Nuclear potential of the world. We study the list of countries with nuclear weapons

At the session General Assembly United Nations in New York, many states have already signed the Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons (it was adopted on July 7, 2017 at the UN Headquarters and opened for signature on September 20. - Ed.). As UN Secretary General António Guterres put it, by doing this they want to create a world "without weapons doomsday". But countries with nuclear weapons (NW) do not participate in the initiative.

Atwho is nuclear weapon and how much?

It is generally accepted that there are actually nine nuclear powers in the world today - the USA, Russia, France, Great Britain, China, India, Pakistan, Israel and North Korea. At their disposal, according to the Stockholm Peace Research Institute (SIPRI) as of January 2017, there are a total of about 15 thousand nuclear warheads. But they are distributed among the G-9 countries very unevenly. The United States and Russia account for 93 percent of all nuclear warheads on the planet.

Who has the official nuclear status and who doesn't?

Officially, only those that signed the 1968 Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty are considered nuclear powers. These are (in order of creating their first atomic bomb) the USA (1945), the USSR/Russia (1949), the UK (1952), France (1960) and China (1964). The remaining four countries, although they have nuclear weapons, have not acceded to the treaty on its nonproliferation.

North Korea withdrew from the treaty, Israel has never officially recognized that it has nuclear weapons, but Tel Aviv is believed to have them. In addition, the United States assumes that Iran continues to work on the creation of an atomic bomb, despite the official rejection of the military use of nuclear energy and control by the IAEA.

How did the number of nuclear warheads change?

Although over time more and more states have acquired nuclear weapons, the number of nuclear warheads today is much lower than in the days of cold war. In the 1980s there were about 70,000 of them. Today, their number continues to decline in accordance with the disarmament agreement concluded by the United States and Russia in 2010 (the START III treaty). But the quantity is not so important. Almost all nuclear powers are modernizing their arsenal and making it even more powerful.

What are the initiatives for nuclear disarmament?

The oldest such initiative is the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons. The states that signed it, which do not have nuclear weapons, take upon themselves the obligation to refrain from creating it for a long time. The official nuclear powers undertake to negotiate disarmament. However, the agreement did not stop the proliferation of nuclear weapons.

Another weak point of the treaty is that in the long run it divides the world into those who have nuclear weapons and those who do not. Critics of the document also note that the five official nuclear powers are also permanent members of the UN Security Council.

Have there been successful nuclear disarmament treaties?

The USA and the USSR/Russia have destroyed a significant number of nuclear warheads and their carriers since the end of the Cold War. Under the START-I treaty (signed in July 1991, entered into force in December 1994, expired in December 2009. - Ed.), Washington and Moscow have significantly reduced their nuclear arsenals.

Barack Obama and Dmitry Medvedev signing START III, April 2010

This process was not easy, it was slowed down from time to time, but the goal was so important for both sides that Presidents Barack Obama and Dmitry Medvedev signed the START III treaty in the spring of 2010. Obama then announced his desire for a nuclear-free world. Further fate of the treaty is considered uncertain against the backdrop of the demonstration policy military force conducted by US President Donald Trump and Russian actions against Ukraine.

Which countries have given up nuclear weapons?

From trying to create atomic bomb refused shortly before the abolition of the apartheid regime in South Africa, as well as Libya in 2003. The former republics of the USSR, which inherited nuclear weapons after its collapse, stand apart here. Ukraine, Belarus and Kazakhstan signed the Lisbon Protocol, which made them parties to the START-1 treaty, and then acceded to the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons.

The largest arsenal, the third in the world after the United States and Russia, was in Ukraine. Having abandoned it, Kyiv received in return financial assistance, as well as security guarantees and territorial integrity from the nuclear powers, enshrined in the so-called Budapest Memorandum. However, the memorandum was in the nature of a voluntary commitment, was not ratified by any of the states that signed it, and did not provide for a mechanism of sanctions.

Context

With the start of the conflict in eastern Ukraine in 2014, critics of the memorandum say that Kyiv's renunciation of nuclear weapons did not justify itself. They believe that Ukraine's possession of nuclear weapons would prevent Russia from annexing Crimea. On the other hand, experts note that the example of North Korea may cause chain reaction, when all more countries want to get atomic warheads.

What are the prospects for a ban on nuclear weapons

The current initiative to ban nuclear weapons is nothing more than a symbolic gesture against the nuclear arms race. If only because all nine nuclear powers do not take part in this initiative. They claim that nuclear weapons are best protection from attack, and point to an already existing non-proliferation treaty. But there is no mention of a ban in this treaty.

