Heed the Alarm: Global Nuclear Weapons Count P potentially on the Rise Again
Escalating concern among peace researchers: Potential resurgence in global nuclear arsenals looms ahead - Nuclear arms race threatens to recommence, alarming peace advocates.
Get ready for a chilling affirmation: peace researchers are issuing alarms that the number of nuclear weapons worldwide, which has witnessed a steady decrease for years, could soon spike — a first in history. Such a scenario is detailed in the latest report from the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI). The report reveals that the global nuclear arsenals are being updated, older weapons upgraded, and new versions added, hinting at the specter of a devastating nuclear arms race on the horizon.
As Hans Kristensen, SIPRI expert, puts it, "The era of decreasing global nuclear weapon numbers, a trend that has persisted since the end of the Cold War, is rapidly drawing to a close." He continues, "Instead, we're witnessing a clear pattern of expanding nuclear arsenals, increasing nuclear rhetoric, and the scrapping of arms control agreements."
9 Nuclear Powers, over 12,000 Nuclear Weapons and Counting
Since the peak of the Cold War, the global stockpile of nuclear weapons has significantly reduced. However, this decrease is primarily attributed to Russia and the USA gradually discarding retired warheads. SIPRI has noted an increase in the number of active nuclear weapons for quite some time.
As revealed in the latest report, the current nine nuclear-armed nations (Russia, USA, UK, France, China, India, Pakistan, North Korea, and Israel) collectively held around 12,241 nuclear warheads as of January 2025. Of these, approximately 9,614 were stored in military stockpiles, ready for potential deployment. Roughly 3,912 of these weapons were reportedly stationed on missiles or at active sites, with around 2,100 maintained under high alert.
- SIPRI
- Report Warning
- Cold War
- Nuclear Power
- Stockpile Size
Inside Scoop:
- The current decline in total nuclear warheads masks a potential future increase due to modernization efforts by nuclear-armed nations, along with a weakening in arms control measures.
- Arms control agreements are under threat, as evidenced by the ongoing crisis in bilateral arms control between Russia and the USA.
- Nuclear-armed nations persistently pursue intensive nuclear modernization programs, involving the advancement of delivery systems and the expansion of arsenals, notably by China.
- The rate at which new warheads are entering global stockpiles may soon surpass the rate at which retired warheads are being dismantled, forewarning a possible increase in nuclear weapons numbers.
The current decline in total nuclear warheads is a mere mask for potential future increases, due to modernization efforts by nuclear-armed nations and the weakening of arms control measures.
The ongoing crisis in bilateral arms control between Russia and the USA, along with persistent nuclear modernization programs, particularly by China, indicates a threat to existing arms control agreements.
