Nuclear forces development
World nuclear forces, January 2011
| Country |
Year of first nuclear test |
Deployed warheads a |
Other warheads b |
Total inventory |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| United States | 1945 | 2 150 c |
6 350 |
~8 500 d |
| Russia | 1949 | -2 427 e | 8 570 f |
~11 000 g |
| United Kingdom | 1952 | 160 | 65 | 225 |
| France | 1960 | 290 | 10 | ~300 |
| China | 1964 | . . |
200 h |
~240 |
| India | 1974 | . . | 80–100 h |
80–100 |
| Pakistan | 1998 |
. . | 90–110 h |
90–110 |
| Israel | . . | . . | ~80 h | ~80 |
| North Korea | 2006 | . . | . . |
? i |
| Total | ~5 027 | ~15 500 | ~20 530 |
Source
: Shannon N. Kile, Vitaly Fedchenko, Bharath Gopalaswamy and Hans M. Kristensen, 'World Nuclear Forces', SIPRI Yearbook 2011 (Oxford University Press: Oxford, 2011), pp. 319-359.
Note: As defined by the 1968 Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons (NPT), only states that have manufactured and exploded a nuclear device prior to 1 Jan. 1967 are recognized as nuclear weapon states. By this definition, China, France, Russia, the UK and the USA are the legally recogniized nuclear weapon states. India, Pakistan, and Israel are not parties to the NPT.
a ‘Deployed’ means warheads placed on missiles or located on bases with operational forces.
b These are warheads in reserve, awaiting dismantlement or that require some preparation (e.g. assembly or loading on launchers) before they become fully operationally available.
c This figure includes c. 200 non-strategic (tactical) nuclear weapons deployed in Europe. In addition, c. 300 non-strategic weapons are in storage in the USA and a further 260 will be retired.
d The US Department of Defense nuclear stockpile contains c. 5000 warheads. Another c. 3500 retired warheads are scheduled to be dismantled by 2022.
e This represents a decrease from the figure published in SIPRI yearbook 2010 and reflects the Russian Government's declaration in 2010 that all non-strategic (tactical) nuclear weapons are in storage and not deployed.
f This figure includes up to 5400 non-strategic nuclear weapons for use by short-range naval, air force and air defence forces.
g The Russian stockpile contains c. 8000 nuclear warheads. Another c. 3000 retired warheads await dismantlement.
h The nuclear stockpiles of China, India, Pakistan and Israel are not thought to be fully deployed.
i North Korea conducted nuclear test explosions in 2006 and 2009, but there is no public information to verify that it possesses operational nuclear weapons.
