NUCLEAR WEAPONS STATES
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List of countries with nuclear weapons.
This is a list of countries with nuclear weapons.
There are currently eight states that have successfully detonated
nuclear weapons. Five are considered to be "nuclear weapons
states", an internationally recognized status conferred
by the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT). In order of
acquisition of nuclear weapons these are: the United States
of America, Russia (successor state to the Soviet Union),
the United Kingdom, France and China. Since the formulation
of the NPT, three non-signatory states of the NPT have conducted
nuclear tests: India, Pakistan, and purportedly North Korea.
Additionally, Israel is also strongly suspected to have an
arsenal of nuclear weapons though it has refused to confirm
or deny this, and there have been reports that over 200 nuclear
weapons might be in its inventory. This status is not formally
recognized by international bodies as none of these four countries
are currently signatories to the Nuclear Non-Proliferation
Treaty. Iran has been developing uranium enrichment technology
and stands accused by the United States of doing so for weapons
uses. Iran insists that its intentions are limited to domestic
nuclear power generation, despite plutonium traces being detected.
As of February 4, 2006, the International Atomic Energy Agency
referred Iran to the United Nations Security Council in response
to concerns on their possible nuclear programs.
Five "nuclear weapons countries"
from the NPT
The United States of America developed the first atomic weapons
during World War II in co-operation with the United Kingdom
and Canada, out of the fear that Nazi Germany would develop
them first. It tested its first nuclear weapon in 1945 ("Trinity"),
and remains the only country to have used nuclear weapons
against another nation, during the atomic bombings of Hiroshima
and Nagasaki. It was the first nation to develop the hydrogen
bomb, testing it ("Ivy Mike") in 1952 and a deployable
version in 1954 ("Castle Bravo").
An early stage in the "Trinity"
fireball, the first nuclear explosion.
The USSR tested its first nuclear weapon ("Joe-1")
in 1949, in a crash project developed partially with espionage
obtained during and after World War II. The direct motivation
for their weapons development was the development of a balance
of power during the Cold War. It tested a primitive hydrogen
bomb in 1953 ("Joe-4") and a megaton-range hydrogen
bomb in 1955 ("RDS-37"). The Soviet Union also tested
the most powerful explosive ever detonated by humans, ("Tsar
Bomba"), which had a yield of 100 megatons, but was intentionally
reduced to 50. After its dissolution in 1991, its weapons
entered officially into the possession of Russia.
The United Kingdom tested its first nuclear weapon ("Hurricane")
in 1952, drawing largely on data gained while collaborating
with the United States during the Manhattan Project. Its program
was motivated to have an independent deterrent against the
USSR, while also remaining relevant in Cold War Europe. It
tested its first hydrogen bomb in 1957. It maintains the Trident
fleet of nuclear weapon submarines.
France tested its first nuclear weapon in 1960 ("Gerboise
Bleue"), based mostly on its own research aided by indirect
British help[citations needed] and the experience of French
scientists who had worked on the Manhattan Project namely
Louis de Broglie, Pierre Auger and Frédéric
Joliot. It was motivated by the will of independence vis-Ã -vis
the United States confirmed with France's loosening of ties
to NATO, and as an independent deterrent against the USSR.
It was also relevant to retain great power status, along side
United Kingdom, during the post-colonial Cold War. France
tested its first hydrogen bomb in 1968 ("Operation Canopus").
After the Cold War, France has disarmed 175 warheads with
the reduction and modernization of its arsenal which has now
evolved to a dual system based on submarine-launched ballistic
missiles (SSBN) and medium-range air-to-surface missiles (Rafale
bombers). However new nuclear weapons are in development and
reformed nuclear squadrons were trained during Enduring Freedom
operation in Afghanistan. In January 2006, president Jacques
Chirac officially stated a terrorist act or the use of weapons
of mass destruction against France would result in a nuclear
counterattack The Charles de Gaules is currently the last
carrier with nuclear weapons deployed by a country.
French nuclear-powered tactical
nuclear bombers carrier Charles de Gaulle and the American
nuclear-powered carrier USS Enterprise.
China tested its first nuclear weapon in 1964. China was the
first Asian nation to have developed and tested a nuclear
weapon. The weapon was developed as a deterrent against both
the United States and the USSR. It tested its first hydrogen
bomb in 1967 at Lop Nur. The country is currently thought
to have had a stockpile of around 130 warheads.
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