NATO also does not support the treaty, which was opened on September 20 for signature. The campaign for its signing, as stated in the official statement of the alliance, "does not take into account the increasingly threatening international security environment." Jean-Yves Le Drian, French foreign minister, called the initiative "almost irresponsible" "self-deception." According to him, it can only weaken the nonproliferation treaty.

On the other hand, Beatrice Fin, head of the international campaign for the abolition of nuclear weapons, called on the countries of the world to join the initiative. She stressed that nuclear weapons are "the only type of weapon mass destruction, which is still not banned, despite its destructive power and threat to humanity. "According to her, with the advent of Donald Trump to power in the United States, this threat has increased.

See also:

North Korean missiles and bombs

Rocket launches in North Korea last years increased noticeably. Pyongyang is testing ballistic missiles in defiance of UN resolutions and gradually tightening sanctions. Experts do not even rule out the start of hostilities on Korean peninsula.



Rocket and nuclear tests of the DPRK: a project of three generations of Kims

Beginning - during the late Kim Il Sung

Although the number of missile tests has grown in the last four years, the first of them were carried out as early as 1984 - under the then North Korean leader Kim Il Sung. According to the Nuclear Threat Initiative, over the past 10 years of his rule, the DPRK conducted 15 tests, and there were no launches from 1986 to 1989 inclusive.



Rocket and nuclear tests of the DPRK: a project of three generations of Kims

Kim Jong Il: the beginning of nuclear tests

Kim Jong Il, the son of Kim Il Sung, who led the country in July 1994, also did not stand aside. During the 17 years of his reign, 16 missile tests were carried out, although almost all of them took place in two years - 2006 (7 launches) and 2009 (8). This is less than in the first 8 months of 2017. However, it was during the reign of Kim Jong Il that Pyongyang's first two tests of nuclear weapons took place - in 2006 and 2009.



Rocket and nuclear tests of the DPRK: a project of three generations of Kims

Kim Jong-un: unprecedented activity

Under the son and grandson of the former rulers, the activity of the DPRK in the missile sphere has reached an unprecedented level. For 6 years, Pyongyang has already carried out 84 launches of ballistic missiles. Not all of them were successful, in some cases the rockets exploded at the start or in flight.



Rocket and nuclear tests of the DPRK: a project of three generations of Kims

towards Guam

In early August 2017, there were reports that the North Korean army was developing a plan to launch four ballistic missiles. medium range in the direction military base USA on the island of Guam pacific ocean. The reaction of US President Donald Trump was predictably harsh and threatening.



Rocket and nuclear tests of the DPRK: a project of three generations of Kims

Over Japan

On August 29, 2017, the DPRK carried out another test, and this time the missile flew over the territory of Japan - the island of Hokkaido. Kim Jong-un said that the launch of a rocket towards Japan is a preparation for a war in the Pacific.



Rocket and nuclear tests of the DPRK: a project of three generations of Kims

Sixth nuclear

A few days after the missile was launched over Japan, North Korea announced that it had successfully tested a nuclear weapon, specifying that it was a hydrogen bomb. This was already the sixth underground nuclear explosion carried out by Pyongyang. Experts estimated the yield of the bomb at about 100 kilotons.



Rocket and nuclear tests of the DPRK: a project of three generations of Kims

Meetings and condemnatory statements

After almost every North Korean test of missile or nuclear weapons, security councils of various countries and the UN Security Council gather for emergency meetings. But they, like the condemning statements of world leaders, have not yet brought any effect.

Nuclear powers are giving up their stocks: what awaits the Nuclear Club?

Nuclear (or atomic) weapons are the presence of the entire nuclear arsenal, its means of transportation, as well as hardware control. Such weapons are classified as WMD - weapons of mass destruction. The explosive effect of the so-called "rusty death" weapons is based on the principle of using some of the qualities that nuclear energy possesses, released as a result of a nuclear or thermonuclear reaction.

Varieties of nuclear weapons

Everything available on the globe Nuclear weapons can be divided into two types:

• A nuclear weapon is an explosive mechanism with a single-phase type. In the process of fission of heavy nuclei of plutonium or uranium 235, energy is released;
• A thermonuclear weapon is an explosive mechanism with a two-phase type. During the action of the first phase, the release of energy occurs due to the fission of heavy nuclei. During the action of the second phase, the phase with thermonuclear fusion is connected to the fission reactions. In the process of proportional composition of reactions, the types of these weapons are also determined.

From the history of the emergence of nuclear weapons

In 1889, the Curie couple committed to scientific world grand opening. They discovered in a piece of uranium a hitherto unknown substance that released a colossal mass of energy.

