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List of nuclear weapons

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The components of a B83 nuclear bomb used by the United States

This is a list of nuclear weapons listed according to country of origin, and then by type within the states. The United States, Russia, China and India are known to possess a nuclear triad, being capable to deliver nuclear weapons by land, sea and air.

Nuclear weapons
Photograph of a mock-up of the Little Boy nuclear weapon dropped on Hiroshima, Japan, in August 1945.
Background
Nuclear-armed states
NPT recognized
United States
Russia
United Kingdom
France
China
Others
India
Israel (undeclared)
Pakistan
North Korea
Former
South Africa
Belarus
Kazakhstan
Ukraine

United States

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Main article: United States and weapons of mass destruction

American nuclear weapons of all types – bombs, warheads, shells, and others – are numbered in the same sequence starting with the Mark 1 and (as of March 2006) ending with the W91 (which was cancelled prior to introduction into service). All designs which were formally intended to be weapons at some point received a number designation. Pure test units which were experiments (and not intended to be weapons) are not numbered in this sequence.

Early weapons were very large and could only be used as free fall bombs. These were known by "Mark" designators, like the Mark 4 which was a development of the Fat Man weapon. As weapons became more sophisticated they also became much smaller and lighter, allowing them to be used in many roles. At this time the weapons began to receive designations based on their role; bombs were given the prefix "B", while the same warhead used in other roles, like missiles, would normally be prefixed "W". For instance, the W-53 warhead was also used as the basis for the B53 nuclear bomb. Such examples share the same sequence number.

In other cases, when the modifications are more significant, variants are assigned their own number. An example is the B61 nuclear bomb, which was the parent design for the W80, W81, and W84. There are also examples of out-of-sequence numbering and other prefixes used in special occasions.

This list includes weapons which were developed to the point of being assigned a model number (and in many cases, prototypes were test fired), but which were then cancelled prior to introduction into military service. Those models are listed as cancelled, along with the year or date of cancellation of their program.

See also Enduring Stockpile.

Common nuclear primaries

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Several American weapons designs share common components. These include publicly identified models listed below.

Common nuclear fission primaries
Model Used in these weapons
RACER IV primary TX/Mark 14, TX/Mark 16, Mark 17
Python primary B28 W28 W40 W49
Boa primary W30 W52
Robin primary W38 W45 W47
Tsetse primary B43 W44 W50 B57 W59
Kinglet primary W55 W58
B61 Family B61 W69 W73 W80 W81 W84 W85 W86

Soviet Union/Russia

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Main article: Russia and weapons of mass destruction

At the peak of its arsenal in 1988, Russia possessed around 45,000 nuclear weapons in its stockpile, roughly 13,000 more than the United States arsenal, the second largest in the world, which peaked in 1966.[2]

United Kingdom

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Main article: Nuclear weapons of the United Kingdom
  • Blue Steel
  • Yellow Sun productionised air-delivered thermonuclear bomb casing.
  • Warheads
    • Blue Danube Fission weapon.
    • Red Snow for Yellow Sun Mk.2.
    • Green Grass For Yellow Sun Mk.1.
    • Red Beard, tactical nuclear weapon.
    • WE.177 (also used as a nuclear depth charge).
    • Blue Cat – nuclear warhead a.k.a. Tony – UK version of US W44, a.k.a. Tsetse.
    • Blue Fox – kiloton range nuclear weapon, later renamed Indigo Hammer – not to be confused with the later Blue Fox radar.
    • Blue Peacock ten-kiloton nuclear land mine, a.k.a. the "chicken-powered nuclear bomb", originally 'Blue Bunny' It used the Blue Danube physics package.
    • Blue Rosette – short-case nuclear weapon bomb casing for reconnaissance bomber to spec R156T, including the Avro 730, Handley Page HP.100, English Electric P10, Vickers SP4 and various others.
    • Blue Slug – nuclear ship-to-ship missile using Sea Slug launcher.
    • Blue Water – nuclear armed surface to surface missile.
    • Green Bamboo – nuclear weapon.
    • Green Cheese – nuclear anti-ship missile.
    • Green Flash – Green Cheese's replacement.
    • Green Granite – nuclear weapons – Green Granite (small) & Green Granite (large).
    • Green Grass – nuclear weapon
    • Indigo Hammer – nuclear weapon
    • Orange Herald – fusion-boosted fission weapon. It is believed that the fusion boost didn't work, which would make it the most powerful fission bomb ever tested at 720 kt.
    • Violet Club – nuclear weapon

