Nuclear Notebook: How many nuclear weapons does India have? India’s drive to develop a nuclear triad proceeds apace, with New Delhi developing or deploying several weapon systems to realize its goal of achieving offensive nuclear forces on land, at sea, and in the air. India took a significant step forward with the successful test-launch of … Continued

Nuclear Notebook: How many nuclear weapons does the US have? Though the size of the US nuclear stockpile has changed little over the past year, the arsenal continues to evolve under influences that include President Barack Obama!s vision of nuclear disarmament and US obligations under the New Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty (New START). Since the … Continued

Nuclear Notebook: How many nuclear bombs does Russia have? At any given time, several of Russia’s nuclear-powered ballistic missile submarines (SSBNs) are in overhaul and do not carry their allocated missiles and warheads; likewise, under normal conditions, bombers are not loaded with nuclear weapons. Therefore, of Russia’s approximately 2,430 strategic offensive nuclear warheads, we estimate … Continued

Nuclear Notebook: Nuclear weapons history In this article, we highlight the key milestones and facts regarding the nuclear pursuits of the first five states to develop nuclear weapons—the United States, the Soviet Union and Russia, Britain, France, and China. Though we are in the seventh decade of the nuclear age, the discipline of nuclear history … Continued

Nuclear Notebook: How many nuclear warheads does China have? In a new defense white paper published earlier this year, China reiterated its long-held nuclear policies of maintaining a minimum deterrent with a no-first-use pledge and shunning any nuclear arms race (PRC, 2011). Yet Beijing has never defined, in quantitative or qualitative terms, what it means … Continued

Nuclear Notebook: How many nuclear weapons does the UK have? Of all the nuclear weapon states, the United Kingdom has moved the furthest toward establishing a minimum nuclear deterrent, announcing its plans last year to reduce its total stockpile to no more than 180 warheads over the next 15 years. Though it is considering replacing … Continued

Nuclear Notebook: How many nuclear weapons does Pakistan have? Despite its political instability, Pakistan continues to steadily expand its nuclear capabilities and competencies; in fact, it has the world’s fastest-growing nuclear stockpile. In the aftermath of the US raid that killed Osama bin Laden, who had made his hideout in an Islamabad suburb, concerns about … Continued

Nuclear Notebook: How many nuclear weapons does Russia have? On January 25, 2011, Russia ratified the New Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty (START) with the United States, recommitting itself to bilateral nuclear reductions. The treaty limits Russian (and US) deployed strategic nuclear warhead levels to 1,550 and deployed ballistic missiles and heavy bombers to 700 (combined), … Continued

Nuclear Notebook: How many nuclear weapons does the United State have? The US nuclear arsenal continues to decline, but more slowly than one might think, given the president’s stated commitment to disarmament. Moreover, during its first two years in office, the Obama administration has increased funding for nuclear weapons and pledged to modernize the nuclear … Continued

Nuclear Notebook: How many nuclear weapons does the US have in Europe? The new Strategic Concept, adopted by NATO at the Lisbon Summit in November 2010, reaffirmed the continued importance of nuclear weapons to the security of the alliance. The document, which is intended to establish consensus on NATO missions and methods in light of … Continued

Nuclear Notebook: How many nuclear weapons does China have? Considerable uncertainty surrounds the composition and future development of China’s nuclear forces; however, we estimate that China has approximately 175 active nuclear warheads, plus about 65 warheads in reserve or awaiting dismantlement, for a total stockpile of approximately 240 warheads. The US intelligence community predicts that … Continued

Nuclear Notebook: How many nuclear weapons are there in the world? Excessive secrecy prohibits the public from knowing the exact number of nuclear weapons in the world. Nuclear weapon states shield details about their arsenals and generally have only imprecise knowledge about the size and composition of other countries’ inventories; this creates uncertainty, mistrust, and … Continued

Nuclear Notebook: How many nuclear bombs does Russia have? The landmark Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty (START) between the United States and Russia expired on December 5, 2009. Negotiations are in the final phase on a follow-on treaty intended to reduce deployed strategic warheads to between 1,500 and 1,675 and strategic launchers to between 500 and … Continued

Nuclear Notebook: How many nuclear bombs does Pakistan have? Pakistan has an estimated arsenal of about 70-90 nuclear weapons and is busily enhancing its capabilities across the board. A new nuclear-capable ballistic missile is being readied for deployment, and two nuclear-capable cruise missiles are under development.Two new plutonium production reactors and a second chemical separation … Continued

Nuclear Notebook: How many nuclear weapons has the United States produced? The United States has produced an estimated 66,500 nuclear bombs and warheads of 100 types and modifications for its operational stockpile since 1945. The accompanying table, “U.S. nuclear weapons designs, 1945-2009, ” lists all types of U.S. weapons produced, from Little Boy to the … Continued

Nuclear Notebook: How many nuclear weapons does Russia have? Russia continues reducing its deployment of nuclear-armed missiles to meet the Moscow Treaty’s 2,200-warhead limit by 2012 but is also developing new land-and sea-based forces.1 Russian political and military posturing reached new highs in 2008, as a consequence of the Russian invasion of Georgia and threats … Continued

Nuclear Notebook: How many nuclear warheads does the US have? The election of Barack Obama as the 44th president of the United States promises significant changes in U.S. nuclear policy and priorities compared with the George W. Bush administration. During the 2008 presidential campaign, candidate Obama pledged to “set a new direction in U.S. nuclear … Continued

Nuclear Notebook: A history of U.S. and Soviet/Russian Nuclear ICBMs Of the many components of the U.S.-Soviet arms race, the ballistic missile played a prominent role. The Soviet launch of Sputnik on October 4, 1957, forced the ballistic missile to the top of the Eisenhower administration’s agenda. If Moscow could launch a satellite into space … Continued

Nuclear Notebook: How many nuclear weapons does India have? To read this full article for free, visit our online archive here. To download a PDF of this article, click this link. To read an authoritative accounting of world nuclear arsenals, click here for all Nuclear Notebook columns. The Nuclear Notebook is researched and written by … Continued

Nuclear Notebook: How many nuclear weapons does France have? To read this full article for free, visit our online archive here. To download a PDF of this article, click this link. To read an authoritative accounting of world nuclear arsenals, click here for all Nuclear Notebook columns. The Nuclear Notebook is researched and written by … Continued