The nuclear triad.

• Position: Next Month

* It has long been a matter of debate whether the U.S. military needs or can afford all three legs of its nuclear triad--long-range bombers, submarines and intercontinental ballistic missiles. Poor inspection ratings at some of the Air Force's nuclear bases and an ongoing fiscal crisis have brought that debate to the forefront. National Defense investigates the future of the nuclear triad, whether any of the legs are more important than...