Today, nuclear weapons are thousands of times more powerful than the two notorious atomic bombs that destroyed the cities of Hiroshima and Nagasaki in August of 1945. In fact, Since the bombing, the nuclear arms race of various countries has moved to a different phase, and has never stopped on the pretext of nuclear deterrence.
Next we will talk about the most powerful nuclear potentials of the ten world powers .Considered official and unofficial data, we present our list of the world's top 10 nuclear powers.
10
Iran
- Status: charged in unofficial storage.
- First test: never.
- The last test: never.
- The size of the arsenal: 2,400 kilograms of low-enriched uranium.
- Test Ban Treaty( CTBT): signed.
The best US military officials unanimously declare that Iran can produce at least one unit of nuclear weapons per year, and it takes a maximum of five years to develop a modern, efficient nuclear bomb.
Currently, the West regularly charges Tehran with nuclear weapons, which is equally regularly denied by the Iranian leadership. According to the official position of the latter, the nuclear program of the state has exclusively peaceful purposes and is being developed for the energy needs of enterprises and medical reactors.
After an international check in the sixties, Iran had to abandon its nuclear program( 1979).However, as the secret documents of the Pentagon testify, it was renewed in the mid-nineties. For this reason, the UN imposed sanctions on the Asian state, the introduction of which should stop the development of Iran's nuclear program, which threatens peace in the region, nevertheless Iran is a nuclear power.
9
Israel
- Status: not official.
- First test: possibly 1979.
- Final test: possibly 1979.
- Arsenal size: up to 400 units.
- Test Ban Treaty( CTBT): signed.
Israel is considered a country not only possessing full-fledged nuclear weapons, but also capable of delivering it to various points through intercontinental ballistic missiles, aviation or fleet. The state began its research in the nuclear field shortly after its founding. The first reactor was built in 1950, and the first nuclear weapon in the sixties.
At present, Israel does not seek to support the reputation of a nuclear power, but many European countries, including France and the United Kingdom, are actively promoting Israel in this field. You should know that the information leaked out that the Israelis created nuclear mini-bombs that are small enough to be installed in a suitcase. In addition, it was reported that they have an unknown number of neutron bombs.
8
North Korea
- Status: official.
- The first test: 2006.
- The last test: 2009.
- The size of the arsenal: less than 10 units.
- Test Ban Treaty( CTBT): not signed.
In addition to possessing a significant arsenal of modern chemical weapons, North Korea is a full-fledged nuclear power. At present, the State of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea has a pair of operating nuclear reactors.
To date, North Korea has two successful nuclear tests that have been confirmed by international experts following a survey and monitoring of seismic activity in test areas.
7
Pakistan
- Status: official.
- First test: May 28, 1998.
- Last test: May 30, 1998.
- Arsenal size: from 70 to 90 units.
- Test Ban Treaty( CTBT): not signed.
Pakistan resumed its previously interrupted nuclear program in response to the "Smile of the Buddha" tests conducted by India. The official statement of the authorities contains the following words: "If India creates an atomic bomb, we will eat grass and leaves for thousands of years, or even starve, but we will get a similar weapon. Christians, Jews, and now Indians have a bomb. Why do Muslims themselves do not allow this?".This phrase belongs to the Prime Minister of Pakistan Zulfikar Ali Bhutto after the tests in India.
Recall that the nuclear program of Pakistan was born in 1956, but was frozen by order of President Ayyub Khan. Nuclear engineers tried to prove that a nuclear program is vital, but the president said that if a real threat arises, Pakistan will be able to acquire ready-made nuclear weapons.
The Pakistani Air Force has two units operating Nanchang A-5C( squadrons No. 16 and No. 26), which are excellent for delivering nuclear warheads. Pakistan occupies the seventh place in our rating of the nuclear powers of the world.
6
India
- Status: official.
- First test: 1974.
- Last test: 1998.
- Arsenal size: less than 40 to 95 units.
- Test Ban Treaty( CTBT): not signed.
