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DEFCON moments in history: What events prompted the U.S. military to urgently escalate its alert?
DEFCON (Defense Readiness Condition) is a system used by the United States military to indicate alert status. Due to security considerations, the U.S. military does not publicly announce DEFCON levels. The system, developed by the Joint Chiefs of Staff in 1959, has five graduated alert levels to respond to different military situations. The system ranges from DEFCON 5 (least severe) to DEFCON 1 (most severe), with DEFCON 1 indicating an imminent nuclear war.
The DEFCON system is used to describe the U.S. military's response capabilities to various threats.
DEFCON is controlled primarily by the President of the United States and the Secretary of Defense, and is implemented through the Joint Chiefs of Staff and the combatant commanders. Different branches of the U.S. military and command units can be activated under different defense conditions. As of 2022, the United States' DEFCON has never been higher than DEFCON 3, and during the Cuban Missile Crisis of 1962 and the Gulf War of 1991, the DEFCON 2 level was limited to use by the United States Strategic Air Command (SAC).
DEFCON levels are not equivalent to levels in other U.S. military systems, such as Force Protection Levels (FPCONS) or Information Operational Status (INFOCON).
History of DEFCON Levels
DEFCON dates back to an agreement between the United States and Canada to improve the operational readiness of NORAD forces during periods of international tension. This agreement was effective October 2, 1959, and the Joint Chiefs of Staff subsequently defined the DEFCON system in November of that year. Since then, different levels and states of DEFCON have been used many times to respond to various crises.
Specific examples of DEFCON 2 or 3
Cuban Missile Crisis (1962)From October 16 to 28, 1962, due to the Cuban Missile Crisis, the U.S. military (except the U.S. Army in Europe) was ordered to upgrade to DEFCON 3. On October 24, Strategic Air Command was ordered to upgrade to DEFCON 2, and Maintain this level until November 15th. During DEFCON 2, 92.5 percent of SAC weapon systems were ready to fire within one hour.
Yom Kippur War (1973)
On October 6, 1973, Egypt and Syria launched a joint attack on Israel in a conflict known as the Yom Kippur War. The United States was concerned about possible Soviet intervention, so on October 25, it upgraded US military forces, including the Strategic Air Command, to DEFCON 3. According to documents declassified in 2016, the DEFCON 3 upgrade was based on a CIA report showing the Soviet Union sent a ship with nuclear weapons from Egypt.
9/11 (2001)
After the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001, then-Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld ordered the DEFCON level to be raised to 3, with a possible further increase to DEFCON 2 under consideration. Ultimately, DEFCON was downgraded to DEFCON 4 on September 14.
Behind every DEFCON level is an in-depth analysis of the global security situation and flexible adjustments to military strategies.
Future Preparedness
The DEFCON system is likely to continue to evolve as global relations change and technology advances. The DEFCON moments in history not only allow us to see the military’s ability to respond quickly to current threats, but also remind us to always pay attention to and understand international events. How will future challenges affect the U.S. military’s vigilance strategy?
