List of nuclear weapons explained

This is a list of nuclear weapons listed according to country of origin, and then by type within the states.

United States

See 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 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

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

Common nuclear fission primaries
ModelUsed in these weapons
RACER IV primaryTX/Mark 14, TX/Mark 16, Mark 17
Python primaryB28 W28 W40 W49
Boa primaryW30 W52
Robin primaryW38 W45 W47
Tsetse primaryB43 W44 W50 B57 W59
Kinglet primaryW55 W58
B61 FamilyB61 W69 W73 W80 W81 W84 W85 W86

Soviet Union/Russia

See 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

See main article: Nuclear weapons of the United Kingdom.

France

See main article: 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

See 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

See 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

See 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

See main article: Pakistan and weapons of mass destruction. As of June 2019, Pakistan is believed to possess about 160 nuclear weapons. 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

See 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 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

See 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

References

Bibliography

External links

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Inside America's newly revealed nuclear ballistic missile warhead of the future . 24 February 2020 . 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. Web site: de beste bron van informatie over Nuclear weapons. Deze website is te koop! . atomicforum.org . 2012-08-14.
  4. Web site: R-7 - SS-6 SAPWOOD Russian / Soviet Nuclear Forces . Fas.org . 2012-08-14.
  5. Web site: R-16 / SS-7 SADDLER – Russian / Soviet Nuclear Forces . Fas.org . 2012-08-14.
  6. Kristensen . Hans M. . Norris . Robert S. . Indian nuclear forces, 2017 . Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists . 5 July 2017 . 73 . 4 . 205 . 10.1080/00963402.2017.1337998. 2017BuAtS..73d.205K . free .
  7. Web site: India's Nuclear Weapons Program. nuclearweaponarchive.org. 26 June 2012.
  8. Web site: India's and Pakistan's Fissile Material and Nuclear Weapons Inventories, end of 1999. Institute for Science and International Security. 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 . 2007-10-20 . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20070707104517/http://www.foi.se/FOI/templates/Page____4657.aspx . 2007-07-07 . >
  10. The Samson option: Israel's nuclear arsenal and American foreign policy, Hersh, Seymour M., New York, Random House, 1991,
  11. Web site: Middle East | Israel 'has 150 nuclear weapons' . BBC News . 2008-05-26 . 2012-08-14.
  12. http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/middle_east/7420573.stm "Israel 'has 150 nuclear weapons'", BBC News Online
  13. Web site: Nuclear Weapons: Who Has What at a Glance. Arms Control Association. ACA. 23 April 2019.
  14. Web site: Global nuclear weapons. sipri. 13 June 2019.
  15. Web site: North Korea could have fuel for 48 nuclear weapons by 2015. The Daily Telegraph. 20 August 2012. 8 November 2012.
  16. Web site: North Korea Unveils Tactical Nuclear Warheads for First Time .
  17. Web site: [영상] '화산-31' 전술핵탄두 전격 공개한 북한…7차 핵실험 임박했나? . March 28, 2023 .
  18. Web site: 북한, 전술핵탄두 전격 공개…김정은 "무기급 핵물질 확대" . March 28, 2023 .

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