This is a list of

nuclear weapon A nuclear weapon is an explosive device that derives its destructive force from nuclear reactions, either fission (fission or atomic bomb) or a combination of fission and fusion reactions (thermonuclear weapon), producing a nuclear exp ...

s listed according to country of origin, and then by type within the states. The United States, Russia, China and India are known to possess a nuclear triad, being capable to deliver nuclear weapons by land, sea and air.

United States

American nuclear weapons of all types – bombs, warheads, shells, and others – are numbered in the same sequence starting with the Mark 1 and () ending with the W91 (which was cancelled prior to introduction into service). All designs which were formally intended to be weapons at some point received a number designation. Pure test units which were experiments (and not intended to be weapons) are not numbered in this sequence. Early weapons were very large and could only be used as free fall bombs. These were known by "Mark" designators, like the Mark 4 which was a development of the Fat Man weapon. As weapons became more sophisticated they also became much smaller and lighter, allowing them to be used in many roles. At this time the weapons began to receive designations based on their role; bombs were given the prefix "B", while the same warhead used in other roles, like missiles, would normally be prefixed "W". For instance, the W-53 warhead was also used as the basis for the B53 nuclear bomb. Such examples share the same sequence number. In other cases, when the modifications are more significant, variants are assigned their own number. An example is the

B61 nuclear bomb The B61 nuclear bomb is the primary thermonuclear weapon, thermonuclear gravity bomb in the United States Enduring Stockpile following the end of the Cold War. It is a low-to-intermediate yield strategic nuclear weapon, strategic and tactical nuc ...

, which was the parent design for the W80, W81, and W84. There are also examples of out-of-sequence numbering and other prefixes used in special occasions. This list includes weapons which were developed to the point of being assigned a model number (and in many cases, prototypes were test fired), but which were then cancelled prior to introduction into military service. Those models are listed as cancelled, along with the year or date of cancellation of their program. * Bombs – designated with Mark ("Mk") numbers until 1968, and with "B" numbers after that. "Test Experimental" bombs designated with "TX". ** Mark 1 – "

Little Boy Little Boy was a type of atomic bomb created by the Manhattan Project during World War II. The name is also often used to describe the specific bomb (L-11) used in the bombing of the Japanese city of Hiroshima by the Boeing B-29 Superfortress ...

" gun-type uranium weapon (used against Hiroshima). (13–18 kilotons, 1945–1950) ** Mark 2 – " Thin Man" plutonium gun design—cancelled in 1944 as not suitable for the plutonium produced i.e. plutonium-239 but with plutonium-240 isotope impurities. *** Implosion Mark 2 – Another Manhattan Project plutonium implosion weapon, a hollow pit implosion design, was also sometimes referred to as Mark 2. Also cancelled 1944. ** Mark 3 – "

Fat Man "Fat Man" (also known as Mark III) was the design of the nuclear weapon the United States used for seven of the first eight nuclear weapons ever detonated in history. It is also the most powerful design to ever be used in warfare. A Fat Man ...

" plutonium implosion weapon (used against Nagasaki), effectively the same as the "Gadget" device used in the Trinity nuclear test with minor design differences. (21 kilotons, 1945–1950) ** Mark 4 – Post-war "Fat Man" redesign. Bomb designed with weapon characteristics as the foremost criteria. (1949–1953) ** Mark 5 – Significantly smaller high efficiency nuclear bomb. (1–120 kilotons, 1952–1963) ** Mark 6 – Improved version of Mk-4. (8–160 kilotons, 1951–1962) ** Mark 7 – Multi-purpose tactical bomb. (8–61 kilotons, 1952–1967) ** Mark 8 – Gun-assembly, HEU weapon designed for penetrating hardened targets. (25–30 kilotons, 1951–1957) ** Mark 10 – Improved version of Mk-8 (12–15 kilotons, cancelled May 1952). ** Mark 11 – Re-designed Mk-8. Gun-type (8–30 kilotons). ** Mark 12 – Light-weight bomb to be carried by

fighter aircraft Fighter aircraft (early on also ''pursuit aircraft'') are military aircraft designed primarily for air-to-air combat. In military conflict, the role of fighter aircraft is to establish air supremacy, air superiority of the battlespace. Domina ...