France

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Main articles: France and weapons of mass destruction and Force de Frappe

France is said to have an arsenal of 350 nuclear weapons stockpiled as of 2002.

China

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Main article: China and weapons of mass destruction

China is believed to possess around 250 nuclear weapons, but has released very little information about the contents of its arsenal.

India

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Main article: India and weapons of mass destruction

Although India's nuclear programme and its details are highly classified, international figures suggest that India possesses about 172 nuclear weapons as per 2024 estimate. In 1999, India was estimated to have 800 kg of separated reactor-grade plutonium, with a total amount of 8,300 kg of civilian plutonium, enough for approximately 1,000 nuclear weapons.[6][7][8]

Israel

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Main article: Israel and weapons of mass destruction

Israel is widely believed to possess a substantial arsenal of nuclear weapons and missiles, estimated at 75–130 and 100–200[9] warheads, but refuses officially to confirm or deny whether it has a nuclear weapon program, leaving the details of any such weapons unclear. Mordechai Vanunu, a former nuclear technician for Israel, confirmed the existence of a nuclear weapons program in 1986.

Unconfirmed rumors have hinted at tactical nuclear artillery shells, light fission bombs and missile warheads, and perhaps thermonuclear missile warheads.[10]

The BBC News Online website published an article[11] on 28 May 2008, which quotes former U.S. President Jimmy Carter as stating that Israel has at least 150 nuclear weapons. The article continues to state that this is the second confirmation of Israel's nuclear capability by a U.S. spokesman following comments from U.S. Defense Secretary Robert Gates at a Senate hearing and had apparently been confirmed a short time later by Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert.[12]

Pakistan

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Main article: Pakistan and weapons of mass destruction

As of 2024, Pakistan is believed to possess about 170 nuclear weapons some of which were aided by China. The specifications of its weapon production are not disclosed to the public. The main series for nuclear transportation is Hatf (lit. Target).[13][14]

North Korea

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Main article: North Korea and weapons of mass destruction

North Korea claims to possess nuclear weapons, however, the specifications of its systems are not public. It is estimated to have 6–18 low yield nuclear weapons (August 2012 estimate).[15] On 9 October 2006, North Korea achieved its first nuclear detonation.

On 25 May 2009, North Korea conducted a second test of nuclear weapons at the same location as the original test. The test weapon was of the same magnitude as the atomic bombs dropped on Japan in the 2nd World War. At the same time of the test, North Korea tested two short range ballistic missiles. The country tested a 7 kt nuclear weapon on 2 February 2013. On 3 September 2017, North Korea conducted an underground thermonuclear test which had an estimated yield of 100kt to 250kt, according to various sources.

On March 24, 2023, North Korea unveiled the Hwasal-31 화살-31 [ko] tactical nuclear bomb with at least 10 warheads shown, each measuring an estimated 40 to 50 centimeters in diameter and 1 meter in length as reported by the South Korean media. KN-23 and KN-25 ballistic missiles are capable of carrying it.[16][17][18]

South Africa

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Main article: South Africa and weapons of mass destruction

South Africa built six or seven gun-type weapons. All constructed weapons were verified by International Atomic Energy Agency and other international observers to have been dismantled, along with the complete weapons program, and their highly enriched uranium was reprocessed back into low enriched form unsuitable for weapons.

