DEFCON
Encyclopedia
A defense readiness condition (DEFCON) is an alert posture used by the United States Armed Forces
. The DEFCON system was developed by the Joint Chiefs of Staff
and unified and specified combatant commands
. It prescribes five graduated levels of readiness (or states of alert) for the U.S. military, and increase in severity from DEFCON 5 (least severe) to DEFCON 1 (most severe) to match varying military situations.
DEFCONs are a subsystem of a series of Alert Conditions
, or LERTCONs, that also includes Emergency Conditions
(EMERGCONs). DEFCONs should not be confused with similar systems used by the U.S. military, such as Force Protection Condition
s (FPCONS), Readiness Conditions
(REDCONS), and Watch Conditions
(WATCHCONS), or the Homeland Security Advisory System
used by the United States Department of Homeland Security
.
. Additionally, during nuclear / normal tests, exercises, or drills, the United States Department of Defense
uses exercise terms when referring to the DEFCONs. This is to preclude the possibility of confusing exercise commands with actual operational commands. The current exercise terms have been used since at least 1960, when they were used in a North American Aerospace Defense Command
(NORAD) exercise.
The five DEFCONs, their exercise terms, and their general descriptions are shown below.
Movies and popular culture often misuse the DEFCON system by "going to DEFCON 5" during a state of emergency. In fact, DEFCON 5 is the lowest state of readiness.
. Since the system was introduced, portions of the U.S. military have been placed at higher readiness levels on numerous instances.
on October 22, 1962, the U.S. armed forces were ordered to DEFCON 3. On October 23, Strategic Air Command
(SAC) was ordered to DEFCON 2, while the rest of the U.S. armed forces remained at DEFCON 3. SAC remained at DEFCON 2 until November 15.
The next DEFCON Level 2 was during a Soviet missile test in the Pacific in 1989.
For much of the Cold War, U.S. ICBM sites were at DEFCON 4, rather than 5.
.
. Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld
ordered the increased DEFCON level.
and the Secretary of Defense
, through the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff
and the Combatant Commanders, and each DEFCON level defines specific security, activation and response scenarios for the troops in question.
Different branches of the U.S. armed forces (like the Army
, Navy
, Air Force
) and different bases or command groups can be activated at different defense conditions.
United States armed forces
The United States Armed Forces are the military forces of the United States. They consist of the Army, Navy, Marine Corps, Air Force, and Coast Guard.The United States has a strong tradition of civilian control of the military...
. The DEFCON system was developed by the Joint Chiefs of Staff
Joint Chiefs of Staff
The Joint Chiefs of Staff is a body of senior uniformed leaders in the United States Department of Defense who advise the Secretary of Defense, the Homeland Security Council, the National Security Council and the President on military matters...
and unified and specified combatant commands
Unified Combatant Command
A Unified Combatant Command is a United States Department of Defense command that is composed of forces from at least two Military Departments and has a broad and continuing mission. These commands are established to provide effective command and control of U.S. military forces, regardless of...
. It prescribes five graduated levels of readiness (or states of alert) for the U.S. military, and increase in severity from DEFCON 5 (least severe) to DEFCON 1 (most severe) to match varying military situations.
DEFCONs are a subsystem of a series of Alert Conditions
LERTCON
In United States military doctrine, LERTCON is an abbreviation of Alert Condition, and is a measure of the level of action and readiness to be taken in a given situation. There are specific procedures laid out for responses to changes in LERTCON...
, or LERTCONs, that also includes Emergency Conditions
EMERGCON
EMERGCON is a state of readiness that is separate from DEFCON, or defense readiness condition used by the United States, in that it incorporates civilian measures in addition to the DEFCON military measures....
(EMERGCONs). DEFCONs should not be confused with similar systems used by the U.S. military, such as Force Protection Condition
Force Protection Condition
In United States security, Force Protection Condition is a terrorist threat system overseen by the Department of Defense directive, and describes the amount of measures needed to be taken by security agencies in response to various levels of terrorist threats against military facilities, as...
s (FPCONS), Readiness Conditions
REDCON
In the U.S. military, the term REDCON is short for Readiness Condition and is used to refer to a unit's readiness to respond to and engage in combat operations. There are five REDCON levels, as described below in this excerpt from Army Field Manual 71-1....
(REDCONS), and Watch Conditions
WATCHCON
WATCHCON is an alert state system used by and coordinated between the South Korean armed forces and United States Department of Defense to measure reconnaissance posture, utilized often in matters concerning North Korea....
(WATCHCONS), or the Homeland Security Advisory System
Homeland Security Advisory System
In the United States, the Homeland Security Advisory System was a color-coded terrorism threat advisory scale. The different levels trigger specific actions by federal agencies and state and local governments, and they affect the level of security at some airports and other public facilities. It...
used by the United States Department of Homeland Security
United States Department of Homeland Security
The United States Department of Homeland Security is a cabinet department of the United States federal government, created in response to the September 11 attacks, and with the primary responsibilities of protecting the territory of the United States and protectorates from and responding to...