(12–14 kilotons). ** Mark 13 – Improved version of Mk-6 (cancelled August 1954). ** TX/ Mark 14 – First deployable solid-fuel thermonuclear bomb ( Castle Union device). Only five produced. (5 Megatons) **

Mark 15 Mark 15 is the fifteenth chapter of the Gospel of Mark in the New Testament of the Christianity, Christian Bible. This chapter records the narrative of Jesus' Passion (Christianity), passion, including his Pilate's court, trial before Pontius Pi ...

– First "lightweight" thermonuclear weapon. (1.7–3.8 Megatons, 1955–1965) ** TX/ Mark 16 – First weaponized thermonuclear weapon (

Ivy Mike Ivy Mike was the code name, codename given to the first full-scale test of a Thermonuclear weapon, thermonuclear device, in which a significant fraction of the explosive nuclear weapon yield, yield comes from nuclear fusion. Ivy Mike was detona ...

device). Only

cryogenic In physics, cryogenics is the production and behaviour of materials at very low temperatures. The 13th International Institute of Refrigeration's (IIR) International Congress of Refrigeration (held in Washington, DC in 1971) endorsed a univers ...

weapon ever deployed. Only five produced. (6–8 Megatons) ** Mark 17 – High-yield thermonuclear. Heaviest U.S. weapon, second highest yield of any U.S. weapon. Very similar to Mk-24. (10–15 Megatons) ** Mark 18 – Very high yield fission weapon ( Ivy King device). ** Mark 20 – Improved Mark 13 (cancelled 1954) ** Mark 21 – Re-designed variant of

Castle Bravo Castle Bravo was the first in a series of high-yield thermonuclear weapon design tests conducted by the United States at Bikini Atoll, Marshall Islands, as part of ''Operation Castle''. Detonated on 1 March 1954, the device remains the most powe ...

test ** Mark 22 – Failed thermonuclear design ( Castle Koon device, cancelled April 1954). ** Mark 24 – High-yield thermonuclear, very similar to Mk-17 but had a different secondary. ** Mark 26 – Similar design to Mk 21 (cancelled 1956). ** Mark 27 – Navy nuclear bomb (1958–1965) ** Mk 101 Lulu (1958–1971) ** Mk 105 Hotpoint (1958–1965) **

B28 nuclear bomb The B28, originally Mark 28, was a thermonuclear weapon, thermonuclear bomb carried by United States, U.S. tactical fighter bombers, attack aircraft and bomber aircraft. From 1962 to 1972 under the NATO nuclear weapons sharing program, American B ...

(Mark 28) (1958–1991) ** Mark 36 – Strategic nuclear bomb (1956–1961) 6–19 Megatons ** Mark 39 (1957–1966) ** B41 nuclear bomb (Mark 41) (1960–1976); highest yield US nuclear weapon (25 Megatons). ** B43 nuclear bomb (Mark 43) (1961–1991) ** B46 nuclear bomb or (Mark 46); experimental, design evolved into B53 nuclear bomb and W-53 warhead (cancelled 1958) ** Mark 90 nuclear bomb (1952-1960) ** B53 nuclear bomb (1962–1997; dismantled 2010–2011) **

B57 nuclear bomb The B57 nuclear bomb was a tactical nuclear weapon developed by the United States during the Cold War. Development began at the Los Alamos National Laboratory in 1960 to meet a requirement for a multi-purpose weapon, suitable for use as a nuclear ...

