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Major Nuclear Force Reduction in Europe
🕑 Added 2021-03-22 12:31:25 +0000 UTCThe United States has reduced the B61 nuclear warhead count from ~150 to ~100 according to the 'Bulletin of Atomic Scientists.' Each of these warheads has 4 yield settings: .3 kilotons, 1.5 kilotons, 10 kilotons, 50 kilotons,
This move is symbolic in that the current stockpile of approximately 8000 nuclear weapons in Europe is sufficient to destroy modern civilization around the globe.
Comments
Wikipedia's article on the Weapons Storage and Security System vaults gives the impression that the 1990s WSSS offered some good advantages over the earlier storage vaults.
The 8000 is including Russia, France, and the UK which all together have approximately 8000 in stock. Russia ca. 6700, France ca. 270, the UK ca. 200. The US official arsenal is around 5,800 by the end of 2020.
I believe the graphic only includes those nukes deployed as part of US nuclear umbrellas. UK & France have got their own nukes so not included in here I guess.
Adam Snook
I'm surprised there are none in Britain, or is that not considered part of Europe any more? Also, what makes up the rest of the 8,000? Britain and France can't have that many, or are we including Russian ones too?
Kinda agree with this
That is a super difficult and complex topic. Those weapons are part of NATO's nuclear participation system, are providing the means of delivery (aka Aircraft) and the US provides the Weapons. To bring those nations into the planning and decision process. Your right in that it is cold war thinking but in both the US the administrations of those countries are people who want to keep the status quo. Even though those nukes an highly controversial discussed in the public domain. But anyway as Aaron says, the reduction is cosmetic anyway.
From USSR with love
Turkey, like Finland, must look both ways. It's a necessity.
Sean
What is the doctrine for these? Theatre or Tactical nuclear device? The doctrine for those kinds of weapons is outdated and these should be dismantled. They'll never get used and using them would escalate a conflict to a full nuclear exchange.
I think the US needs to urgently consider removing the warheads from Turkey. The regime is getting more and more unstable and seems to be pivoting towards Russia.