.
Levels
The preparations that take place under the five DEFCONs are difficult to describe because they vary between many commands, they have changed over time as new weapon systems were deployed, and the precise details remain classifiedClassified information in the United States
The United States government classification system is currently established under Executive Order 13526, the latest in a long series of executive orders on the topic. Issued by President Barack Obama in 2009, Executive Order 13526 replaced earlier executive orders on the topic and modified the...
. Additionally, during nuclear / normal tests, exercises, or drills, the United States Department of Defense
United States Department of Defense
The United States Department of Defense is the U.S...
uses exercise terms when referring to the DEFCONs. This is to preclude the possibility of confusing exercise commands with actual operational commands. The current exercise terms have been used since at least 1960, when they were used in a North American Aerospace Defense Command
North American Aerospace Defense Command
North American Aerospace Defense Command is a joint organization of Canada and the United States that provides aerospace warning, air sovereignty, and defense for the two countries. Headquarters NORAD is located at Peterson AFB, Colorado Springs, Colorado...
(NORAD) exercise.
The five DEFCONs, their exercise terms, and their general descriptions are shown below.
| Defense condition | Exercise term | Description | Readiness | Color |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| DEFCON 5 | FADE OUT | Lowest state of readiness | Normal readiness | Blue |
| DEFCON 4 | DOUBLE TAKE | Increased intelligence watch and strengthened security measures | Above normal readiness | Green |
| DEFCON 3 | ROUND HOUSE | Increase in force readiness above that required for normal readiness | Medium readiness | Yellow |
| DEFCON 2 | FAST PACE | Next step to nuclear war | War readiness | Red |
| DEFCON 1 | COCKED PISTOL | Nuclear war is imminent | Maximum readiness | White |
Movies and popular culture often misuse the DEFCON system by "going to DEFCON 5" during a state of emergency. In fact, DEFCON 5 is the lowest state of readiness.
History
In November 1959, the Joint Chiefs of Staff created the DEFCON system so that a uniform readiness posture could be prescribed in the various military commandsUnified Combatant Command
A Unified Combatant Command is a United States Department of Defense command that is composed of forces from at least two Military Departments and has a broad and continuing mission. These commands are established to provide effective command and control of U.S. military forces, regardless of...
. Since the system was introduced, portions of the U.S. military have been placed at higher readiness levels on numerous instances.
Cold War
The highest confirmed DEFCON ever was Level 2. During the Cuban Missile CrisisCuban Missile Crisis
The Cuban Missile Crisis was a confrontation among the Soviet Union, Cuba and the United States in October 1962, during the Cold War...
on October 22, 1962, the U.S. armed forces were ordered to DEFCON 3. On October 23, Strategic Air Command
Strategic Air Command
The Strategic Air Command was both a Major Command of the United States Air Force and a "specified command" of the United States Department of Defense. SAC was the operational establishment in charge of America's land-based strategic bomber aircraft and land-based intercontinental ballistic...
(SAC) was ordered to DEFCON 2, while the rest of the U.S. armed forces remained at DEFCON 3. SAC remained at DEFCON 2 until November 15.
The next DEFCON Level 2 was during a Soviet missile test in the Pacific in 1989.
For much of the Cold War, U.S. ICBM sites were at DEFCON 4, rather than 5.
Yom Kippur War
The U.S. armed forces were technically at DEFCON 3 status during the 1973 Yom Kippur WarYom Kippur War
The Yom Kippur War, Ramadan War or October War , also known as the 1973 Arab-Israeli War and the Fourth Arab-Israeli War, was fought from October 6 to 25, 1973, between Israel and a coalition of Arab states led by Egypt and Syria...
.
September 11, 2001 attacks
The third time the United States reached DEFCON 3 was during the September 11, 2001 attacksSeptember 11, 2001 attacks
The September 11 attacks The September 11 attacks The September 11 attacks (also referred to as September 11, September 11th or 9/119/11 is pronounced "nine eleven". The slash is not part of the pronunciation...
. Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld
Donald Rumsfeld
Donald Henry Rumsfeld is an American politician and businessman. Rumsfeld served as the 13th Secretary of Defense from 1975 to 1977 under President Gerald Ford, and as the 21st Secretary of Defense from 2001 to 2006 under President George W. Bush. He is both the youngest and the oldest person to...
ordered the increased DEFCON level.
Operations
The DEFCON level is controlled primarily by the PresidentPresident of the United States
The President of the United States of America is the head of state and head of government of the United States. The president leads the executive branch of the federal government and is the commander-in-chief of the United States Armed Forces....
and the Secretary of Defense
United States Secretary of Defense
The Secretary of Defense is the head and chief executive officer of the Department of Defense of the United States of America. This position corresponds to what is generally known as a Defense Minister in other countries...
