List of nuclear triads

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The following list of nuclear triads, deployed in 2024, includes all four countries known to possess them (United States, Russia, China and India). Where available, the names and number of nuclear warheads are given. The list excludes non-strategic (tactical) nuclear weapons and the partial nuclear triad of France and Pakistan.

Contents

The United States and Russia, previously Soviet Union, have been wielding their nuclear triads since the 1960s. India completed its nuclear triad in 2018 [1] and China in 2020. [2]

United States

Land
WeaponTypeWarheadNumber of warheadsDelivery
LGM-30G Minuteman III ICBM W78 / W87 [3] 400 [4] [a] Ground silo
Sea
WeaponTypeWarheadNumber of warheadsDelivery
Trident II D5 SLBM W76-0/1/2, W88 [3] 1920 [5] [b] Ohio-class submarines
Air
WeaponTypeWarheadDelivery
AGM-86B/C/D ALCM W80-1 [3] B-52H Stratofortress
B61-7/11, B83-1 Unguided bomb — B-2A Spirit

Russia

Land
WeaponTypeNumber of warheadsDelivery
RS-24 Yars ICBM772 [6] Ground silo / transporter erector launcher
RS-20V Voyevoda [c] ICBM340 [6] Ground silo
RT-2PM2 Topol-M ICBM78 [6] Ground silo / transporter erector launcher
Avangard missile complex ICBM7 [6] Ground silo
Sea
WeaponTypeNumber of warheadsDelivery
RSM-56 Bulava SLBM576 [6] Borei-class submarines
R-29RMU Sineva / Layner SLBM320 [6] Delta-III and Delta IV-class submarines
Air
WeaponTypeNumber of warheadsDelivery
Kh-55, Kh-102 ALCM448 [6] Tupolev Tu-95MS
Kh-55, Kh-102ALCM132 [6] Tupolev Tu-160

India

Land
WeaponTypeNumber of warheadsDelivery
Agni-I SRBM~20 [7] Transporter erector launcher / rail mobile
Agni-II SRBM~8 [7] Transporter erector launcher
Agni-III IRBM~8 [7] Transporter erector launcher / rail mobile
Agni-IV IRBM—Transporter erector launcher/ rail mobile
Agni-V ICBM—Transporter erector launcher / rail mobile
Prithvi-II SRBM~24 [7] Transporter erector launcher
Sea
WeaponTypeNumber of warheadsDelivery
Dhanush SLBM~4 [7] Sukanya-class patrol vessels
Sagarika (K-15) SLBM12 [7] INS Arihant, INS Arighat
Air
WeaponTypeNumber of warheadsDelivery
Classified 20-kt bombUnguided bomb~16 [7] Dassault Mirage 2000H
?Unguided and laser guided bombs ~32 [7] SEPECAT Jaguar

China

Land
WeaponTypeNumber of warheadsDelivery
DF-5A ICBM6 [8] Ground silo
DF-5B ICBM60 [8] Ground silo
DF-21A/E MRBM ?Mobile launcher
DF-26 IRBM 108 [8] Mobile launcher
DF-31 ICBM?Ground silo / transporter erector launcher
DF-31A ICBM24 [8]
DF-31AG ICBM64 [8] Mobile launcher
DF-41 ICBM84 [8] Ground silo / transporter erector launcher, rail mobile
Sea
WeaponTypeNumber of warheadsDelivery
JL-2, JL-3 SLBM0 (for the JL-2), 72 (for the JL-3) [8] Type 094 submarines
Air
WeaponTypeNumber of warheadsDelivery
DF-21 [d] ALBM10 [8] Xi'an H-6N
?Unguided bomb10 [8] Xi'an H-6K

See also

Notes

  1. ↑ If authorized by the President, Minuteman III could carry up to two additional warheads. [3]
  2. ↑ Of them 1511 W76-1, 384 W88 and 25 W76-2. [5]
  3. ↑ Expected to be replaced by RS-28 Sarmat.
  4. ↑ Reportedly, China also possesses CJ-10K and CJ-20 nuclear-capable ALCMs, as well as nuclear-capable YJ-21 ALBM delivered by Xi'an H-6K bomber. [9]

References

  1. ↑ Dinakar Peri. "INS Arighaat, India's second nuclear ballistic missile submarine, commissioned into service". The Hindu . Retrieved 26 October 2024.
  2. ↑ "How is China Modernizing its Nuclear Forces?". Center for Strategic and International Studies . Retrieved 26 October 2024.
  3. 1 2 3 4 "Nuclear Delivery Systems". Nuclear Matters Handbook. Acquisition & Sustainment Office of the Under Secretary of Defense. 2020. Retrieved 24 October 2024.
  4. ↑ "America's Nuclear Triad". Department of Defense . Retrieved 24 October 2024.
  5. 1 2 "Каким ядерным оружием обладают западные страны" (in Russian). RBK Group. 25 November 2023. Retrieved 25 October 2024.
  6. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 "Какое ядерное оружие есть у России и США. Инфографика" (in Russian). RBK Group. 5 December 2023. Retrieved 24 October 2024.
  7. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 Hans M. Kristensen, Matt Korda (2018). "Indian nuclear forces, 2018". Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists . 74 (6). Retrieved 25 October 2024.
  8. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 Hans M. Kristensen, Matt Korda, Eliana Johns, Mackenzie Knight (15 January 2024). "Chinese nuclear weapons, 2024" (PDF). Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists . Retrieved 26 October 2024.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
  9. ↑ Mark B. Schneider. "China's nuclear delivery vehicles" (PDF). Journal of Policy & Strategy. 4 (3). National Institute for Public Policy. Retrieved 26 October 2024.
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