Forms that can dominate any battlefield of the world today and i believe theyre concerned about their ability to respond in a conventional arena. Therefore, it is logical from their cave to continue to modernize sources including Nuclear Forces in all areas. The second piece is that also watch the power of our partnerships. They are challenging the status. Quo across europe in crimea in a number of areas, pushing into creative tension within our partnerships and alliances, which is another significant damage the United States has built over the last 20 years, sarah. I thank you under general. Thank you, mr. Chairman. And think to ask a few questions, maybe one before it leaves. General hyten, synchronizing our warfare efforts in years ago things were jamming radar and now cyberis a big part of this domain. Can you give us your thoughts on the interaction between Electronic Warfare the traditionalists i suggested and also the role of Cyber Command . Just your thoughts. As commissary. I look at the problem in the following construct. I see cyberas a domain, as a place where we conduct missionsw one of those is electronic missn warfare. Electronic warfare is trying to control the spectrum to your image. We have some significant capabilities in the spec term that those capabilities have also had less focused than they should have over the last numbeu years. I look at it in my own service with unit tronic Warfare Missions in the United States air force has not had aorce significant priority over the last 15 years of conflict in the middle east. Ive confirmed this commander of u. S. Strap, i look in to need to look the entire depart and ato the same to make sure we understand electromagnetic warfare, role in cyberspace and how we control the spectrum. Speed make thank you for image. I look forward to working with f you. Agai north korea develop the capability to strike United States of america. Speed make from my perspective i believe they develop the capability. Kim jong cohen has made it clear that development in the news this morning there was news so they tested a a very large rocket engine that he said would be capable of going to space and has the ability to reach the United States. Im concerned about that. I havent seen the intelligence report. Im just commenting on what i saw in the news this morning ii saw in the news this morning. General, i think theres going to be a lot of redundancy in the questions you are going to be asked up here. Weve had people come in and testify to us as to the fact we are not keeping up where we should. We are not advancing far enough ahead. James clapper from several years ago talked about what we are looking at. Admiral hayny testified before this committee. We are not meeting the critical investment time lines to ensure our agent platforms and weapons to maintain superiority. We heard from admiral winfield last year for the House Committee when he talked about remaining margin we have for investing in nuclear deterrent. We hear this all the time, then have the nonpublic meetings, we hear it worse. Chairman referred to that. So, i just look at this and i know that we are concerned when we talk about china and russia. But, i personally get more concerned on what you touched on, north korea an iran. These people, they want to kill everyone in this room. In the case of north korea, its run by a guy that is mentally deranged. This is scary. You are getting into the toughest job in the United States of america right now. Im very much concerned about it. We know that russia and china are actively modernizing their Nuclear Weapons and Delivery Systems. North korea continues to develop land and launch Ballistic Missiles and conducted the fifth and largest nuke test two nights ago. I think it would be a good thing for you to give us as much of a detailed assessment in this setting as you can on north korea and iran. The way i look at the threats across the world, senator, i think that russia is the most dangerous threat. China is a close second. The most likely threats and the most concerning are north korea and then iran because north korea is very unpredictable. Its hard to tell exactly what they are going to do. I want to caveat the unpredictability a little bit. If you look at what they are doing with their missile programs as well as the Nuclear Programs and where we are today, it looks very beginning. But, if you look at it when you think back to where we were when we started flying missiles and getting those capabilities, we had failure after failure and we ended up getting there. What concerns me the most is they will get there. They will get there. Once they have those capabilities, what are they going to do with them. Thats my biggest concern. If im confirmed that will be at the top of my list to figure out how to best respond. Im glad thats your biggest concern. Its mine, too. Back when this Administration First went in, i was critical. They cut the 09 budget and cut the Missile Defense by 1. 