The Return of the Nuclear Sea-Launched Cruise Missile (SLCM-N) | HTK

In September 2026, the U.S. Navy awarded $743 million in prototype agreements for the nuclear-armed sea-launched cruise missile (SLCM-N). First proposed in the 2018 Nuclear Posture Review, the missile has proven a controversial topic in nuclear modernization circles. The 2022 Nuclear Posture Review indicated plans to cancel the program, but Congress has continued to fund SLCM-N at a low level. The 2025 reconciliation bill provided mandatory funding to continue development, and Congress has required limited deployment by 2032.

How does SLCM-N differ from existing U.S. capabilities? What are its characteristics and how might they contribute to the U.S. deterrence posture? Does the missile matter to U.S. allies? To discuss these questions and more, please join the CSIS Defense and Security Department’s HTK Series for a conversation featuring Tom Karako, director of the CSIS Missile Defense Project, Heather Williams, director of the CSIS Project on Nuclear Issues, and Kari Bingen, director of the CSIS Aerospace Security Project.

This event is made possible by general support to CSIS.