Final answer:
The Missile Defense Agency works with the United States Strategic Command (USSTRATCOM). This collaboration is key for national defense due to USSTRATCOM's role in strategic oversight, including missile defense. Historical context of nuclear deterrence doctrines emphasizes the importance of such cooperation. Therefore, the correct option is D).
Step-by-step explanation:
The question pertains to which Combatant Commander the Missile Defense Agency (MDA) works with. The correct option among the ones provided is the United States Strategic Command (USSTRATCOM). The MDA's role encompasses the development, testing, and deployment of various facets of the U.S. missile defense system, which makes collaboration with USSTRATCOM crucial due to its responsibilities pertaining to global command and control of U.S. strategic forces, including missile defense systems and military space operations.
The creation of the MDA and the necessity for such an agency stems from the Cold War era. The United States and the Soviet Union developed massive nuclear arsenals, leading to the doctrine of Mutually Assured Destruction (MAD), which intended to deter either nation from launching a first strike. With the transformation of warfare and the advent of technologies like intercontinental ballistic missiles (ICBMs), the ability to protect the nation against such threats evolved, necessitating the collaboration between agencies like the MDA and commands like USSTRATCOM.
Initiatives such as the Strategic Defense Initiative (SDI), often known as 'Star Wars,' conceptualized during the Reagan administration, aimed to create a defense network capable of intercepting and destroying nuclear missiles. This historical context underlines the continuous efforts by the United States to improve its defensive capabilities against potential nuclear threats, making the collaboration with USSTRATCOM an essential part of national security strategy.