Polaris submarines offered a retaliatory force that an enemy could not eliminate in a first strike. Knowing that surviving boats could return fire was intended to deter the use of nuclear weapons. Burke's role in bringing enough submarines into service is central to this account of the program. The passage also acknowledges that many others contributed to its development.
Chapter · 46:23-47:25
Polaris and second-strike deterrence
The opening Polaris discussion explains survivable retaliation and Burke's role in obtaining the force, while acknowledging the work of other contributors.