The Limited Test Ban Treaty (LTBT) (also known as the Partial Test Ban Treaty) is a multilateral treaty banning explosive nuclear testing or “other nuclear explosions” in the atmosphere, outer space, and underwater. The treaty only permits underground nuclear testing if the test does not cause radioactive debris to be present outside the jurisdiction of […]
Fact Sheet: Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT)
The Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons (also known as the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty, or NPT) is an international agreement designed to prevent the spread of nuclear weapons, promote cooperation between states on peaceful uses of nuclear energy, and advance nuclear disarmament. The NPT was opened for signature on July 1, 1968, and the […]
Fact Sheet: Global Nuclear Weapons Inventories in 2017
Unless otherwise specified, all information in this chart comes from Kristensen’s and Norris’s Status of World Nuclear Forces 2017 CHART: Global Nuclear Weapons Inventories 2017 Deployed Non-deployed Retired Total United States[i] ~1,740a ~2,260 ~2,800 ~6,800 Russia[ii] ~1,950a ~2,350 ~2,700 ~7,000 France ~280 ~10 * ~290 United Kingdom ~120 ~95 * ~215 China 0 […]
1 Year Later, U.K.’s Nuclear Deterrent Base Remains in Scotland and Awaits Modernization
Last Friday marked the one-year anniversary of the Scottish independence referendum in 2014. The United Kingdom’s nuclear deterrent, four nuclear-armed Trident submarines based at Faslane, Scotland, was a hot topic a year ago. The Scottish National Party vowed to scrap the subs if Scotland broke away. But after 55.3% of voters decided to stay with […]
U.S. Defense Spending Vs. Global Defense Spending
According to the SIPRI Military Expenditure Database 2015, in 2014, the U.S. approved $609.9 billion in defense budget authority (fiscal year 2014 dollars). This figure includes funding for the Pentagon base budget, money allocated for the Pentagon in the Overseas Contingency Operations fund, and defense related activities in the 050 budget function. It also includes Department of Energy-administered atomic energy defense activities.
