Why emerging and disruptive capabilities are a mixed blessing for NATO as a nuclear alliance

Over the past decade, the world has entered the third nuclear age. One of the most important characteristics of this new nuclear age is the rise of emerging and disruptive capabilities that could influence and have implications for the credibility of nuclear deterrence, next to renewed major power competition and an emerging nuclear multipolarity. These capabilities create both benefits and challenges for the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation (NATO). This was recognised in the new Strategic Concept of the Alliance adopted at the 2022 Madrid Summit. This article reviews the existing literature on emerging and disruptive capabilities and discusses the implications of these capabilities for NATO as a nuclear alliance. As these capabilities will be further developed and deployed by both allies and potential adversaries, they are likely to prove a mixed blessing for the alliance as a whole.