>Nowadays, mechanization and automation make large-scale nuclear first strikes pretty much pointless. Add to that the improvements in missile defense and the re

>Nowadays, mechanization and automation make large-scale nuclear first strikes pretty much pointless. Add to that the improvements in missile defense and the result is a different scenario. If we ever see nuclear weapons used in anger again it will probably take the form of artillery used against armored formations, fleets, and satellites. I don't think BMD has really improved enough in the last 40 years to make "limited nuclear war" (at least between the US and Russia or maybe China) a real possibility. I also can't find, in my 30 minutes of research, anything supporting the idea that the US/NATO has any small tactical nuclear devices hanging around anymore.