India possesses an impressive amount of nuclear weapons, and is also capable of delivering it to its destination by means of aircraft and surface ships. In addition, its nuclear submarine missile carriers are at the final stage of development.
The first nuclear test conducted by India had the original name "Smiling Buddha", as if this nuclear explosion pursued exclusively peaceful purposes. The reaction of the world public to such actions followed after the tests of 1998.Economic sanctions against India were imposed by the United States, Japan and their Western allies.
5
China
- Status: official.
- The first test: 1964.
- The last test: 1996.
- The size of the arsenal: about 240 units.
- Test Ban Treaty( CTBT): signed.
Almost immediately after testing the first atomic bomb, China tested its hydrogen bomb. These events took place in 1964 and 1967, respectively. To date, the People's Republic of China has 180 active nuclear warheads and is considered one of the most powerful world powers.
China is the only state with a nuclear arsenal that has provided security guarantees to all countries that do not have similar technologies. The official part of the document reads: "China is committed not to use, nor to threaten to use nuclear weapons against non-nuclear-weapon States or nuclear-weapon-free zones, regardless of time and under any circumstances."
4
France
- Status: official.
- First test: 1960.
- Final test: 1995.
- Arsenal size: not less than 300 units.
- Test Ban Treaty( CTBT): ratified.
France is a member of the "Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons" and, as is known, possesses weapons of mass destruction. Developments in this direction in the Fifth Republic began after the end of the Second World War, but it was not until 1958 that the atomic bomb was created. The tests of the 1960's made it possible to verify the performance of the weapon.
To date, France has produced more than two hundred nuclear tests, and its potential puts the country on the fourth place in the world ranking of nuclear powers .
3
United Kingdom
- Status: official.
- The first test: 1952.
- The last test: 1991.
- The size of the arsenal: more than 225 units.
- Test Ban Treaty( CTBT): ratified.
United Kingdom Great Britain ratified the "Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons" in the distant 1968.The United States and the United Kingdom cooperate closely and mutually on nuclear security issues, starting with the signing of the 1958 Mutual Defense Treaty.
In addition, these two countries( the United States and Britain) are also actively exchanging various classified information received by the special services of states.
2
Russian Federation
- Status: official.
- First test: 1949.
- Last test: 1990.
- Arsenal size: 2,825 units.
- Test Ban Treaty( CTBT): ratified.
The Soviet Union was the second country to blow up a nuclear bomb( 1949).Since that time, until 1990, Russia has carried out at least 715 nuclear tests related to the testing of 970 different devices. Russia is one of the most powerful nuclear powers in the world. The first nuclear explosion, with a capacity of 22 kilotons, received its own name "Jo-1".
"Tsar Bomb" is by far the heaviest atomic weapon of all time. It was tested in 1967, demonstrating at a blast a whopping 57,000 kilotons. This charge was originally developed from the calculation of 100,000 kilotons, but was reduced to 57,000 kilotons due to the high probability of excessive precipitation.
1
United States of America
- Status: official.
- The first test: 1945.
- The last test: 1992.
- The size of the arsenal: 5 113 units.
- Test Ban Treaty( CTBT): signed.
In total, the United States has conducted more than 1,050 nuclear tests and holds a leading position in our dozens of nuclear world powers .At the same time, the state possesses missiles that have a range of delivery of an atomic warhead up to 13,000 kilometers. The first test of the atomic bomb "Trinity" was conducted in 1945.This was the first explosion of this kind in the history of the world, which demonstrated to humanity a new type of threat.
One of the greatest luminaries of the scientific world, Albert Einstein, turned to President Franklin Roosevelt, with a proposal to create an atomic bomb. So the creator unwittingly became a destroyer.
Today, North America's nuclear program employs more than twenty secret facilities. It is curious that during the tests in the US, a lot of incidents with nuclear weapons were noted, which, fortunately, did not lead to irreparable consequences. Examples are cases near Atlantic City, New Jersey( 1957), Thule airbase, Greenland( 1968), Savannah, Georgia( 1958), in the sea near Palomares, Spain( 1966),off the coast of Okinawa, Japan( 1965), etc.