After this discovery, events developed as follows. E. Rutherford studied the basic properties of atoms. E. Walton with D. Cockcroft for the first time in the world carried out the splitting of the atomic nucleus. And already in 1934, the scientist Leo Szilard registered a patent for the creation of an atomic bomb.

The purpose for which atomic weapons were created is very trivial - this is world domination, with the intimidation and destruction of their enemies. So, when the second World War, German scientists, Soviet Union and the United States engaged in research and development of nuclear weapons. These three largest and most powerful states, actively participating in hostilities, attempted to achieve victory at any cost. Moreover, if at that time they had managed to use these weapons as a key factor in victory, then they could have been used more than once in other military conflicts.

Nuclear powers of the world for 2018

The states that currently possess nuclear weapons are tacitly referred to as the Nuclear Club.

The following are considered legitimate within the international legal framework:

• United States of America (USA);
• Russia (which received nuclear weapons from the USSR after its collapse);
• France;
• Great Britain;
• China.

The following are considered illegal:

• India;
• North Korea;
• Pakistan.

There is another state - Israel. Officially, it does not have its own nuclear weapons. However, the world community is of the opinion that Israel should take its place in the Nuclear Club.

However, it is possible that there may be other participants on this list. Many world states had nuclear programs, but some of them abandoned this idea later, and some still continue to work on them to this day. In some states, such weapons are supplied by other countries, for example, the United States. The exact number of weapons and how many nuclear powers own these weapons in the world is not known. However, approximately twenty and a half thousand nuclear warheads are dispersed throughout the globe.

In 1968, the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons was signed. Later in 1986, the Nuclear Test Ban Treaty was signed. However, not all states decided to sign and ratify these documents (legally legalize them). Thus, the threat to the world is still real. Moreover, no matter how strange it may sound, but at present the presence of nuclear weapons is a guarantee of peace, a deterrent that can protect against aggression, thanks to which many states are so eager to take possession of them.

Arsenal of the United States of America

Today, the US has an arsenal of 1,654 warheads. The United States is armed with bombs, warheads, and shells. All these are used in military aviation, in submarine fleet and also in artillery.

At the end of World War II, the United States produced over sixty-six thousand warhead bombs, but already in 1997 the production of new types of nuclear weapons was completely stopped. By 2010, the United States arsenal numbered over 5,000 nuclear weapons. Since 2013, their number has decreased to 1654 units according to the project, which involved a reduction in nuclear potential.

As an unofficial world leader, the United States has the status of a nuclear power and, under the 1968 treaty, as part of five states, legitimately possesses nuclear weapons.

Russia (former USSR) - the second nuclear power

Russia now has 1,480 warheads and 367 nuclear launchers. This ammunition is intended for use by missile troops, naval strategic forces and strategic aviation. For last decade Russia's military nuclear stockpile was significantly reduced, by 12% per year. Due to the signing of the treaty on mutual disarmament, by 2012 it should have been reduced by 2/3.

Today, the Russian Federation, as the successor to the USSR, is one of the main members of the 1968 agreements on nuclear weapons and possesses them legally. In the conditions of the current world political and economic situation, Russia is opposed to the United States and European states. However, with such a serious arsenal, one can defend one's independent positions on geopolitical issues.

French nuclear capability

France now has approximately 300 strategic warheads, as well as approximately 60 airborne tactical multiprocessors. All this can be used by submarines and aircraft. France for a long time had to strive to be independent in matters of its own weapons. She was engaged in the development of her own supercomputer, conducting nuclear tests until 1998. France was no longer engaged in nuclear weapons.

British nuclear capability

The UK is armed with 225 nuclear warheads. Of these, over 160 are on alert and are located on submarines. No one has exact information about the weapons of the British army. They do not disclose the exact size of their nuclear arsenal. The UK has no desire to increase its nuclear stockpile, as well as to reduce it. It is guided by a policy of deterring allied and neutral states from using these weapons.

Chinese nuclear capability

According to US experts, the Chinese have approximately 240 warheads. Although according to official data, the Chinese military has about 40 intercontinental missiles, which are operated by artillery and submariners. In addition, the Chinese army owns approximately 1,000 short-range missiles.

The Chinese authorities do not disclose exact information about their arsenal. They state that the number of their nuclear weapons is supposed to be maintained at the lowest safe level. Moreover, the Chinese authorities say they will not be the first to use nuclear weapons, and they will not use them at all against non-nuclear states. Such statements are only welcomed by the world community.

Indian nuclear capability

According to some estimates, India has a nuclear weapon not quite officially. At present, the Indian arsenal has approximately 30 nuclear warheads, as well as enough materials to make 90 more.

