Ethics, Scientists, Engineers and the Military - Ethical Engineering for International Development and Environmental Sustainability - page 327

Table 11.1 The nuclear states and their nuclear weapons (Kile 2012 ; Kile and Kristensen 2013 )
First nuclear
test

Deployed
warheads

Other
warheads Total Types of delivery system

USA 1945 2,150 5,550 ~7,700 Bombers, intercontinental

and submarine-launched ballistic
missiles, nuclear-powered
ballistic missile submarines
(strategic); gravity and reserve
bombs (nonstrategic)

Russia 1949 ~1,800 6,700 ~8,500 Bombers, intercontinental and

submarine-launched ballistic
missiles (strategic); air force,
navy and army weapons,
antiballistic missiles, air/coastal
defence (nonstrategic)

UK 1952 160 65 225 Submarine-launched ballistic

missiles

France 1960 ~290 ~10 ~300 Land- and carrier-based aircraft,

submarine-launched ballistic
missiles

China 1964 ~250 ~250 Land-based missiles,

submarine-launched ballistic
missiles, aircraft, cruise missiles

India 1974 90-100 90-100 Aircraft, land- and sea-based

ballistic missiles

Pakistan 1998 100-120 100-120 Aircraft, land-based ballistic

missiles, ground-launched cruise
missiles

Israel ~80 ~80 Aircraft, ballistic missiles

N Korea 2006 6-8

Total ~4,400 ~12,865 ~17,270

weapon countries seem to have very little sense of their obligations towards total
nuclear disarmament and little intention of disarming in the foreseeable future (Kile
2012 ). Nine states possessed over 17,000 nuclear weapons at the start of 2012, of
which 4,400 were operational (see Table 11.1 for more details). These are the fi ve
nuclear states recognised in the 1968 Non-Proliferation Treaty, China, France,
Russian, the UK and the USA, and three states with 'illegal' nuclear weapons, India,
Pakistan and Israel. In addition, North Korea carried out nuclear test explosions in
2006 and 2009 and has suffi cient plutonium for eight nuclear weapons (Kile 2012 ).
Very signifi cant reductions in the number of weapons and warheads have occurred
since the end of the cold war. However, the reduction in capacity is not quite as great
as the reduction in numbers indicates, due to signifi cant 'improvements' in nuclear
delivery systems, warheads and production facilities. Even when agreed, nuclear
disarmament will take a number of years to implement. In the case of the UK, plans
drawn up in the case of a vote for independence in the Scottish referendum indicate
that de-activation of the Trident warheads and their removal from Scotland would