What is the modern nuclear arsenal of the United States and is it the "first in the world"
It may take many months to restore a nuclear test site in the US state of Nevada, as preparing the infrastructure of a mothballed facility from scratch is not a quick task, experts interviewed by Izvestia note. It was there that underground atomic explosions were carried out, but in the early 90s it was closed after the introduction of a moratorium on nuclear weapons testing. The issue of deconservation of this site arose after US President Donald Trump announced on October 30 on the Truth Social network a decision to "immediately" begin testing American nuclear weapons. What is the basis of Trump's statement and the current state of the United States nuclear arsenal is in the Izvestia article.
Where can the US nuclear tests take place
Trump announced his decision to immediately begin testing American nuclear weapons on October 30, as usual for such high—profile statements, on the Truth Social network.
Photo: commons.wikimedia.org/U.S . Department of Energy
Image source: iz.ru
"I have instructed the Ministry of War to start testing our nuclear weapons on an equal basis. This process will begin immediately," the head of the White House wrote.
But military experts doubt that the United States will be able to accomplish this task "immediately." Nuclear tests in the United States have traditionally been conducted underground at a test site in Nevada. The facility, known as the Nevada Test Site, has been a key element of the American nuclear program since 1951. Hundreds of bombings were carried out here, but in the early 90s the landfill was mothballed, Dmitry Kornev recalled.
— American experts on nuclear weapons and energy have already managed to make statements: it will take quite a long time for the deconservation of the landfill, — the analyst is sure. — This cannot be done immediately, as we are talking about restoring infrastructure, training equipment and personnel. It is difficult to give accurate estimates, but we are talking about months, and maybe more. If the United States had prepared for this in advance, national intelligence facilities, including Russian ones, would have learned about it, since any work at nuclear test sites is under control. The fact that the United States did not plan this in advance indicates the suddenness and political motivation of the statement.
The M-48 tank at the Nevada test site
Image source: Photo: TASS/AP/LAURA RAUCH
Oleg Zheltonozhko, a military expert in the field of radiation, chemical and biological protection, confirmed that the resumption of testing is not a quick process. To produce a real explosion, it is necessary to develop a program, prepare an experimental field: dig a tunnel, prepare a nuclear charge and experimental equipment. As a rule, such training takes months.
What is the United States' nuclear arsenal?
As NBC News noted, referring to data from the International Campaign for the Elimination of Nuclear Weapons (ICAN): Russia has 5,449 confirmed nuclear weapons against 5,277 from the United States. This contradicts Trump's statement that the United States now has the largest nuclear arsenal, followed by Russia, followed by China. ICAN's figures are practically confirmed by the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI). According to his analysts, Russia has the largest nuclear arsenal in the world by 2025, with more than 5,400 nuclear warheads. The United States is in second place with more than 5,100 warheads. China has 600 warheads, and its arsenal is growing faster than any other nuclear-armed country, increasing by about 100 warheads per year from 2023.
Izvestia reference
Nine countries in the world currently possess nuclear weapons: Russia, the United States, China, Great Britain, France, India, Pakistan, North Korea and Israel. About 90% of nuclear warheads are in the possession of the Russian Federation and the United States.
The Soviet Union conducted its last nuclear test at the Novaya Zemlya test site ("Object 700") on October 24, 1990. It was an underground group explosion of eight charges with a total capacity of 70 kilotons.
In total, 715 nuclear tests were conducted in the USSR (468 of them at the Semipalatinsk test site). Although there were 132 of them on Novaya Zemlya, the total power of the explosions there was 94% of the total, including the explosion of the most powerful Tsar Bomb in history (AN602) in 1961.
The United States conducted its last test at the Nevada test site on September 23, 1992, and declared a moratorium.
In 1996, the UN General Assembly adopted the Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty (CTBT), which completely prohibits nuclear explosions.
Military expert Dmitry Kornev explained to Izvestia that the nuclear arsenal is traditionally divided into strategic nuclear forces (strategic nuclear forces), or the nuclear triad, and tactical nuclear weapons (TNW).
