Declassified report reveals US has 88% fewer nukes than at its peak

By Dean Murray via SWNS

The United States has 88% fewer nuclear weapons than at its peak, newly declassified information reveals.

The data shows that, as of September 2023, the U.S. stockpile of nuclear warheads consisted of 3,748 warheads.

This number represents a reduction from its maximum (31,255) at the end of fiscal year 1967 and an 83 percent decrease from its level (22,217) when the Berlin Wall fell in late 1989.

The U.S. government declassified information on 19 July to increase transparency in their nuclear program.

The latest information was published by the National Nuclear Security Administration , or NNSA, and updates data previously released in October 2021.

NNSA said: "Increasing the transparency of states’ nuclear stockpiles is important to nonproliferation and disarmament efforts, including commitments under the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty, and efforts to address all types of nuclear weapons, including deployed and non-deployed, and strategic and non-strategic."

The report also reveals that from fiscal years 1994 through 2023, the U.S. dismantled 12,088 nuclear warheads. Since September 30, 2020, they have dismantled 405 nuclear warheads.

Approximately 2,000 additional nuclear warheads are currently retired and awaiting dismantlement.

The number of U.S. non-strategic nuclear weapons has declined by more than 90 percent since September 30, 1991.

NNSA adds: "During the Cold War, the United States possessed large numbers and a wide range of non-strategic nuclear weapons, also known as theater or tactical nuclear weapons.

"Since 1991, the United States has retired and dismantled nearly all of those weapons. Note, non-strategic nuclear weapons are non-accountable systems under the New START Treaty."

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