Draft:National Security Decision Memorandum 242

National Security Decision Memorandum 242 (NSDM-242), titled "Policy for Planning the Employment of Nuclear Weapons" and dated 17 January 1974 was a top secret national security document prepared for president Richard Nixon. This NSDM provided the policy framework for planning the employment of the United States' nuclear weapons. It also established the process by which the principal aspects of that policy would be coordinated, reviewed and revised.

It was superseded during the Carter administration by Presidential Directive 59.

NSDM-242 has since been de-classified and released publicly.