US Pushes to Increase , Nuclear Weapons Stockpile , Amid Heightened Tensions.
'Newsweek' reports that nuclear weapons have gained
international focus amid a tense geopolitical landscape,
particularly between the United States and Russia.
Various studies in the past nine months have assessed
that the two global superpowers control a combined
89% of the world's total nuclear weapons stockpile. .
In late October, the U.S. House of Representatives
pushed to increase spending for present and future
nuclear stockpiles, defense and uranium enrichment.
In late October, the U.S. House of Representatives
pushed to increase spending for present and future
nuclear stockpiles, defense and uranium enrichment.
If passed, the new resolution
would provide $56.96 billion for the
2024 fiscal year, with over $19 billion for
updating weapons stockpiles and infrastructure.
According to a March report by the Federation
of American Scientists (FAS), just nine
countries control about 12,500 warheads. .
FAS' statistics estimate that Russia's total nuclear
stockpile consists of 5,889 active and retired
weapons, while the U.S.' total is just below with 5,244. .
The nations with the next-highest amount of nuclear
weapons are China with 410, France with 290,
the United Kingdom with 225 and Pakistan with 170.
Generally speaking, right now the
Weapons Activities budget is focused
on ensuring that the U.S. has the capability
to modernize and dismantle existing
nuclear warheads, and to design
and produce new warheads as needed, Michael Duitsman, research associate at the James Martin
Center for Nonproliferation Studies at the Middlebury
Institute of International Studies at Monterey, via 'Newsweek'.
Less than a third of the budget is for maintaining the current stockpile; the rest is dedicated to infrastructure and science, engineering and industrial capabilities, Michael Duitsman, research associate at the James Martin
Center for Nonproliferation Studies at the Middlebury
Institute of International Studies at Monterey, via 'Newsweek'