Updated May 12, 2025 The U.S. nuclear arsenal comprises thousands of nuclear weapons and three methods of delivery, sometimes called “legs.” Warheads can be launched from the air via strategic bombers carrying gravity bombs or cruise missiles, from the sea by submarines holding ballistic missiles, or from underground silos housing intercontinental ballistic missiles. Collectively, these […]
Nuclear Weapons
Rex Tillerson on Nuclear Weapons Issues
During his confirmation hearing, Secretary of State-designate Rex Tillerson provided some of the first concrete indications of the incoming Trump administration’s positions on nuclear weapons issues. By and large, to the extent that Mr. Tillerson represents future stances of the Trump administration, his testimony was very encouraging on nuclear questions. This is particularly good news, […]
Why We Still Need to Cooperate with Russia on Nuclear Security
The disintegration of the Soviet Union in 1991 dismantled a highly centralized multi-national government, leaving behind 15 newly independent states, an economy in chaotic transition, and an enormous nuclear weapons complex. The sudden meltdown of the military structures that had managed the Soviet nuclear arsenal for decades left destructive weapons, technologies, and materials exposed and […]
U.S. Nuclear Weapons in Europe
By: Erin Connolly The recent upheaval in Turkey has highlighted an uncomfortable fact: The United States holds approximately 160 tactical nuclear weapons outside of its own borders. In fact, all of these nonstrategic nuclear weapons are deployed in Europe at six bases in five countries, including Turkey. In theory, these weapons are in place to […]
One Year Later: Seven Facts about the Iran Deal
By: Abigail Stowe-Thurston and Erin Connolly What is the Iran Nuclear Deal? In July of 2015, the United States and the other permanent members of the United Nations Security Council (the United Kingdom, France, Russia, China), and Germany (together known as the P5+1), as well as the European Union, negotiated an agreement with Iran […]
