In addition to the 449 launchers that contained deployed ICBMs, the United States declared 108 non-deployed launchers. It is known that most US ICBMs carry a single warhead and the total number of deployed ICBM warheads is estimated to be 500. The unclassified version of the New START data exchange released by the United States does not contain information about the number of warheads on individual ICBMs. At the date of the data exchange (1 September 2012), one ICBM was removed from its silo, probably for maintenance, so the number of deployed ICBMs was reported as 449. The nominal US ICBM force consists of 450 missiles of this type deployed in silos at three missile bases. However, only the Minuteman III is currently deployed. Warheads on deployed ICBMs, on deployed SLBMs, and nuclear warheads counted for deployed heavy bombersĭeployed and non-deployed launchers of ICBMs, deployed and non-deployed launchers of SLBMs, and deployed and non-deployed heavy bombersįor the ICBM component of its strategic nuclear force, the United States reports the status of two types of missiles-Minuteman III and Peacekeeper (MX). The table below provides an estimated breakdown of New START aggregate numbers for the United States as of 1 September 2012 (the number of warheads on deployed ICBMs and SLBMs are estimates other numbers are taken from the official US report).ĭeployed ICBMs, deployed SLBMs, and deployed heavy bombers The report also listed the total of 1,034 deployed and non-deployed launchers. In the most recent New START data exchange, the United States declared 806 deployed ICBMs, SLBMs, and heavy bombers and 1,722 accountable deployed warheads. Although New START does not explicitly limit this capability, reporting under the treaty provides the information that makes it possible to accurately estimate it and take it into account. The United States maintains the capability to add to its operationally deployed arsenal about 2,800 warheads currently kept in active reserve. The case of reserve warheads is more complicated. As long as the United States maintains its strategic arsenal at New START levels, non-strategic weapons would not significantly distort the picture of US nuclear posture. The United States has about 2,000 nuclear warheads that are assigned to strategic delivery systems, while the only non-strategic weapons that would be considered deployed are the approximately 200 bombs in Europe. For details, see discussion and the data exchange document in A New START Model for Transparency in Nuclear Disarmament: Individual Country Reports You can download Google Earth kmz file for the United States. The map shows strategic nuclear forces bases and other facilities that are included in US New START data exchange report.
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