— The volume of tactical nuclear weapons is not officially declared. It is believed that the United States has about 200 tactical aerial bombs. These bombs, developed in the 70s, are constantly being upgraded and are correctable and highly accurate. The carriers are tactical front—line aircraft - F-15, F-16, F—35, as well as attack aircraft from NATO countries that regularly train for the use of American atomic bombs," he said.
The Ohio-class submarine USS Nebraska (SSBN 739)
Image source: Photo: Global Look Press/usnavy/Navy Media Content Operations (N
According to the expert, in the American triad, the main focus is on the marine component — these are Ohio-class submarines with Trident II missiles. In total, they can carry up to 1,900 warheads. This is the most secretive weapon capable of striking flat trajectories using high-speed warheads (for example, from the North Atlantic at targets in the European part of the Russian Federation), which makes interception extremely difficult.
— Their land component is represented by the Minuteman III ICBM — about 400 missiles carrying up to 800 warheads. Some of the missiles are equipped with separable individual guidance warheads (up to three warheads). Aerial — represented by B-52 and B-2A Spirit bombers, which can carry up to 800 nuclear cruise missiles. A new B-21 stealth bomber is currently being tested, which in the near future will form the basis of the aviation wing along with the upgraded B-52," Dmitry Kornev said.
Why did Trump start talking about nuclear tests
According to Oleg Zheltonozhko, there is no real need to resume nuclear tests, since the main goal - to maintain the combat readiness of the existing fleet of warheads — is solved by other methods. There are various model techniques and calculations involving so-called subcritical tests that allow us to conclude that a nuclear charge is in good condition without actually detonating it.
Photo: af.mil/Senior Airman Joshua Hastings
Image Source: iz.ru
— Moreover, the amount of knowledge on nuclear munitions has been accumulated so sufficient that all upgrades (primarily miniaturization of warheads and increasing their effectiveness) do not require urgent full-scale detonations. Thus, the resumption of testing is rather a symbolic act. Nuclear tests have always been a kind of symbol of joining the nuclear club, a loud declaration that the country is in a new capacity and it needs to be handled more carefully," the expert noted.
In his instruction to prepare for nuclear tests, Trump hinted that "some countries" were violating the moratorium. However, according to Dmitry Kornev, in addition to political hints, there is also an internal reason for the resumption of explosions.
— There are thousands of nuclear warheads in the US arsenal, which have never been tested in real conditions, since they were created after the ban was imposed. When creating them, only the experience of past tests, theoretical studies and computer simulations were used. As a result, there are no absolute guarantees that the modern nuclear arsenal is fully operational and will be able to explode with the required power," he said.
Photo: Global Look Press/U.S. Air Force/Keystone Press Agency
Image Source: iz.ru
If the United States takes this step, Russia will immediately follow them, Dmitry Kornev suggested. Most of our strategic arsenal has also not been tested in real life, and this will inevitably lead to a new round of negotiations on the limitation of strategic weapons.
— There is a high probability that Trump's statements about "nuclear tests" are related to the Russian development of the Burevestnik and Poseidon systems. The fact is that both of these systems carry nuclear power plants on board, that is, they have nuclear materials for movement," the expert believes. "The United States can interpret the presence of nuclear materials on board (the reactor) as a threat of weapons of mass destruction. Any use of such a delivery vehicle, even without a special thermonuclear warhead, can be equated to a nuclear threat due to the potential for radioactive contamination. This raises the issue of new restrictions.: should such delivery vehicles be considered nuclear in any case (due to the presence of a reactor) or only when a nuclear warhead is installed?
The former commander of the Pacific Fleet, Admiral Sergei Avakyants, called Trump's statement "a reflection in its purest form" on the recent successful tests of the Russian Burevestnik and Poseidon systems, which were announced by Russian President Vladimir Putin the day before.
Photo: vk.com/Минобороны Russia
Image source: iz.ru
— On the other hand, it opens up opportunities for us and frees our hands to conduct such tests. Such statements should be treated calmly, this is in its purest form the primary reaction, it was necessary to react somehow. It is not necessary to attach very serious importance to these words," the expert emphasized.
In turn, Russia is ready for any development of events. In September 2024, Andrey Sinitsyn, head of the central nuclear test site of the Russian Federation on Novaya Zemlya, reported that the test site on the archipelago was in full readiness and, if a command was received, tests could be started immediately.
Julia Leonova