, through the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff
Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff
The Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff is by law the highest ranking military officer in the United States Armed Forces, and is the principal military adviser to the President of the United States, the National Security Council, the Homeland Security Council and the Secretary of Defense...
and the Combatant Commanders, and each DEFCON level defines specific security, activation and response scenarios for the troops in question.
Different branches of the U.S. armed forces (like the Army
United States Army
The United States Army is the main branch of the United States Armed Forces responsible for land-based military operations. It is the largest and oldest established branch of the U.S. military, and is one of seven U.S. uniformed services...
, Navy
United States Navy
The United States Navy is the naval warfare service branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the seven uniformed services of the United States. The U.S. Navy is the largest in the world; its battle fleet tonnage is greater than that of the next 13 largest navies combined. The U.S...
, Air Force
United States Air Force
The United States Air Force is the aerial warfare service branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the American uniformed services. Initially part of the United States Army, the USAF was formed as a separate branch of the military on September 18, 1947 under the National Security Act of...
) and different bases or command groups can be activated at different defense conditions.
In popular culture
- DEFCON was used in the 1983 film, WarGamesWarGamesWarGames is a 1983 American Cold War suspense/science-fiction film written by Lawrence Lasker and Walter F. Parkes and directed by John Badham. The film stars Matthew Broderick and Ally Sheedy....
and the 1996 films, Independence DayIndependence Day (film)Independence Day is a 1996 science fiction film about an alien invasion of Earth, focusing on a disparate group of individuals and families as they converge in the Nevada desert and, along with the rest of the human population, participate in a last-chance counterattack on July 4 – the same...
, Crimson TideCrimson Tide (film)The film has uncredited additional writing by Quentin Tarantino, much of it being the pop-culture reference-laden dialogue.The U.S. Navy objected to many of the elements in the script — particularly the aspect of mutiny on board a U.S. naval vessel — and as such, the film was produced...
, and Beavis and Butt-head Do AmericaBeavis and Butt-head Do AmericaBeavis and Butt-head Do America is a 1996 animated feature film, based on the TV series, Beavis and Butt-Head. It was produced by Paramount Pictures in association with Geffen Pictures and MTV Films, and co-written and directed by creator Mike Judge. The film grossed $20.11 million in its opening...
. - In the first person shooter game Call of Duty: Black OpsCall of Duty: Black OpsCall of Duty: Black Ops is a first-person shooter video game developed by Treyarch, published by Activision and released worldwide on November 9, for Microsoft Windows, Xbox 360, PlayStation 3, Wii consoles, with a separate version for Nintendo DS developed by n-Space. Announced on April 30, 2010,...
, as the player progresses through the game, the DEFCON level is growing and eventually reaches DEFCON 1 while the player is playing the last mission of the game. - The real-time strategy game DEFCON simulates the outbreak of thermonuclear war, and advances through the DEFCON levels as each match progresses.
See also
- Alert stateAlert stateAn alert state is an indication of the state of readiness of the armed forces for military action or a State against terrorism or military attack.Examples are the DEFCON levels of the US armed forces, and the British government's UK Threat Levels....
- FPCON
- Homeland Security Advisory SystemHomeland Security Advisory SystemIn the United States, the Homeland Security Advisory System was a color-coded terrorism threat advisory scale. The different levels trigger specific actions by federal agencies and state and local governments, and they affect the level of security at some airports and other public facilities. It...
- HURCONHURCONHurricane Condition is an alert scale used by the United States Armed Forces, primarily the United States Air Force, to indicate the state of emergency or preparedness for an approaching hurricane. This designation is especially important to installations in the southern Atlantic region, as it is...
— Hurricane Condition threat rating (military-developed scale). - National Command AuthorityNational Command AuthorityNational Command Authority is a term used by the Department of Defense of the United States of America to refer to the ultimate lawful source of military orders. The NCA comprises the President of the United States and the Secretary of Defense jointly, or their duly deputized successors, i.e...
- National Military Command CenterNational Military Command CenterLocated in the Pentagon, the National Military Command Center houses the logistical and communications center for the National Command Authority of the United States of America. The facility, which is composed of several war rooms, is the principal command and control center of the Department of...
- REDCONREDCONIn the U.S. military, the term REDCON is short for Readiness Condition and is used to refer to a unit's readiness to respond to and engage in combat operations. There are five REDCON levels, as described below in this excerpt from Army Field Manual 71-1....
— Readiness Condition levels for U.S. armed forces combat units - UK Threat LevelsUK Threat LevelsThe UK Threat Levels refer to the alert state that has been in use since 1 August 2006 by the British government to warn of forms of terrorist activity. Before then a colour based alert scheme known as BIKINI state was used...
— UK equivalent