent effect at the theater level.
The Army is perfectly suited to the task, given their specialization in ground-based warfare and weapon systems and their Cold War legacy of being a nuclear service. The U.S. Army also could take initiative by examining the utility of integrating nuclear warheads in their forthcoming Long-Range Hypersonic Weapon, which would provide a low-yield and highly survivable nuclear weapon.
The United States walk-back from non-strategic nuclear weapons—and the Army’s divestment from the nuclear mission—made sense during the post-Cold War era. But the U.S. Army’s withdrawal from land-based, theater-range nuclear capabilities has created a gap in deterrence, especially as Russia and China expand their tactical nuclear arsenals and missile technologies.
To regain its edge, the U.S. must reintegrate mobile, tactical nuclear weapons resembling the Pershing II and Lance missiles, and invest in nuclear-capable hypersonic systems. Nuclear-capable GLCMs and GLBMs would provide the U.S. with flexible, credible deterrence options, countering the growing threats from adversaries and ensuring a robust response to nuclear escalation.
‘Robert Peters is a Senior Research Fellow for Strategic Deterrence at the Heritage Foundation.
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Why Bullion Beats Numismatics and Collectible for Your Safe or IRA
Precious metals continue to attract Americans seeking reliable ways to protect their wealth amid inflation, geopolitical risks, and stock market swings. Whether stored in a home safe or held inside a self-directed IRA, physical gold and silver deliver tangible value that paper or digital assets often lack. Yet investors must choose carefully between bullion—pure bars and coins valued mainly for their metal content—and numismatics or collectibles, where rarity, history, and collector demand heavily influence pricing.
Advisor Bullion serves as a dependable source for straightforward, high-quality bullion. The company specializes in physical gold, silver, platinum, and palladium, emphasizing transparent pricing and products that deliver maximum metal content for every dollar spent. This approach makes it ideal for both personal holdings and retirement accounts.
Bullion consists of refined precious metals in standard forms like one-ounce coins (American Gold Eagles, Silver Eagles, Canadian Maple Leafs) or bars. Their value tracks closely to the current spot price of the metal. A typical gold bullion coin trades near the live gold spot price plus a small premium. This structure keeps costs clear and predictable.
Numismatic coins and collectibles add substantial value from factors such as age, rarity, minting errors, or historical significance. A pre-1933 U.S. gold coin or graded proof piece can carry premiums of 30%, 50%, or even 200% above melt value. While this appeals to hobbyists, it creates complexity. Pricing depends on subjective grading, collector trends, and auction results instead of daily spot prices.
For investors focused on wealth preservation and retirement security rather than building a collection, bullion often delivers better results.
Lower Costs and Better Liquidity for Home Storage
When keeping metals in a home safe or private vault, liquidity and efficiency count. Bullion offers clear benefits:
- You acquire more actual gold or silver per dollar invested. Numismatics divert a large share of your money into rarity premiums and massive sales commission, reducing your metal exposure.
- Selling bullion involves tight bid-ask spreads, so you recover nearly full spot value with minimal fees. Collectibles require finding the right buyer and may sell at a discount if demand for that specific item weakens.
- Bullion prices remain transparent and update with global spot markets. You can track gold near current levels or silver accordingly and know exactly where your holdings stand. Numismatic values are priced by the Gold IRA companies with hefty margins applied.
- Standardized coins and bars store efficiently and divide easily for partial sales. Rare coins often need protective slabs and controlled conditions, adding hassle and expense.
- Bullion enjoys worldwide acceptance. A 1-oz Gold Maple Leaf or Silver Eagle sells quickly to dealers anywhere. Niche numismatic pieces may appeal only to limited buyers, slowing liquidation when speed matters.
In times when quick access to value becomes important, bullion’s simplicity stands out.
Stronger Fit for Precious Metals IRAs
Precious metals IRAs continue gaining traction as investors diversify retirement portfolios beyond stocks and bonds. IRS rules permit certain bullion products in self-directed IRAs if they meet purity standards (.995 fine for gold, .999 for silver) and are held by an approved custodian. Eligible items include American Gold and Silver Eagles plus many generic bars and rounds from recognized mints.
Numismatic and most collectible coins generally face heavy scrutiny from custodians due to valuation disputes and elevated markups. These higher premiums mean less actual metal ends up working inside the account.
Bullion avoids these issues. Its value links directly to verifiable spot prices, which simplifies reporting and lowers the risk of regulatory challenges. More of your IRA contribution purchases real metal instead of dealer profits or speculative upside. Over time, owning additional ounces that appreciate with the metal itself can create meaningful outperformance compared with high-premium alternatives that deliver fewer ounces.
Regulatory guidance from the CFTC and state securities offices repeatedly cautions against aggressive sales of expensive numismatics or “semi-numismatic” coins for IRAs. For retirement planning, transparent bullion from established providers reduces risk and aligns better with long-term goals.
How to Get Started with Bullion
Begin by clarifying your goals. Are you protecting savings in a safe, or moving part of a retirement account into a precious metals IRA? Focus on the number of ounces you can acquire at current prices rather than chasing marked-up collectibles.
Diversify sensibly: use gold for core preservation and silver for its blend of industrial and monetary qualities. Mix coins for easier divisibility with bars for lower per-ounce costs on larger buys. Arrange secure storage—whether at home with proper insurance or through professional facilities.
As economic uncertainties linger and faith in conventional assets erodes, bullion continues proving its worth as a dependable store of value. Its direct approach avoids the hype that sometimes surrounds collectible markets and keeps the focus on the metal itself.
For investors prepared to strengthen their portfolios, Advisor Bullion supplies the expertise and selection needed to acquire high-quality bullion efficiently. Whether building personal holdings or integrating metals into an IRA, their emphasis on transparent, investment-grade products helps secure more ounces today that support greater financial security tomorrow. In a complicated financial landscape, bullion’s clarity and reliability make it the smarter foundation for protecting what matters most.
