• MRBMs--medium-range ballistic missiles, range between 2500 km and 5500 km;
• IRBMs--intermediate-range ballistic missiles, range between 1000 km and 2500 km;
• SRBMs--short range ballistic missiles, range under 1000 km--note: these tables only include SRBMs with range over 500 km, since these systems have potential strategic/theater roles.
• SLCMs--sea-launched cruise missiles, range over 1000 km;
• TB--theater bombers, armed with at least one of the following: ALCMs, ASMs, or NGBs.

Table columns include:

• type--as identified above
• system--designation, with Western designations in parenthesis
• warhead--number of warheads x yield (in kilotons [kt] or megatons [mt]); if known, warhead designation is also given, type (im=fission implosion, bf=boosted fission, tn=thermonuclear, tn-s=thermonuclear, fission fraction ~50%; tn-d=thermonuclear, fission fraction >70%); multiple warheads are MIRVs (independently targetable) unless indicated by MRV; MaRV=maneouverable warhead(s)
• CEP--circular error probable (median miss distance) in meters
• range--in km (for theater bombers, combat radius is given, or one-third the maximum range)
• number deployed--includes all fielded systems regardless of alert status
• notes--includes deployment mode (SSBN=nuclear ballistic missile submarine, SSB=ballistic missile submarine, SSGN=nuclear cruise missile submarine, SSG=diesel cruise missile submarine), IOC (initial operational capability), retirement, location
• sources--see list below

Italicized figures indicate compiler's estimates.

Sources: list under construction

• A98a: Arkin, William M., Robert S. Norris, and Joshua Handler, March 1998, Taking Stock: Worldwide Nuclear Deployments 1998, on line at Natural Resources Defense Council [http://www.nrdc.org/nuclear/tkstock/download.asp].
• C84a: Cochran, Thomas B., William M. Arkin, and Milton M. Hoenig, 1984, Nuclear Weapons Databook, Vol. I: U.S. Nuclear Forces and Capabilities, Ballinger Publ. (Cambridge, MA).
• K05a: Kristensen, Hans M., Feb. 2005, U.S. Nuclear Weapons in Europe: A Review of Post-Cold War Policy, Force Levels, and War Planning, on line NW [http://www.nukstrat.com/].
• N92a: Norris, Robert S., and William M. Arkin, Jan./Feb. 1992, "Nuclear Notebook," Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists, 48-49.
• N94a: Norris, Robert S., Andrew S. Burrows, and Richard W. Fieldhouse, 1994, Nuclear Weapons Databook, Vol. V: British, French, and Chinese Nuclear Weapons, Westview Press (Boulder, CO).
• N96a: Norris, Robert S., and William M. Arkin, Jan./Feb. 1996, "U.S. strategic nuclear forces, end of 1995," Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists, 52(1):62-63, on line at BAS [http://www.thebulletin.org/article_nn.php?art_ofn=jf96norris].
• N96b: Norris, Robert S., and William M. Arkin, Nov./Dec. 1996, "British, French, and Chinese nuclear forces," Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists, 52(6):64-67, on line at BAS [http://www.thebulletin.org/article_nn.php?art_ofn=nd96norris].
• N00a: Norris, Robert S., and William M. Arkin, May/June 2000, "U.S. nuclear forces, 2000," Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists, 56(3):69-71, on line at BAS [http://www.thebulletin.org/article_nn.php?art_ofn=mj00norris].
• N00b: Norris, Robert S., and William H. Arkin, July/Aug. 2000, "Russian nuclear forces, 2000," Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists, 56(4):70-71, on line at BAS [http://www.thebulletin.org/article_nn.php?art_ofn=ja00norris].
• N01a: Norris, Robert S., William M. Arkin, Hans M. Kristensen, and Joshua Handler, Nov./Dec. 2001, "British nuclear forces, 2001," Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists, 57(6):78-79, on line at BAS [http://www.thebulletin.org/article_nn.php?art_ofn=nd01norris].
• N04a: Norris, Robert S., and Hans M. Kristensen, Nov./Dec. 2004, "U.S. nuclear weapons in Europe, 1954-2004," Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists, 60(6):76-77, on line at BAS [http://www.thebulletin.org/article_nn.php?art_ofn=nd04norris].
• N05a: Norris, Robert S., and Hans M. Kristensen, Jan./Feb. 2005, "U.S. nuclear forces, 2005," Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists, 61(1):73-75, on line at BAS [http://www.thebulletin.org/article_nn.php?art_ofn=jf05norris].
• N05b: Norris, Robert S., and Hans M. Kristensen, March/April 2005, "Russian nuclear forces, 2005," Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists, 61(2):70-72, on line at BAS [http://www.thebulletin.org/article_nn.php?art_ofn=ma05norris].
• N05b: Norris, Robert S., and Hans M. Kristensen, Nov./Dec. 2005, "British nuclear forces, 2005," Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists, 61(6):77-79, on line at BAS [http://www.thebulletin.org/article_nn.php?art_ofn=nd05norris].
• N06a: Norris, Robert S., and Hans M. Kristensen, Jan./Feb. 2006, "U.S. nuclear forces, 2006," Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists, 62(1):68-71, on line at BAS [http://www.thebulletin.org/article_nn.php?art_ofn=jf06norris].
• P01a: Podvig, Pavel, ed., 2001, Russian Strategic Nuclear Forces, MIT Press (Cambridge, MA).
• P05a: Podvig, Pavel, 2 Nov. 2005, "Strategic aviation," on line, Russian Strategic Nuclear Forces [http://russianforces.org/eng/aviation/].
• P06a: Podvig, Pavel, 31 Jan. 2006, "Strategic rocket forces," on line, Russian Strategic Nuclear Forces [http://russianforces.org/eng/missiles/].
• P06b: Podvig, Pavel, 12 Jan. 2006, "Strategic fleet," on line, Russian Strategic Nuclear Forces [http://russianforces.org/eng/navy/].
• P06d: Podvig, Pavel, 3 Feb. 2006, "Even fewer missiles," on line, Russian Strategic Nuclear Forces [http://russianforces.org/eng/blog/archive/000680.shtml].
• V05a: Venter, Al J., 2005, Iran's Nuclear Option: Tehran's Quest for the Atom Bomb, Casemate (Philadelphia, PA).
• Z02a: Zaloga, Steven J., 2002, The Kremlin's Nuclear Sword: The Rise and Fall of Russia's Strategic Nuclear Forces, 1945-2000, Smithsonian Institution Press (Washington, DC).

© 2000-2005, 2006 by Wm. Robert Johnston.
Last modified 5 February 2006.
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