Threat information under this system is issued with published advisories and alerts.ĭefense Conditions are also not the same as the following threat warnings employed by the Department of Defense. It was replaced with the “National Terrorism Advisory System (NTAS)”. In 2011, the Department of Homeland Security ended the use of this color-coded alert system. The United States Department of Homeland Security Advisory System, introduced by the Bush administration in 2002, relies on a color-coded system rather than numbers: The DEFCON levels should not be confused with a later system instituted after the 9/11 attacks. DEFCON 2 was announced in 1962 during the Cuban Missile Crisis, and was announced briefly in 1991 at the start of the first Gulf War. Some sources report the United States has never entered anything higher than DEFCON 3, but this is technically untrue. Some changes to DEFCON levels may be appropriate for a specific unit, base, or mission while the rest of the DoD remains at a different level. These levels are used by the United States military and not all DEFCON level changes affect or require the use of the entire military or DoD. When Have Higher DEFCON Levels Occurred?ĭEFCON levels are not a world-wide, globally accepted type of threat warning system. DEFCONs may be increased at a military base only, or a theatre-level command, or in other ways as the government sees fit. DEFCON threat levels change in unique ways–some parts of the military may operate at a higher DEFCON level than the rest of the uniformed services as a whole. DEFCON Is An American SystemĭEFCON levels are a tool for the Defense Department and the federal government they have not been instituted as a global standard such as Greenwich Mean Time or the Geneva Conventions. forces or allies in overseas locations.Īir Defense Emergency: An attack on the United States, Canada, or military installations in Greenland “by hostile aircraft or missiles”. These can include the following:ĭefense Emergency: A major military effort against U.S.
Increased intelligence watch and strengthened security measuresĭefense department plans from the late 20th century include “EMERGCONs” which are a similar type of hierarchical threat level identification system related to the nation’s response to a missile attack or an attempted attack. Increase in force readiness above that required for normal readiness Nuclear war is imminent or has already startedĪrmed forces ready to deploy and engage in less than six hoursĪir Force ready to mobilize in 15 minutes Five Levels Of DEFCONĭefense Ready Conditions, as mentioned above, range from five to one: Readiness condition The most severe DEFCON levels specifically mention nuclear weapons. DEFCON also indicates how severe a nuclear, biological, or chemical threat might be. (We’ll cover the individual levels below).ĭEFCON levels are not restricted to an indication of the readiness of troops, aircraft, ships, and armor. These levels, on a scale from one to five, indicate the highest level of threat and readiness for it to the lowest level of preparedness required for peacetime. Defense Ready Condition (DEFCON) Levels are a way of identifying the current threat level faced by the Department of Defense and the United States military.
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