(1963–1993) **

(1966–present) ** B77 nuclear bomb (cancelled 1977) ** B83 nuclear bomb (1983–present) ** B90 nuclear bomb (cancelled 1991) ** Robust Nuclear Earth Penetrator design program (2001–2005, cancelled) *

Nuclear artillery Nuclear artillery is a subset of limited-nuclear weapon yield, yield tactical nuclear weapons, in particular those weapons that are launched from the ground at battlefield targets. Nuclear artillery is commonly associated with shell (projectile ...

shells ** 16-inch (406 mm) *** W23 (1956–1962) gun-type ** 11-inch (280 mm) *** W9 (1952–1957) gun-type *** W19 (1953–1956) gun-type, W9 derivative ** 8-inch (203 mm) *** W33 (1956–1980s) gun-type *** W75 (cancelled 1973) *** W79 (1981–1992) ** There were/are also nuclear warheads for the Army's 175 mm (6.9-inch) and 155 mm (6.1-inch) artillery. *** W48 (1963–1992) *** W74 (cancelled 1973) *** W82 (cancelled 1983 (W-82-0 Enhanced Radiation) and 1990 (W-82-1 fission only)) *Atomic Demolition Munitions ** W7/ADM-B (c. 1954–1967) ** T4 ADM (1957–1963) Gun-type ** W30/ Tactical Atomic Demolition Munition (1961–1966) ** W31/ADM (1960–1965) ** W45/ Medium Atomic Demolition Munition (1964–1984) ** W54/ Special Atomic Demolition Munition (1965–1989) * Missile and Rocket

warhead A warhead is the section of a device that contains the explosive agent or toxic (biological, chemical, or nuclear) material that is delivered by a missile, rocket (weapon), rocket, torpedo, or bomb. Classification Types of warheads include: *E ...

s ** W4 for SM-62 Snark

cruise missile A cruise missile is an unmanned self-propelled guided missile that sustains flight through aerodynamic lift for most of its flight path. Cruise missiles are designed to deliver a large payload over long distances with high precision. Modern cru ...

(cancelled 1951) ** W5 for MGM-1 Matador cruise missile (1954–1963) ** W7 for

MGR-1 Honest John The MGR-1 Honest John rocket was the first nuclear weapon, nuclear-capable surface-to-surface rocket in the United States arsenal.The first nuclear-authorized ''guided'' missile was the MGM-5 Corporal. Originally designated Artillery Rocket XM31 ...

artillery rocket Rocket artillery is artillery that uses rocket (weapon), rockets as the projectile. The use of rocket artillery dates back to medieval China where devices such as fire arrows were used (albeit mostly as a Psychological warfare, psychological weapo ...

(1954–1960),

MGM-5 Corporal The MGM-5 Corporal missile was an American short-range, nuclear-armed tactical surface-to-surface ballistic missile. It was the first guided weapon authorized by the United States to carry a nuclear warhead. A guided tactical ballistic missile, ...

TBM (1955–1964),

Nike Hercules The Nike Hercules, initially designated SAM-A-25 and later MIM-14, was a surface-to-air missile (SAM) used by U.S. and NATO armed forces for medium- and high-altitude long-range air defense. It was normally armed with the W31 nuclear warhead, bu ...

SAM, and

BOAR The wild boar (''Sus scrofa''), also known as the wild swine, common wild pig, Eurasian wild pig, or simply wild pig, is a Suidae, suid native to much of Eurasia and North Africa, and has been introduced to the Americas and Oceania. The speci ...

air-to-surface rocket (ASR) (1958–1960s) ** W8 for SSM-N-8 Regulus cruise missile, Gun-type (cancelled 1955) ** W12 for RIM-8 Talos SAM (cancelled 1955) ** W13 for SM-62 Snark cruise missile and PGM-11 Redstone SRBM (cancelled 1954) ** W15 for SM-62 Snark cruise missile (cancelled 1957) ** W21 for SM-64 Navaho cruise missile (cancelled 1957) ** W25 for MB-1 "Ding Dong", later AIR-2 Genie AAR (1957–1984) ** W27 for SSM-N-8 Regulus and SSM-N-9 Regulus II cruise missile (1958–1965) ** W28 for AGM-28 Hound Dog and MGM-13 Mace cruise missiles (1958–1976) ** W29 for SM-64 Navaho cruise missile, PGM-11 Redstone SRBM, and SM-62 Snark cruise missile (cancelled 1955) ** W30 for RIM-8 Talos SAM (1959–1979) ** W31 for

artillery rocket (1961–1985),

SAM (1960s–1988) ** W34 for Mk 101 Lulu

depth charge A depth charge is an anti-submarine warfare (ASW) weapon designed to destroy submarine A submarine (often shortened to sub) is a watercraft capable of independent operation underwater. (It differs from a submersible, which has more limited ...

