The world's nuclear arsenal

The world's nuclear arsenal

The five established nuclear powers - the United States, Russia, China, France and Britain - possess enough nuclear warheads to obliterate the world many times over.

news.bbc.co.uk...

- qo.


[Edited on 26-11-2002 by quiet one]

What about South Africa ? They built 7 fission weapons.

F.W. de Klerk's announcement in March 1993 that South Africa had secretly developed a small nuclear arsenal - and then junked it - was startling in its candor. Nevertheless, President de Klerk's announcement left many questions unanswered regarding the scope and sophistication of the program, as well as its rationale. More than a year later, some questions linger, but many, others can be answered.more...

What about South Africa ? They built 7 fission weapons.

F.W. de Klerk's announcement in March 1993 that South Africa had secretly developed a small nuclear arsenal - and then junked it - was startling in its candor. Nevertheless, President de Klerk's announcement left many questions unanswered regarding the scope and sophistication of the program, as well as its rationale. More than a year later, some questions linger, but many, others can be answered.more...

fair enough, they missed someone. thanks for pointing that out.

- qo.

South Africa and Israel were thought to be in cahoots at one point, with South Africa trading 300 tonnes of uranium ore for 30g of tritium from Israel. They also carried out nuclear tests together.

It is widely believed that they conducted a joint test with the Israeli's in the South Atlantic, in the 1970's. A double flash was picked up by a Soviet 'Vela'(I think ?) satellite. However to this day it hasn't officially been acknowlegded as a nuclear test.
No doubt the US would have known about it in advance. Considering the fact that they built the Israeli nuclear weapons program from nothing, in the 60's.

Pakistan?India?the Ukraine?

April 13, 1999

Tokyo�Japan's plutonium stockpile has grown by over 300% in just seven years and poses a growing threat to international security, declared an international coalition opposed to Japan's plutonium program in an open letter sent today to the Director General of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA).

Dircks has been proved right in the sense that the problem is only worse, as the economics of plutonium fuel, never mind nuclear power, have proven uncompetitive. In 1992 Japan had a stockpile of around 3,000kg of plutonium within its territory, while having around 5,000kg in France and the UK. By the end of 1997, the latest official figures available, Japan had acquired a national stock of over 5000kg, and over 19,000kg in Europe. (figures from Japan Atomic Energy Commission) The IAEA uses a figure of 8kg plutonium as capable of being used for a nuclear weapon. Deputy Director Dircks retired from the IAEA in 1992.

the whole article

Because the Japanese Fast Breader Reactors burn plutonium fuel, the by product is what is termed ' super-grade ' plutonium. This is an extremely pure form of plutonium. Reports I have read state that as little as 3kg could be used to build a bomb.

If you do the math, it's potentially a huge and very efficient nuclear arsenal they could construct.

This could very well be a plan to counterract China's growing military power. After all the Chinese seem to be committed to payback, and I can't think of any other country who they would like to crush the more.

[Edited on 28-11-2002 by mad scientist]

what about india pakistan N. korea
and how much more powerful is a H bomb vs. a A bomb

the present nuclear powers (known) are the big 5 that everybody knows (China, UK, US, Russia, France) Israel, Pakistan, India, and now, probably (they may be bluffing) North Korea

Ukraine and Kazakhastan (spelled wrong i'm sure) and i think Belorus (spelled wrong also i know) gave there inherited weapons to Russia

South Africa dismantled their stockpile

Argentina's program parrelled (actually i think it was a joint program) South Africa's but they likewise have forsaken nuclear weapons

Japan has the ability to build nuclear weapons at any time they wish so they are widely considered a nuclear nation

Originally posted by f16falcon
what about india pakistan N. korea
and how much more powerful is a H bomb vs. a A bomb

As far as I know those countries can only produce fission weapons i. Horoshima type bombs; although more efficient.
Hydrogen bombs can range from 10kt to 57Mt ( worlds largest detonation, October 30th 1961, Novaya Zemlya ). However it is a vastly more complex process building Hydrogen bombs. It requires a high level of technical expertise and bliions of $ in investment.
Hydrogen bombs though burn much cleaner due to fusion than do fission weapons. Radiation is mostly caused by surface detonation where large amounts of debris are irradiated.

[Edited on 29-11-2002 by mad scientist]

thx mad
btw are u really a mad scientist jks jks