Nuclear weapon milestones, part 2

NUCLEAR WEAPON MILESTONES (Part 2)

compiled by Wm. Robert Johnston
last updated 3 June 2005

World totals:

peak number of warheads: 69,500 in 1986
total warheads built, NRDC est.: 128,000 to 1993
total warheads built, compiler's est.: 138,000 to Aug 1998
number of warheads in June 1954: 1,860 with a total yield of 346.7 mt
number of warheads in October 1962: 31,600 with a total yield of 18,600 mt
number of warheads in May 1972: 44,000 with a total yield of 24,000 mt
number of warheads in June 1984: 67,700 with a total yield of 21,000 mt
number of warheads in December 1991: 56,200 with a total yield of 17,500 mt
number of warheads in August 1998: 39,700 with a total yield of 13,200 mt
number of warheads in January 2000: 37,700 with a total yield of 12,300 mt
number of warheads in 2005: 30,500 with a total yield of 10,000 mt
peak total megatonnage: 27,000 mt around 1974

nuclear weapons used in warfare--two by U.S. against Japan:

Little Boy NGB against Hiroshima, 6 Aug 1945, ~130,000 killed
Fat Man NGB against Nagasaki, 9 Aug 1945, ~65,000 killed

nuclear crises:

22 Oct-21 Nov 1962, Cuban Missile Crisis--threat of U.S.-Soviet strategic war over deployment of Soviet theater ballistic missiles and tactical bombers in Cuba
June 1967--Israel prepares for strike on Egypt following apparent Egyptian preparations for strike against Dimona
8 Oct 1973--Israel prepares for strikes against Syria and Egypt during Yom Kippur War
Oct 1984--India puts nuclear forces on alert during confrontation with Pakistan
Jan 1987--India puts nuclear forces on alert and Pakistan conducts non-nuclear test during confrontation
May 1990--India and Pakistan put nuclear forces on alert during tensions
Jan 1991, Operation Desert Storm--Israel puts nuclear forces on alert during Iraqi Scud missile attacks on Israeli cities

25 Jan 1995--Russian president briefly activates nuclear control briefcase when sounding rocket is mistaken for enemy SLBM

Deployment of nuclear weapons abroad:

location	from	until

United States
Belgium	Nov 1963	present
Canada	~Feb 1964	Jul 1984
China, ROC (Taiwan)	Jan 1958	Jul 1974
Germany, F.R.	~Apr 1955	present
Greece	Oct 1960	~1996
Greenland	Feb 1958	Jul 1965
Guam	Jul 1945	~1992
Italy	Apr 1957	present
Japan (Chico/Iwo Jima)	Feb 1956	Dec 1965
Johnston Atoll	~Aug 1964	Jun 1971
Korea, South	Jan 1958	~1991
Kwajalein	~Sep 1963	Jul 1966
Morocco, French	May 1954	Mar 1956
Morocco	Mar 1956	Sep 1963
Netherlands	Apr 1960	present
Okinawa	~Jan 1955	Jun 1972
Philippines	Dec 1957	Jun 1977
Puerto Rico	Jun 1956	Jun 1975
Spain	Mar 1958	Jul 1976
Turkey	Feb 1959	present
United Kingdom	~Oct 1954	present

Soviet Union
Cuba	Sep 1962	Nov 1962
Czechoslovakia	~1970	May 1990
Germany, East	~1967	Oct 1990
Germany, F.R.	Oct 1990	Aug 1991
Hungary	~1974	~Sep 1989
Poland	~1970	~Feb 1990

Russia
Belarus	Dec 1991	Nov 1996
Kazakhstan	Dec 1991	May 1995
Kirgizstan	Dec 1991	1992
Moldova	Dec 1991	1992
Tajikistan	Dec 1991	1992
Turkmenistan	Dec 1991	1992
Ukraine	Dec 1991	Jun 1996
Uzbekistan	Dec 1991	1992

United Kingdom
Cyprus	Dec 1961	Jan 1975
Germany, F.R.	~1958	1997
Singapore	Aug 1962	1970

Progress of other nations towards nuclear weapons:

ALGERIA: Could have a nuclear weapon by 2010.
ARGENTINA: Has terminated its nuclear weapons program; is perhaps 10 years from a weapon if resumed.
BELARUS: Transferred last Soviet ICBMs to Russia in November 1996.
BRAZIL: Has terminated its nuclear weapons program; is perhaps 10 years from a weapon if resumed.
GERMANY: Is not known to have a weapons program but could have weapons within 5 years if persued.
IRAN: Could have a weapon by 2005. Unconfirmed reports suggest that 2 Soviet tactical warheads were borrowed from Kazakhstan for reverse engineering. Currently developing ability to enrich uranium.
IRAQ: Was reportedly within 1-2 months of assembling one weapon when programs were terminated by Operation Desert Storm in 1991; some efforts continued until the U.S.-led invasion in 2003.
JAPAN: Is publicly opposed to developing weapons but could do so within months of a decision; developments in China or North Korea could affect such policy. Currently stocks enough plutonium for 1,000-2,000 warheads.
KAZAKHSTAN: All remaining Soviet strategic warheads returned to Russia by 1995. Could conceivably have retained a few Soviet tactical warheads, which might require a few years to be made usable.
LIBYA: Has been attempting to obtain nuclear weapons since the 1970s; developing a weapon is perhaps 10 years away, unless fissile material can be obtained from the former Soviet Union's stocks.
ROMANIA: Began a nuclear weapons program in the 1980s; program was terminated in 1989 with the overthrow of its government.
SOUTH KOREA: Has terminated its nuclear weapons program but could resume it given developments in North Korea; would be perhaps 10 years from a weapon.
SWEDEN: Designed several nuclear weapons around 1960 but terminated the program by 1965.
SWITZERLAND: Once examined the possibility of developing nuclear weapons but terminated the program.
SYRIA: Began a military nuclear program in 1979 but has made limited progress.
ROC/TAIWAN: Has terminated its nuclear weapons program but could resume it given developments in China; would be perhaps 10 years from a weapon.
UKRAINE: Last remaining Soviet nuclear warheads were transferred to Russia 1 June 1996. Still has necessary resources to pursue an indigenous weapons program.
terrorists: To date no terrorist group is known to have designed a nuclear weapon or obtained fissile material, although this is certainly within their capabilities. Poor control of nuclear material in the former Soviet Union may now make this easy enough to appeal to some groups; relevant reports include international organized crime involvement in nuclear smuggling and efforts to smuggle complete Soviet nuclear warheads. Authorities have made many seizures of smuggled Soviet fissile material since 1992, some in sufficient quantity for a sophisticated weapons designer to produce a kiloton-yield weapon. One source reports that two Soviet nuclear warheads were stolen from Chelyabinsk in 1993 and recovered nearby soon afterwards. Several minor incidents of radiological poisoning have occurred since 1970, one causing possible injury and one causing a single fatality.