4 billion and delayed the or terminated the third Missile Defense site in the Czech Republic. I can remember being over there and talking to the president of the Czech Republic, which i have a lot of respect for. He made the statement to me, if we do what we are talking about doing here in poland and the Czech Republic where its going to enrage the russians to the point, we are taking a risk. Are you sure that you are not going to pull the rug out from under us . We pulled the rug out. I have talked to a lot of people in private that talked that wasnt a good idea and im not going to bring that up now. Im saying, i didnt like the way we were headed back there at the beginning of this administration. Then we went from 44 of sites from alaska down to california down to 30 and i think now we are going back up now where we started . Was that a necessary drop in increase . I think it was. So, i just would would just say that its a tough job youve got. Im very much concerned about it. Im hoping well have an opportunity, members of this committee and members who care in the United States senate to hear from you on the versions. So well know exactly where we are. The chairman mentioned it and i wanted to reemphasize the importance of that. Senator, ill say that if the chairman asks if any of those senators ask, youll have my top attention and youll have a rapid response. Thats great. Thank you. Yes, sir. General hyten, first off, congratulations on your nomination. Its an incredibly important post and i want to thank you for your service and thoughtfulness to our questions. I want to start with the nuclear deterre deterrent. D. O. D. Spent on Nuclear Weapons mods earnization. At the same time, they spent 8. 5 billion to service the stockpile and support our nuclear labs. In total, thats roughly 24 billion or about 4 of the base Defense Budget. So, another way of looking at that is we invest about four cents out of every defense dollar in our nuclear deterrent, which is served as an insurance policy that prevented a war over seven years. I want to get your perspective on how to pursue the modernization of the Nuclear Arsenal and infrastructure and ask, in your opinion, what will be your Biggest Challenges to maintain that stockpile as safe, secure and reliable as well as ready as senator reed mentioned. Senator, i think its essential that we always maintain a fully Ready Nuclear capability. There should be no doubt that the nation needs that capability, its a backstop for everything we do as a military. One of the duties i will have as a member of the Nuclear Weapons council chaired fwi secretary of defense of logistics. Nsa is also on that committee as well as vice chairman. Through that committee, we will look at the Nuclear Weapons stockpile and make sure it is always safe, secure and reliable. The last year, i got to visit the three big National Labs. Los alamos and i go there for space reasons in my current position. But, when im there, because im curious, i ask about the nuclear stop pile and they explain how they are certifying the stockpile every year. If im confirmed, it will become more important to me and ill look deeper. Sort of a related question, obviously other members brought up how much the Nuclear Landscape changed in recent years, the proliferation we have seen over the last couple decades. Has that Nuclear Landscape changes, how should that generally inform or change our Nuclear Posture in the world . I think its important that as we look at the International Situation concerning n inin ini weapons we dont get focused. We need to look at the tactical Nuclear Weapons. The chairman mentioned them. We need to look at the nonstrategic Nuclear Weapons and look at it as a total. A Nuclear Weapon is significant. It doesnt matter how its employed, tactical, nonstrategic, strategics. Itss an event in the world and we need to look together. Thank you. In your written response to the committee, you state that the operation response to the Space Program has been a successful path finder to response in quoting you, we must infuse this thinking across the entire enterprise and the space industry, end quote. I agree with that estimation. I would love to ask you to expand a little bit on how you would pursue that goal and as commercial capabilities for the launch market become operational, how would you intend to leverage those services to enhance the d. O. D. s access to space as well . In my ways, it goes back to the chairmans comment, his Opening Statement and my response about the need to go fast. The need to go fast is so important in todays world. Many of our traditional processes are slow. In my ways, i dont like the term operation nally responsive. I think we are operationally responsive in everything we do. The thing about ors is it goes fast. It goes much faster than other processes. Those are the processes we need to transition into the broader space community. Then, if you look at the commercial sector, the commercial sector has been on the verge of Something Special for a long time. I think they are about there. Both on the launch side as well as the satellite side. I think in the not too distant future, well have u bik wittous communications and imagery. If that is the case and on the commercial side, we need to take advantage of that. The most important thing is persistence. We may be able to achieve a lot of that persistence even though we dont get as high of a resolution from those capabilities. Thank you. I couldnt agree more. I look forward to working with you on that. That encapsulated much of what we have to do in terms of reacting quickly. The last issue i will bring up quickly is trusted supply of strategic trusted microelectronics. Nsa requires a trusted supply of strategic hardened microsystems if tr our military weapon systems platforms however do not have a trusted supplier of microelectronics for the future and i know this is an issue the secretary is aware of. What are your thoughts on maintaining a trusted microsystems capability in government to meet the requirements of the military ans the Nations Nuclear stop file in