See also

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References

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  1. ^ "Inside America's newly revealed nuclear ballistic missile warhead of the future". 24 February 2020. Retrieved 2020-10-18.
  2. ^ Robert S. Norris and Hans M. Kristensen, "Global nuclear stockpiles, 1945–2006," Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists 62, no. 4 (July/August 2006), 64–66.
  3. ^ "de beste bron van informatie over Nuclear weapons. Deze website is te koop!". atomicforum.org. Retrieved 2012-08-14.
  4. ^ a b "R-7 - SS-6 SAPWOOD Russian / Soviet Nuclear Forces". Fas.org. Retrieved 2012-08-14.
  5. ^ a b "R-16 / SS-7 SADDLER – Russian / Soviet Nuclear Forces". Fas.org. Retrieved 2012-08-14.
  6. ^ Kristensen, Hans M.; Norris, Robert S. (5 July 2017). "Indian nuclear forces, 2017". Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists. 73 (4): 205. Bibcode:2017BuAtS..73d.205K. doi:10.1080/00963402.2017.1337998.
  7. ^ "India's Nuclear Weapons Program". nuclearweaponarchive.org. Retrieved 26 June 2012.
  8. ^ "India's and Pakistan's Fissile Material and Nuclear Weapons Inventories, end of 1999". Institute for Science and International Security. Retrieved 26 June 2012.
  9. ^ Normark, Magnus, Anders Lindblad, Anders Norqvist, Björn Sandström and Louise Waldenström. "Israel and WMD: Incentives and Capabilities." Swedish Defence Research Agency FOI-R--1734--SE December 2005 <"Israel and WMD: Incentives and Capabilities - Swedish Defence Research Agency". Archived from the original on 2007-07-07. Retrieved 2007-10-20.>
  10. ^ The Samson option; Israel's nuclear arsenal and American foreign policy, Hersh, Seymour M., New York, Random House, 1991, ISBN 0-394-57006-5
  11. ^ "Middle East | Israel 'has 150 nuclear weapons'". BBC News. 2008-05-26. Retrieved 2012-08-14.
  12. ^ "Israel 'has 150 nuclear weapons'", BBC News Online May 28, 2008
  13. ^ "Nuclear Weapons: Who Has What at a Glance". Arms Control Association. ACA. Retrieved 23 April 2019.
  14. ^ "Global nuclear weapons". sipri. Retrieved 13 June 2019.
  15. ^ "North Korea could have fuel for 48 nuclear weapons by 2015". The Daily Telegraph. 20 August 2012. Retrieved 8 November 2012.
  16. ^ "North Korea Unveils Tactical Nuclear Warheads for First Time".
  17. ^ "[영상] '화산-31' 전술핵탄두 전격 공개한 북한…7차 핵실험 임박했나?". March 28, 2023.
  18. ^ "북한, 전술핵탄두 전격 공개…김정은 "무기급 핵물질 확대"". March 28, 2023.

Bibliography

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  • Holloway, David, Stalin and the Bomb, New Haven & London, Yale University Press, 1994, ISBN 0-300-06056-4.
  • Zaloga, Steven J., The Kremlin's Nuclear Sword Washington, D.C., Smithsonian Institution Press, 2002, ISBN 1-58834-007-4.
  • Hansen, Chuck. U.S. Nuclear Weapons. Arlington, Texas, Areofax, Inc., 1988. ISBN 0-517-56740-7.
  • Gibson, James N. Nuclear Weapons of the United States, Altglen, PA, Schiffer Publishing, 1996, ISBN 978-0-7643-0063-9.
  • Cochran, Thomas, Arkin, William, Hoenig, Milton "Nuclear Weapons Databook, Volume I, U.S. Nuclear Forces and Capabilities," Cambridge, Massachusetts, Ballinger Pub. Co., 1984, ISBN 0-88410-173-8.
  • Hansen, Chuck, "Swords of Armageddon" (CD-ROM & download available). PDF. 2,600 pages, Sunnyvale, California, Chucklea Publications, 1995, 2007. ISBN 978-0-9791915-0-3 (2nd Ed.)
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