, Mark 45 ASTOR

torpedo A modern torpedo is an underwater ranged weapon launched above or below the water surface, self-propelled towards a target, with an explosive warhead designed to detonate either on contact with or in proximity to the target. Historically, such ...

, Mk 105 Hotpoint bomb (1958–1976) ** W35 for

SM-65 Atlas The SM-65 Atlas was the first operational intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) developed by the United States and the first member of the Atlas rocket family. It was built for the U.S. Air Force by the Convair Division of General ...

ICBM An intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) is a ballistic missile with a range (aeronautics), range greater than , primarily designed for nuclear weapons delivery (delivering one or more Thermonuclear weapon, thermonuclear warheads). Conven ...

, HGM-25A Titan I ICBM,

PGM-17 Thor The PGM-17A Thor was the first operative ballistic missile of the United States Air Force (USAF). It was named after the Thor, Norse god of thunder. It was deployed in the United Kingdom between 1959 and September 1963 as an intermediate-range b ...

IRBM, and

PGM-19 Jupiter The PGM-19 Jupiter was the first nuclear weapon, nuclear armed, medium-range ballistic missile (MRBM) of the United States Air Force (USAF). It was a liquid-propellant rocket using RP-1 fuel and Liquid oxygen, LOX oxidizer, with a single Rocketd ...

MRBM A medium-range ballistic missile (MRBM) is a type of ballistic missile with medium range, this last classification depending on the standards of certain organizations. Within the U.S. Department of Defense, a medium-range missile is defined ...

(cancelled 1958) ** W37 (cancelled 1956) ** W38 for

ICBM and HGM-25A Titan I ICBM (1961–1965) ** W39 for PGM-11 Redstone SRBM (1958–1964) ** W40 for

MGM-18 Lacrosse The MGM-18 Lacrosse was a short-ranged tactical weapon intended for close support of ground troops. Its first flight test was in 1954 and was deployed by the United States Army beginning in 1959, despite being still in the development stage. The ...

TBM, CIM-10 Bomarc SAM (1959–1972) ** W41 for SM-64 Navaho cruise missile (cancelled 1957) ** W42 for

MIM-23 Hawk The Raytheon MIM-23 HAWK ("Homing All the Way Killer") is an American medium-range surface-to-air missile. It was designed to be a much more mobile counterpart to the MIM-14 Nike Hercules, trading off range and altitude capability for a much sm ...

SAM, AIM-47 Falcon AAM, AAM-N-10 Eagle AAM (cancelled 1961) ** W44 for

RUR-5 ASROC The RUR-5 ASROC (for "Anti-Submarine Rocket") is an all-weather, all sea-conditions anti-submarine missile system. Developed by the United States Navy The United States Navy (USN) is the naval warfare, maritime military branch, ser ...

SSM (1961–1989) ** W45 for MGR-3 Little John artillery rocket, RIM-2 Terrier SAM, and AGM-12 Bullpup ASM (1961–1969 (some 1988)) ** XW-46 for PGM-11 Redstone SRBM and SM-62 Snark cruise missile (cancelled 1958) ** W47 for

UGM-27 Polaris The UGM-27 Polaris missile was a two-stage solid-fueled nuclear-armed submarine-launched ballistic missile (SLBM). As the United States Navy's first SLBM, it served from 1961 to 1980. In the mid-1950s the Navy was involved in the Jupiter missi ...

A-1 and A-2

SLBM A submarine-launched ballistic missile (SLBM) is a ballistic missile capable of being launched from submarines. Modern variants usually deliver multiple independently targetable reentry vehicles (MIRVs), each of which carries a nuclear warhead ...

s (1960–1974) ** W49 for

MRBM (1959–1963) and

IRBM (1959–1963) ** W50 for

MGM-31 Pershing The MGM-31A Pershing was the missile used in the Pershing 1 and Pershing 1a field artillery missile systems. It was a solid-fueled two-stage theater ballistic missile designed and built by Martin Marietta to replace the PGM-11 Redstone missile ...

