INSIDE THE LETHAL MISSION

NEWSWEEK'S NAVEED JAMALI GETS AN EXCLUSIVE LOOK AT AMERICA'S NUCLEAR TRIAD

- by ANDREW STANTON

SERVICEMEMBERS WORKING with the United States’ nuclear weapons have to be prepared to launch a deadly mission at any moment.

Newsweek's Naveed Jamali recently joined some of those men and women on board a ballistic missile submarine— and in doing so became the first journalist to film all three branches of the nation’s nuclear triad.

He began the project by filming from a B-52 bomber in January 2023 for a standalone episode of the Unconventional video series, which he hosts.

At the time, Jamali had “no idea” that he would cover the entire nuclear triad, he said in an interview.

But the journey then brought him to a Minuteman III intercontinental ballistic missile, or ICBM, in April 2024, covering the land leg and setting the mission in motion.

Seven months later, an opportunity opened up for Jamali to film from a B-2 Spirit. He became the 820th person to ever fly in the super-secret stealth bomber, a unique honor marked by receiving his official spirit number: 820.

The veteran and former spy finally went aboard the USS Wyoming ballistic missile submarine in August this year.

Learning about the servicemembers working on America’s nuclear weapons was a major takeaway for Jamali. He was struck by their ages, as many are in their early 20s, he said.

These men and women hail from across the country and socioeconomic backgrounds—but one thing they all have in common is their commitment to the mission, Jamali said.