thousandths of the negatonnage in the strategic arsenal of either the United States or the Soviet Union. If to these are added the tactical nuclear weapons and their destructive potential, then the basic irrationality of acguiring further nuclear arsenals becones stilt nore evident. Both the Soviet Union and the United States, for example, have separately provideal tletai.Ied assessments of each otheris existing and planned arsenals. The soviet assessnent, entitled whence the Thrqat to Peace, describes the Uniteal States strategic triad in terms of its intercontinental ballistic missiles, strategic aircraft and nuclear?onered submarines' The united states assessnent, entitled soviet Military Porrer, provides details of the sovlet strategic nuclear forces, gt"u"d f"acea, tia f"taes, ai.r defence forces and naval forces. 16/ rogether, these two publications provide a fairly clear idea of the intragta[Tlity of natching l-aunchers with rdarheadsi vrarheads with speed, accuracy and damage potentiali and of placinq aII these factors in a geo-political context with a vieir to arrive at nutually acceptable agreenents about liniting the nuclear arms r ace. 40. The distinction betvreen Cactical and strategic nuclear weapons, for example, had always depended more on assumptions about intended uses rather lhan on any inhetent operational characterisdics of Lhe weapons themselves. L7/ As a result of anothex set of technological developments, the dislinction has become even less neaningful, least of atl for Europe, which falls into the trajectory of both' lhe developnen! of medium-range rnissile systens has never stopped. A11 nuclear-weapon States in the period under review have been advancing, though at different Paces, in the ncdernization of their rnissile forces. But the main technological develotrments are considered to be embodied in the new sophisticated soviet and United states nissiles actually deployed or planned for deployment in Europe' !q/
**Analysis**
The text appears to be discussing the strategic arsenals of the United States and the Soviet Union, specifically the nuclear weapons and their destructive potential. The text also mentions the assessments of each other's arsenals and the attempts to limit the nuclear arms race. The focus is on the military and technological aspects of the nuclear weapons, rather than their economic, environmental, or social impacts.

**Category**
Science and technology, International relations