SRBM, and

Hopi The Hopi are Native Americans who primarily live in northeastern Arizona. The majority are enrolled in the Hopi Tribe of Arizona and live on the Hopi Reservation in northeastern Arizona; however, some Hopi people are enrolled in the Colorado ...

ASR (1960–1990) ** XW-51 for various (program converted to W54 in 1959) ** W52 for MGM-29 Sergeant TBM (1962–1977) ** W53 for

LGM-25C Titan II The Titan II was an intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) developed by the Glenn L. Martin Company from the earlier HGM-25A Titan I, Titan I missile. Titan II was originally designed and used as an ICBM, but was later adapted as a Med ...

ICBM (1962–1987) ** W54 for

Davy Crockett Colonel (United States), Colonel David Crockett (August 17, 1786 – March 6, 1836) was an American politician, militia officer and frontiersman. Often referred to in popular culture as the "King of the Wild Frontier", he represented Tennesse ...

recoilless rifle, AIM-26 Falcon AAM, and

AIM-4 Falcon The Hughes AIM-4 Falcon was the first operational guided air-to-air missile of the United States Air Force. Development began in 1946; the weapon was first tested in 1949. The missile entered service with the USAF in 1956. Produced in both heat- ...

AAM (1961–1972) ** W55 for UUM-44 SUBROC SSM (1965–1989) ** W56 for

LGM-30 Minuteman The LGM-30 Minuteman is an American land-based intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) in service with the Air Force Global Strike Command. , the LGM-30G (Version 3) is the only land-based ICBM in service in the United States and represents th ...

I and II ICBMs (1963–1993) ** W58 for

A-3 SLBM (1964–1982) ** W59 for

I ICBM and GAM-87 Skybolt ALBM (1962–1969) ** W60 for RIM-50 Typhon SAM (cancelled 1963) ** W61 for MGM-134 Midgetman (cancelled 1992) ** W62 for

III ICBM, (1970–2010) ** W63 for

MGM-52 Lance The MGM-52 Lance was a mobile field artillery tactical surface-to-surface missile (tactical ballistic missile) system used to provide both W70, nuclear and conventional fire support to the United States Army. The missile's warhead was developed ...

TBM (warhead cancelled 1966) ** W64 for

TBM (warhead cancelled 1964) ** W65 for Sprint ABM (cancelled 1968) ** W66 for Sprint ABM (available 1970–1975) ** W67 for UGM-73 Poseidon SLBM and

III ICBM (cancelled 1967) ** W68 for UGM-73 Poseidon SLBM (1970–1991) ** W69 for AGM-69 SRAM ASM (1972–1990) ** W70 for

TBM (deployed 1973–1992) ** W71 for LIM-49A Spartan ABM (deployed 1974–1975; dismantled 1992) ** W72 for AGM-62 Walleye glide bomb (1970–1979) ** W73 for AGM-53 Condor ASM (cancelled 1970) ** W76 for UGM-96 Trident I and

UGM-133 Trident II The UGM-133A Trident II, or Trident D5 is a submarine-launched ballistic missile (SLBM), built by Lockheed Martin Space in Sunnyvale, California, and deployed with the United States Navy and Royal Navy. It was first deployed in March 1990, an ...

SLBMs (1978–present) ** W78 for

III ICBM (1979–present) ** W80 for AGM-86, AGM-129,

BGM-109 Tomahawk The BGM-109 Tomahawk () Land Attack Missile (TLAM) is an American long-range, all-weather, jet-powered, Subsonic flight, subsonic cruise missile that is primarily used by the United States Navy and Royal Navy in ship and submarine-based land-att ...

