Mapmakers term · Canon reference
Strategic nuclear release authority
The chain of lawful decision and authentication required before a nuclear weapon can be launched.
Meaning in the series
The Strategic Command Integrity Protocol distinguishes political authority to authorize use, physical control of weapons and platforms, and verified launch-command authentication. The later constitutional order places strategic authority solely with the Security Council.
Source and related reading
Primary source: The Divided Peninsula. This entry explains terminology found in the published fiction; for controlling legal wording, consult the linked instruments.