d. C. Opportunities to partne with to sector to achieve that goal . You have to be partnered with the private sector. They are going to generate the supplies one way or the other. Im concerned about the depth of our industry in terms of how many suppliers we have, how are they certified, how are the parts controlled. We have significant concerns in space. I say commander strategicrts command, the services thatll support the Strategic Command. If im confirmed to make sure we continue to look at the problemm across the board i agree that is a concern we need to monitor. Thank you, general. Welcome, general. T nice to see you in your family here today. I appreciate the visit we had in my office earlier last week and your candor and the information you provided. In 2011 the president committed to modernize the triad of Strategic NuclearDelivery Systems including the Airlines Cruise missile. To its credit the department has proposed budgets supporting Nuclear Modernization and Senior Leaders such as the secretary have referred to guide featuring as the bedrock of our national security. Ofbelieve that is correctly stressed the importance that we follow through with these plans. Do you agree we must modernizeze all three legs of the triad in between the Airline Cruise missile or do you think these plans should need to be reconsidered . I agree we have to modernize l three elements of the Nuclear Triad. I can state my support any stronger. Ill continue if im confirmed to state that in all forums. Thank you. Some observers have argued a penetrating bomber with new layer rhapsody bombs obviates the need for a standoff weapons such as a cruise missile. S do you think those Weapons Systems are duplicative . If im confirmed ill look into it in more depth four may 35 years in the military. I believe you need the the flexibility of a longrange strike option can provide you. Theres always a challenge to a bomber that doesnt matter how stealthy it is. Doesnt matter how capable it hw is. I believe the longrange strikew option advanced cruise missiles gives the president of the United States flexibility that is essential and i would recommend strongly we pursue that option. When we were at my office, i told you when i was visitingy with general kaler, a previous commander abstract concept he gave such a great definition and explanation of why we need a triad in the importance of each leg of that triad. You just touched on that. Would you like to expand on that . After a week, general kaler used to be my boss. After we talked senator fischer said he was simply brilliant. The did he remember . Insurer was brilliant but i dont remember what it was. He did send me a couple speeches and basically the fundamental piece of his words i think that a very powerful with eachh element provides such a significant different attribute that is so important to the security of our nation and the s triad. The bombers are the most flexible. The submarines are the most survivable in icbms are the most ready in response to it. Each of those is essential to the security of our nation. Thank you. Admiral haney testified before the committee this yeart. That the 2017 budget supported the Mission Requirements but also says there is no margin to absorb risk. Do you agree with thatmargin assessment . I agree with that assessment on the air force sites are w really, senator. Let me say im not as fully versed on the navy program is the fourstar general in the air force. E. I see it as a corporate process so im very concerned about thea justintime be shared. I will certainly its a card that ive talked with the navyn. Leadership and many people in the business the last week and theyre all concerned of the navy said as well. Thank you your predecessor and other senior commanders have also stated that furtherssor and reductions of bilateral negotiated and verifiable agreements. You agree with that decision . Yes, maam, i do. You to discuss modernization and Nuclear Reductions . It seems to me the more modern in response to are Nuclear Enterprises the less need there would be to retain the assistance they get on the othee hand, failure to modernize could give us no other option that weu retain significant stock piles. What is your view on that . Theres been five turns their various senators, including the chairmen have talked about today that its a safe, secure, affect it, reliable. If you look at those five turns, that describe so we have to do to modernize capabilities to make sure those five turns surrogate pair. You cant have one element drop off. You cant have the weapons readiness drop off. They have to be safe and secure all the way. The United States in any nation that has Nuclear Weapons is responsible for making sure they are all safe and secure and always under political control. Thats one of the reasons we need to modernize we can make sure thats always the case. Thank you for your service and your willingness to give to me to serve in a very position as commander of strike on. Thank you, mr. Chairman. Thank you for being here and thank you for his long and distinguished service. A i am here as a father of two sons who also went to harvard and also became military har officers. Neither in the air force and one is out now so its a rather unusual career choice forou harvard graduates i know when i congratulate you on making your choice in serving our country with such dedication so thank you. U. I want to ask about one of the Nuclear Triad high replacement programs and you have mentioned correctly the survivability of our submarine forces beca