In addition, the Indian army has short-range missiles, medium-range ballistic missiles, long-range missiles. Being an illegal owner atomic weapons, the Indian authorities do not officially declare their nuclear policy, this causes negative reactions in the world community.

Pakistani nuclear capability

From unofficial sources it is known that the Pakistani army has almost 200 nuclear warheads. There is no exact information about the types of their weapons. The world community reacted to nuclear tests as harshly as possible. Pakistan has been subjected to economic sanctions by almost every major world state. The exception was Saudi Arabia, which supplied the state with approximately fifty thousand barrels of oil per day.

North Korea is a new generation nuclear power

North Korea is a state that officially possesses nuclear weapons, in this regard, in 2012, it amended its Constitution. The Democratic People's Republic of Korea owns single-stage medium-range missiles and the Musudan mobile missile system.

The reaction of the international community to the creation and testing of nuclear weapons was extremely negative. The lengthy six-party talks are still going on, the state is under an economic embargo. Nevertheless, the North Korean authorities are in no hurry to abandon the creation of their nuclear shield.

Should we give up nuclear weapons?

Nuclear weapons are one of the worst types of destruction of the population and economic potential of a hostile state. This is a weapon that sweeps away everything in its path. Fully aware of the seriousness of the presence of such weapons, the governments of many states (especially the "Nuclear Club") are taking a variety of measures to reduce the number of these weapons, as well as guarantees that they will not be used.

Who didn't make it

Terms are a delicate thing. Under the "nuclear club" it is customary to understand only five states: the USA, Russia (as the legal successor of the USSR), Great Britain, France, and China. And that's it! Both Israel, which traditionally does not deny and does not confirm the existence of nuclear arsenals, and India and Pakistan, which defiantly conducted nuclear tests and officially announced the presence of nuclear weapons, cannot receive the legal status of nuclear powers from the point of view of international law. The fact is that to join the club, you do not need the consent of its current members, but a time machine. All countries that managed to carry out nuclear tests before January 1, 1967 automatically became nuclear powers. The chronology is as follows: the Americans - in 1945, we - four years later, the British and the French - in 1952 and 1960, respectively. China jumped into the "last car" - 1964.

Let us note that such a state of affairs has always evoked and still evokes a feeling of indignation among some of the non-nuclear peoples. Nevertheless, 185 countries of the world have accepted these rules of the game and signed the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons. And this means that the door to the elite nuclear institution has closed forever.

The situation is paradoxical: any country that does not recognize the aforementioned Treaty formally has every right to create its own nuclear warhead. Yes, and the members of the Treaty are also free to withdraw from it at any time - you just need to warn the rest of this 90 days in advance.

Of course, the potential owner of the bomb will have to incur serious material costs, endure all sorts of international sanctions, and possibly even survive a military attack (at one time, an Iraqi nuclear program literally buried the Israeli F-16s, destroying the Iraqi research center).

Nevertheless, especially stubborn countries can still become the owners of the coveted bomb. Approximately 40 states of the world today, figuratively speaking, are on the threshold: that is, they have the capabilities to produce national nuclear weapons. But only four dared to cross this threshold. In addition to the aforementioned Israel, India and Pakistan, nuclear power considers itself North Korea. True, not a single intelligence service in the world has reliable data that Pyongyang conducted at least one test of an atomic bomb. In this connection, some authoritative experts call the nuclear ambitions of the North Koreans a bluff. There are reasons for this. So, North Korea declared itself at the same time a great space power, declaring that a real satellite was launched. But in orbit, not a single tracking station recorded it. Which is rather strange, especially considering that, according to Pyongyang, their satellite from near-Earth space was broadcasting revolutionary songs with might and main.

Nuclear arsenals

There are less than 30,000 warheads in nuclear arsenals today.

If we still assume that North Korea is not bluffing, then of this amount, its hypothetical contribution is the most modest. 100 km north of the capital of North Korea, with the help of the Chinese, was built nuclear reactor. It was jammed twice under pressure from the United States, but still, during its operation, it was estimated that from 9 to 24 kg of weapons-grade plutonium could be accumulated. Experts believe that the manufacture of one bomb, comparable in power to the charge that destroyed Hiroshima, requires from 1 to 3 kg of plutonium-239. Thus, the maximum that the North Korean army can have is 10 charges of relatively low power.

But if there are few bombs in the homeland of Juche, then there are more than enough of their carriers. They even have intercontinental missiles under development that can reach the United States.

Experts attribute to Pakistan the presence of about 50 nuclear weapons. Old scud-type ballistic missiles and more advanced ghauris can be used as carriers. In addition, Pakistani engineers independently equipped the F-16s with bomb racks for nuclear bombs.

