Biden told stated his views on Thursday at the National Defense University, saying that development of programs such as the planned anti-missile shield in Europe would allow the United States to decrease its "nuclear weaponry".

The US Vice President stated that "Capabilities like an adaptive missile defensive shield, conventional warheads with world-wide reach and others that are developing and being developed will enable us to reduce the role of nuclear weapons as other nuclear powers begin to draw down even further"

Biden was also defending the hike in spending, adding that scientists could make certain the aging US nuclear stockpile remain ready for use, if needed, without test explosions.

The new US budget allocated USD 7 billion for scientists and laboratories that maintain warhead readiness - a 13.5 percent increase and one of the largest in the next spending plan. The 2011 budget also calls for spending an additional USD 5 billion on those projects over the next five years.