About DEFCON
(Military Defense Readiness Condition)
The DEFCON (Defense Readiness Condition) is a military defense readiness condition used by the United States military to indicate the level of readiness of its forces in response to potential threats to national security . The DEFCON system was created during the Cold War when the fear of communism was high . It provides a ranking system for defense readiness for a potential nuclear attack .
The DEFCON levels range from DEFCON 5 to DEFCON 1, with DEFCON 5 being the lowest level of perceived threat and DEFCON 1 being the highest level of threat and readiness for a state of war . Each DEFCON level represents a different level of perceived threat and readiness. The United States has never declared a readiness condition of DEFCON 1 to prepare for nuclear war.
The DEFCON system is designed to provide a clear and concise way of communicating the current level of military readiness to military personnel and government officials. The levels are used to ensure timely, accurate, and clear direction of commands subordinate to the Joint Chiefs of Staff and to achieve greater effectiveness of U.S. forces in preparation for execution of contingency or emergency war plans.
The specific details and parameters of each DEFCON level are not publicly distributed to prevent panic among U.S. citizens. The DEFCON levels may vary between different commands and have changed over time The United States Department of Defense uses exercise terms when referring to the DEFCON levels to avoid confusion with actual operational commands.