How did the SALT I Interim Agreement limit ICBMs and submarine-launched ballistic missiles?

The SALT I Interim Agreement, signed in 1972, served as a critical measure to restrain the arms race between the United States and the Soviet Union. Rather than mandating immediate reductions, the agreement functioned by freezing the number of intercontinental ballistic missiles (ICBMs) and submarine-launched ballistic missiles (SLBMs) held by each superpower at their existing levels.12

By establishing these numerical ceilings for a period of five years, the agreement aimed to stabilize the strategic balance while providing a foundation for more comprehensive future negotiations, such as SALT II. This freeze ensured that neither side could rapidly expand its arsenal of these specific strategic offensive weapons during the term of the agreement.12

It is important to note that while the agreement successfully limited the quantity of launchers, it did not restrict technological upgrades, such as the development of multiple independently targetable reentry vehicles (MIRVs), nor did it ban other types of strategic delivery systems like long-range bombers. Consequently, while the agreement was a significant diplomatic achievement in promoting deterrence, the arms race continued through qualitative technological advancements.32