MilitaryTimes
The numbers of U.S. nuclear missiles, and deployed bombers, have continued to drop while Russia’s have climbed, according to a new U.S. State Department report on strategic weapons.
The State Department every year releases a breakdown of the U.S. military’s nuclear arsenal to comply with the New START treaty with Russia. Under the treaty, which was signed in 2010, the U.S. and Russia by 2018 must meet a limit of 700 deployed ballistic missiles and deployed heavy bombers; a limit of 1,550 nuclear warheads on deployed missiles and bombers; and a limit of and 800 launchers.
As of Sept. 1, according to the report released in January, the U.S. military showed declines from the previous year in all three categories, while Russia showed increases:
- The U.S. has 794 deployed Intercontinental Ballistic Missiles, submarine-launched ICBMs and deployed heavy bombers, down from 809 the year before. Russia’s inventory climbed to 528, up from 473.
- The U.S. has 1,642 warheads on deployed ICBMs, SLBMs and nuclear warheads for deployed bombers, down from 1,688. Russia also has 1,642, but that is up from 1,400.
- The U.S. has 912 deployed and non-deployed missile launchers, down from 1,015. Russia, meanwhile, has 911, up from 894.
