ICBMs, SLBMs and heavy bombers, while the 1970s and 1980s saw even more rapid growth in the aggregate number of warheads as a result of the installation of multiple independently targetted warheads on these missiles. That growth was not halted either by the interim agreement on SALT I (1972), nor by the SALT II treaty (1979) - whiph of course does not diminish the unquestionable value of these agreements. Should a Soviet-American treaty on the limitation and reduction of strategic offensive arms be concluded, for the first time in the history of the development of the strategic triad the steady build-up of all its three components will be halted and, over a seven-year period, both the number of strategic delivery vehicles of nuclear warheads (ICBMs, SLBMs and heavy bombers) and the number of nuclear warheads will be reduced. That would mark the beginning of a process of real reduction of strategic arms, an extremely substantial reduction measured in hundreds of delivery vehicles and thousands of warheads. Even more importantly, these reductions will be designed to make a first strike less likely. That will result in increased stability and a lessened threat of war. It should be pointed out that with the beginning of the START negotiations substantial changes took place in the military programmes of the USSR and the United States, moving towards a reduction in the quantity of the arms concerned deployed and the postponement of the move to new arms systems. The number of new military programmes has also plummeted. The draft treaty provides for substantial quantitative and qualitative limitations to be imposed on the modernization of strategic offensive arms. For instance, limitations are fixed for the aggregate throw weight of ballistic missiles and the maximum number of warheads on these missiles; new types of heavy ICBMs and 
**Analysis**
The text appears to be discussing international relations and arms control agreements between the Soviet Union and the United States. The language used is technical and focused on military topics such as ICBMs, SLBMs, and heavy bombers, indicating that the text is related to defense and security.

**Category**
Science and technology, International relations