India has about 50 to 100 nuclear bombs. A wide choice of carriers: nationally developed ballistic and cruise missiles, fighter-bombers.

Israel has a more solid arsenal: about 200 charges. It is believed that Israel has nuclear-armed F-16 and F-15 aircraft, as well as Jericho-1 and Jericho-2 missiles with a range of up to 1,800 km. In addition, this country has the most advanced air and missile defense system in the Middle East.

The UK has about 200 warheads. All of them are located on four nuclear submarines armed with Trident-II missiles. Previously, there were nuclear bombs in service with Tornado aircraft, but the British abandoned tactical nuclear weapons.

The French army and navy have 350 nuclear warheads: these are sea-based missile warheads and aerial bombs that can be delivered to the target by Mirage-2000N tactical fighter-bombers and Super Etandar carrier-based attack aircraft.

Chinese generals have at their disposal up to 300 strategic and up to 150 tactical charges.

The United States today has over 7,000 warheads on strategic launchers: land-based and sea-based ballistic missiles, and on bombers, and up to 4,000 tactical bombs. Total 11-12 thousand nuclear warheads.

Russia, according to Western experts, has approximately 18,000 nuclear warheads, of which 2/3 are tactical. According to data provided to RG by Viktor Mikhailov, director of the Institute for Strategic Stability, in 2000 Russia's strategic nuclear forces had 5,906 warheads. Another 4,000 nuclear warheads are non-strategic and are tactical aviation bombs, warheads cruise missiles and torpedoes. According to experts from one of the world's most authoritative institutions, the Swedish SIPRI, two years ago our strategic nuclear forces had 4,852 warheads, of which 2,916 were on 680 ICBMs, and 1,072 carried ballistic missiles of submarine missile carriers. Also, 864 warheads were installed on air-to-ground cruise missiles. At the same time, it should be borne in mind that there is a steady trend towards their further reduction. True, the accumulated world stocks of weapons-grade plutonium allow for short term increase arsenals to 85 thousand charges.

Generally total of the nuclear weapons currently available in the world is known only approximately. But it is known to the bomb that the arms race reached its apogee in 1986. Then there were 69,478 thousand nuclear warheads on the planet.

Alas, it must be admitted that although there are fewer bombs, their carriers have become more perfect: more reliable, more accurate and almost invulnerable.

In addition, scientists are working on a bomb fourth generation: a purely thermonuclear weapon, the fusion reaction in which must be initiated by some alternative source energy. The fact is that the current hydrogen bombs use a classic atomic explosion as a "fuse", which gives the main fallout. If the "nuclear fuse" can be replaced with something, then the generals will receive a bomb that will be as powerful as the current thermonuclear ones, but within 1-2 days after its use, the radiation on the affected area will decrease to an acceptable level. Simply put, the territory is suitable for capture and use. Imagine what a temptation it is for the attacking side...

Abandoned bombs

Statements about the need to have nuclear weapons in service are heard from time to time even in countries whose nuclear-free status seems to be unshakable. In Japan, high-ranking officials regularly speak out in favor of discussing the issue of nuclear weapons, after which they resign with a scandal. From time to time calls are revived for the creation of the first "Arab atomic bomb" in Egypt. There is also a scandal around the secret program of nuclear research and experiments in South Korea, which has always served as an example of restraint against the background of its northern neighbor.

Brazil, which we associate exclusively with Don Pedro and wild monkeys, is determined in 2010 to launch ... its own nuclear submarine. It is appropriate to recall that back in the 80s, the Brazilian military developed two designs of atomic charges with a capacity of 20 and 30 kilotons, however, the bombs were never assembled ...

However, several countries voluntarily gave up nuclear weapons.

In 1992, South Africa announced that it had 8 nuclear weapons and invited IAEA inspectors to observe their elimination.

Kazakhstan and Belarus voluntarily parted ways with WMD. After the collapse of the USSR, Ukraine automatically became a powerful nuclear-missile power. The Ukrainians had at their disposal 130 SS-19 intercontinental ballistic missiles, 46 SS-24 missiles and 44 heavy strategic bombers with cruise missiles. Note that, unlike other republics in the post-Soviet space, which also had nuclear arsenals, Ukraine had the ability to build ballistic missiles (for example, all the famous SS-18 "Satan" were produced in Dnepropetrovsk) and had a uranium deposit. And theoretically she could well qualify for membership in the "nuclear club".

Nevertheless, Ukrainian ballistic missiles were destroyed under the control of American observers, and Kyiv handed over all 1,272 nuclear charges to Russia. From 1996 to 1999, Ukraine also eliminated 29 Tu-160 and Tu-95 bombers and 487 Kh-55 air-launched cruise missiles.

