THE character of war is rapidly evolving as emerging technologies destabilize security. The pace of technological change is encouraging weaker combatants to adopt asymmetrical war strategies to bleed and frustrate a stronger enemy while defending their sovereignty and territorial integrity. Nuclear-armed states are equally exposed to this new character of war and are adjusting their nuclear doctrines and postures accordingly.

A review of strategic literature shows that war’s nature remains constant: it is violent, involves interaction between opposing wills and is driven by politics. However, because war’s character, i.e., its conduct, constantly evolves under the influence of technology, moral forces (law or ethics), culture and military culture, all of which change over time and across places, strategic analysts agree that contemporary wars are transforming. Therefore, states’ military doctrines and strategies are constantly being revamped and the technical, tactical, operational, theater and strategic levels or plans are changing.

The makers of nuclear strategy are equally sensitive to the changing characteristics of war in the contemporary strategic environment. The nine nuclear-armed states—the United States, the Russian Federation,........

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