Final answer:
The DOD transports nuclear weapons using a multilayered system involving air, sea, and land-based platforms, including bombers, submarines, and nuclear silos, to ensure an effective deterrent and rapid response capability.
Step-by-step explanation:
The United States Department of Defense (DOD) normally transports nuclear weapons through a combination of air, sea, and land-based systems.
The Strategic Air Command (SAC) maintained a fleet of bombers capable of carrying nuclear weapons and kept them in the skies around the clock.
Additionally, the Navy deployed submarines, many of which carried nuclear missiles and could remain submerged for extended periods, thus providing a second layer of deterrent capability. Furthermore, the U.S. built nuclear silos that were concealed and secured in various locations, both within the country and on military bases across the globe. This multilayered approach, also known as the nuclear triad, ensured that nuclear deterrence was credible and that the U.S. military could provide a prompt and effective response to any nuclear attack.