WASHINGTON, February 25. /TASS/. The United States’ nuclear weapons have become outdates and need to be upgraded, Stephen A. Feinberg, the nominee for Deputy Secretary of Defense, said.

"Our nuclear capabilities are old. We have to upgrade them, and we have to develop hypersonics," he said during US Senate Committee on Armed Services hearings on his candidature. "There's nothing that could be more important than our nuclear modernization."

"It is critical to maintain and modernize all three legs of the triad - ICBMs, submarines, and bombers," he emphasized in written answers to questions from the committee members. He shared the assessments that China, Russia, and North Korea "have significantly expanded and modernized their nuclear force capabilities." "These improvements, which include advances in warheads, delivery systems, and command and control systems, pose an increasing threat to the United States and its Allies," he noted.

"Russia has developed new advanced nuclear weapons like the Sarmat ICBM, Avangard hypersonic glide vehicle, and Kinzhal hypersonic missile," he added.