The Ukrainians kept only one Tu-160 for themselves: for the Air Force Museum. Nuclear bombs, it seems, were not left as a keepsake.

Evgeny Avrorin, Scientific Supervisor of the Russian Federal Nuclear Center - All-Russian Research Institute of Technical Physics (Snezhinsk city), full member of the Russian Academy of Sciences:

In general, the production of nuclear weapons is a rather complex and subtle technology, which is used both in the production of fissile materials and directly in the creation of nuclear weapons. But when we at our center carried out an analysis of which states could create nuclear weapons, we came to the following conclusion: today absolutely any industrial developed state. Required only political decision. All information is available, nothing is unknown. The only question is technology and the investment of certain financial resources.

RG | Evgeny Nikolaevich, it is widely believed that in order to enrich uranium, which is necessary for nuclear weapons, it is required to build a special plant with cascades of hundreds of thousands of centrifuges. At the same time, the cost of creating a nuclear fuel production cycle costs more than a billion dollars. Is technology really that expensive?

Evgeny Avrorin | Look at what is being said. nuclear materials much less is needed to create a weapon than to create a developed energy. Enrichment technology, it is, so to speak, fractional. Now it is no longer a secret that the most promising and advanced technology is the so-called "turntables", which were best developed in the Soviet Union. And these are very small devices, and each of them individually is very inexpensive. Yes, they are very low performing. And in order to obtain materials for the development of large-scale energy, they need a lot of them, which is where billions of dollars come from. At the same time, in order to obtain several kilograms of uranium necessary for the production of nuclear weapons, many such devices are not needed. Expensive, I repeat, is only mass production.

WG| The IAEA claims that about 40 countries are on the verge of creating nuclear weapons. Will threshold countries continue to grow?

Evgeny Avrorin | What does a country gain by acquiring nuclear weapons? It acquires more weight, more authority, feels more secure. These are positive factors. There is only one negative factor - the country is experiencing dissatisfaction with the international community. But, unfortunately, the example of India and Pakistan has shown that positive factors prevail. No sanctions were applied against these countries.

The negative factors of possession of nuclear weapons prevailed in such countries as South Africa and Brazil: the first eliminated them, the second was on the verge of creation, but refused to create. Even small Switzerland had a program to create nuclear weapons, but also turned it off in time. The most important thing to be offered to the so-called "threshold countries" is guarantees of their security in exchange for giving up the bombs. And we need to improve the control system. We need constant international monitoring, and not inspections that carry out one-time checks. Today this system is full of holes...

Reserves of highly enriched uranium are possessed by 43 states of the world, including 28 developing ones.

In the late 60s of the last century, Libya asked the USSR to build a reactor, and in the early 70s it tried to buy a nuclear bomb from China. The peace reactor was built, and the deal with the Chinese fell through.

Especially for the Yak-38 carrier-based VTOL attack aircraft, whose combat load was extremely limited, a light and compact nuclear bomb RN-28. "Ammunition" of such bombs on heavy aircraft carrier cruisers"Kyiv" was 18 pieces.

The most powerful in the world H-bomb"Kuzkina mother" ("product 602") weighed 26.5 tons and did not fit into the bomb bay of any of the heavy bombers that existed at that time. She was hung under the fuselage of a Tu-95V specially converted for this purpose and dropped on October 30, 1961 in the area of ​​​​the Matochkin Shar Strait on Novaya Zemlya. The "product 602" was not accepted into service - it was intended exclusively for psychological pressure on the Americans.

In 1954, during the Totsk exercises, a real nuclear bomb was dropped on the "stronghold of the US Army infantry battalion", after which the troops attacked through the center of the nuclear explosion. The bomb was called "Tatiana", and dropped it from the Tu-4A - exact copy American strategic bomber B-29.

Ilan Ramon, the future first Israeli astronaut, also took part in the famous Israeli air raid on the Iraqi nuclear research center in Osirak. During the bombing, at least one non-Iraqi citizen, a French technician, was killed. Ilan Ramon himself did not bomb the reactor, but only on the F-15 fighter he covered the planes that struck. Ramon died in an accident on the US shuttle Columbia in 2003.

Since 1945, approximately 128 thousand nuclear charges have been produced in the world. Of these, the United States produced a little more than 70 thousand, the USSR and Russia - about 55 thousand.

Nuclear (or atomic) weapons are called the entire nuclear arsenal, its means of transportation and hardware control. Nuclear weapons are classified as weapons of mass destruction.

The principle of the explosive effect of rusty death weapons is based on the use of the properties of nuclear energy, which is released due to nuclear or thermonuclear reactions.

Types of nuclear weapons

All existing nuclear weapons in the world are divided into two types:

• atomic: an explosive device of a single-phase type, the release of energy in which occurs during the fission of heavy nuclei of plutonium or 235 uranium;
• thermonuclear (hydrogen): explosive device of two-phase type. In the first phase of the action, the energy output occurs due to the fission of heavy nuclei, in the second phase of the action, the phase of thermonuclear fusion is connected to the fission reaction. The proportional composition of reactions determines the type of this weapon.

History of occurrence

The year 1889 was marked in the world of science by the discovery of the Curie couple: in uranium they discovered a new substance that emitted a large number of energy.

In subsequent years, E. Rutherford studied the basic properties of the atom, E. Walton and his colleague D. Cockcroft were the first in the world to split the atomic nucleus.

So, in 1934, the scientist Leo Szilard registered a patent for the atomic bomb, setting off a wave of massive destruction around the world.

The reason for the creation of atomic weapons is simple: world domination, intimidation and destruction of enemies. During World War II, the development and Scientific research fought in Germany, the Soviet Union and the United States: the three largest and most powerful countries that took part in the war, sought to achieve victory at any cost. And if during the Second World War this weapon did not become a key factor in victory, in the future it was used more than once in other wars.

Nuclear weapon countries

The group of countries that currently possess nuclear weapons is conventionally called the "Nuclear Club". Here is the list of club members:

• Legitimate in the international legal field

1. USA;
2. Russia (which acquired the weapons of the USSR after the collapse of a great power);
3. France;
4. Great Britain;
5. China.

• Illegitimate

1. India;
2. North Korea;
3. Pakistan.

Officially, Israel is not the owner of nuclear weapons, but the world community tends to think that Israel has weapons of its own design.

But, this list is not complete. Many countries of the world had nuclear programs, but later abandoned them or are working on them at the present time. In some countries, such weapons are supplied by other powers, for example, the United States. The exact number of weapons in the world is not taken into account, approximately 20,500 nuclear warheads are dispersed around the world.

In 1968, the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons was signed, and in 1986, the Treaty on the Ban on Nuclear Tests. But not all countries have signed and ratified these documents (legally legalized). So the threat to the world still exists.

Strange as it may sound, but today nuclear weapons are a guarantee of peace, a deterrent that protects against attack, which is why many countries are so eager to get hold of them.

USA

Submarine-based ballistic missiles form the basis of the US nuclear arsenal.

To date, the United States has 1,654 warheads. The United States is armed with bombs, warheads, shells for use in aviation, submarines, and artillery.

After the end of World War II, more than 66,000 bombs and warheads were produced in the United States; in 1997, the production of new nuclear weapons was completely stopped.

In 2010, there were more than 5,000 weapons in the US arsenal, but by 2013 their number had decreased to 1,654 units as part of a program to reduce the country's nuclear potential. As the unofficial leader of the world, the United States has the status of an old-timer and, according to the treaty of 1968, is among the 5 countries legally possessing nuclear weapons.

Russian Federation

Today, Russia has 1,480 warheads and 367 nuclear launchers at its disposal.

The country owns ammunition intended for use in rocket troops, naval strategic forces and strategic aviation forces.

Over the past 10 years, Russia's ammunition has significantly decreased (up to 12% per year) due to the signing of a treaty on mutual disarmament: by the end of 2012, reduce the number of weapons by two-thirds.

Today, Russia is one of the oldest members of the 1968 nuclear weapons treaty (as the only successor to the USSR), possessing them legally. However, the current political and economic situation in the world opposes the country to the United States and the countries of Europe, the presence of such a dangerous arsenal makes it possible in many respects to defend an independent position in geopolitical issues.

France

Today, France is armed with about 300 strategic warheads for use on submarines, as well as about 60 tactical multiprocessors for airborne use. France for a long time strove for independence in the matter of its own weapons: it developed its own supercomputer, conducted nuclear tests until 1998. After that, nuclear weapons in France were not developed and tested.

Great Britain

The UK owns 225 nuclear warheads, of which more than 160 are on alert and deployed on submarines. Data on the armament of the British army is practically absent due to one of the principles military policy countries: do not disclose the exact quantity and quality of the funds presented in the arsenal. The UK does not seek to increase its nuclear stockpile, but will not reduce it either: it has a policy of deterring allied and neutral states from using deadly weapon.

China

U.S. scientists estimate that China has about 240 warheads, but official figures say that China has about 40 intercontinental missiles located in artillery troops and on submarines, as well as about 1,000 short-range missiles.

The Chinese government has not disclosed exact numbers on the country's arsenal, saying that the number of nuclear weapons will be kept at a minimum safe level.

In addition, China declares that it cannot be the first to use weapons, and that it will not be used against non-nuclear countries. For such statements global community regards positively.

India

According to the assessment of the world community, India owns nuclear weapons unofficially. It has thermonuclear and nuclear warheads. Today, India has about 30 nuclear warheads in its arsenal and enough materials to make another 90 bombs. Also, there are short-range missiles, medium-range ballistic missiles, and extended-range missiles. Possessing nuclear weapons illegally, India does not make official statements regarding its policy on nuclear weapons, which causes a negative reaction from the world community.

Pakistan

Pakistan is armed with up to 200 nuclear warheads, according to unofficial data. There is no exact data on the type of weapon. The reaction of the public to the testing of nuclear weapons by this country was as harsh as possible: economic sanctions were imposed on Pakistan by almost all the major countries of the world, except Saudi Arabia, which supplied the country with an average of 50,000 barrels of oil daily.

North Korea

Officially, North Korea is a country with nuclear weapons: in 2012, the country's constitution was amended. The country is armed with single-stage medium-range missiles, the Musudan mobile missile system. The international community reacted extremely negatively to the fact of creating and testing weapons: long six-party negotiations continue to this day, and an economic embargo has been imposed on the country. But the DPRK is in no hurry to abandon the creation of means to ensure its own security.

Arms control

Nuclear weapons are one of the worst ways to destroy the population and economy of warring countries, a weapon that destroys everything in its path.

Understanding and realizing the dangers of the presence of such weapons of destruction, the authorities of many countries (especially the five leaders of the "Nuclear Club") are taking various measures to reduce the number of these weapons and guarantee their non-use.

Thus, the United States and Russia have voluntarily reduced the number of nuclear weapons.

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The nuclear arms race began at the end of World War II when the US dropped two atomic bombs on Japan. Since then, several countries have prepared their own nuclear devices and others are working on their production.

United States

Nuclear testing began during World War II and ended in the early 1990s after the collapse of communism. The United States still has the most operational warheads (over 2,000), while thousands more are being dismantled.

The Americans also have nuclear weapons stationed in other NATO countries. Together with Russia, the US is a member of the atomic weapons club that has air, sea and land-based nuclear weapons. For two decades, the United States has been working with Russia to reduce the number of nuclear weapons around the world.

Russia

Russia and held its first nuclear test in 1949, four years after the Americans bombed Hiroshima and Nagasaki. During the Cold War, the arms race led to the proliferation of nuclear weapons. Today, Russia has about 1,700 operational warheads. However, nuclear experts fear that after some 1990 warheads may have fallen into the hands of third parties and are thus not counted.

Great Britain

Britain joined the nuclear club in 1951 and has about 160 warheads that can only be delivered by submarine.

France

France is the third largest nuclear power after the US and Russia. The country can launch its 300 warheads either from the air or from the sea.

China

Communist China began a nuclear program in the 1950s after the US moved some of its own warheads to Asia during the Korean War. At present, China can deploy land-based and air-launched missiles, and will be able to deliver them by submarine at the earliest.

India

India tested its first nuclear weapon in 1974 because it saw neighboring China and Pakistan as the main threat in the region. India has land and air weapons bases that could be put into service in a short time.

Pakistan

After conflicts and regional wars with India in the last forty years, Pakistan tested its first combat test in 1998 and is said to have 100 warheads.

Israel

Although Israel has never confirmed a nuclear weapon test, experts believe the country has had a nuclear weapons program for decades. Israel probably has at least 80 missiles on the ground that can deliver nuclear warheads.

North Korea

In the past few years, North Korea has been conducting underground tests. Western experts believe that the communist state has enough plutonium to build atomic bombs, but they doubt that the country can deliver them to missiles. Sanctions against the country came into force several years ago, after negotiations that failed to stop the program.

Nuclear testing in North Korea

Iran

The Western world is also concerned about Iran's plans to build an atomic bomb. The International Atomic Energy Commission says it has strong evidence that Iran is producing plutonium for bombs. Iranian leaders have repeatedly stated that they only enrich uranium for nuclear energy. The United Nations has placed sanctions on countries in an attempt to stop Iran's program.

Several other states at one time also had nuclear weapons programs or already produced warheads. States of the former Soviet Union, including Ukraine and Kazakhstan, possessed nuclear warheads when the country collapsed, but brought it back to Russia in subsequent years.

South Africa developed nuclear weapons during the apartheid years but stopped them in 1990. Saddam Hussein was thinking about developing his own nuclear weapons in Iraq. In 2003, the United States invaded the country because they thought the dictator had weapons of mass destruction.

Argentina, Brazil and South Korea nuclear programs were stopped many years ago.