, and AGM-181 LRSO cruise missiles (1981–present) ** W81 for RIM-67 Standard ER SAM, based on B61 (cancelled 1986) ** W84 for BGM-109G Gryphon cruise missile (1983–1991) ** W85 for Pershing II MRBM and Pershing 1b SRBM (1983–1991) ** W86 for Pershing II MRBM Earth penetrating warhead option (cancelled 1980) ** W87 for

LGM-118 Peacekeeper The LGM-118 Peacekeeper, originally known as the MX for "Missile, Experimental", was a Multiple independently targetable reentry vehicle, MIRV-capable intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) produced and deployed by the United States from 1986 ...

ICBM (1986–2005),

III ICBM (2007–present), and

LGM-35 Sentinel The LGM-35 Sentinel, also known as the Ground Based Strategic Deterrent (GBSD), is a land-based intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) system under development for the United States Air Force. It is intended to replace all 450 Minuteman III m ...

ICBM (future) *** W87-1 for MGM-134 Midgetman ICBM (cancelled 1992) ** W88 for

SLBM (1988–present) ** W89 for AGM-131 SRAM II ASM and UUM-125 Sea Lance SSM (cancelled 1991) ** W91 for SRAM-T ASM (cancelled 1991) ** Reliable Replacement Warhead (RRW1) design program (2004–2008, cancelled) ** W93 for

SLBM (proposed) See also Enduring Stockpile.

Common nuclear primaries

Several American weapons designs share common components. These include publicly identified models listed below.

Soviet Union/Russia

At the peak of its arsenal in 1988, Russia possessed around 45,000 nuclear weapons in its stockpile, roughly 13,000 more than the United States arsenal, the second largest in the world, which peaked in 1966.Robert S. Norris and Hans M. Kristensen,
Global nuclear stockpiles, 1945–2006
" Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists 62, no. 4 (July/August 2006), 64–66. *Tests *Torpedoes **53-58 torpedo with 10 kilotons RDS-9 warhead **65-73 torpedo with 20 kilotons ** VA-111 Shkval with 150 kilotons *Bombs **

RDS-1 The RDS-1 (), also known as Izdeliye 501 (device 501) and First Lightning (), was the nuclear bomb used in the Soviet Union's first nuclear weapon test. The United States assigned it the code-name Joe-1, in reference to Joseph Stalin. It was de ...

, 22 kiloton bomb. Tested 29 August 1949 as "First Light" (Joe 1). Total of 5 stockpiled ** RDS-2, 38 kiloton bomb. Tested 24 September 1951 as "Second Light." The RDS-2 was an entirely Russian design, delayed by development of the RDS-1 **

RDS-3 RDS-3 () was the third atomic bomb developed by the Soviet Union in 1951, after the RDS-1 and RDS-2. It was called ''Marya'' in the military. The bomb had a composite design with a plutonium core inside a uranium shell, providing an explosive powe ...

, 42 kiloton bomb. First Soviet bomb tested in an airdrop on 18 October 1951. First 'mass-produced" Soviet bomb ** RDS-3I, 62 kiloton bomb. Tested 24 October 1954. The RDS-31 was an improved RDS-3 with external

neutron generator Neutron generators are neutron source devices which contain compact linear particle accelerators and that produce neutrons by fusing isotopes of hydrogen together. The nuclear fusion, fusion reactions take place in these devices by acceleratin ...

** RDS-4, "Tatyana" 42 kiloton bomb. The RDS-4 was smaller and lighter than previous Soviet Bombs. ** RDS-5 **

RDS-6 RDS-6s (; American codename: "Joe 4") was the first Soviet Union, Soviet attempted test of a thermonuclear weapon that occurred on August 12, 1953, that detonated with an energy equivalent to 400 kilotons of Trinitrotoluene, TNT. RDS-6 utilized ...

, also known as RDS-6S, or "sloika" or "layer cake" gaining about 20% of its yield from fusion. RDS-6 was tested on 12 August 1953. Yield 400 kilotons ** RDS-7, a backup for the RDS-6, the RDS-7 was a 500 kiloton all fission bomb comparable to the US Mk-18, development dropped after success of the RDS-6S ** RDS-27, 250 kiloton bomb, a 'boosted' fission bomb tested 6 November 1955. **

RDS-37 RDS-37 () was the Soviet Union's first two-stage hydrogen bomb, first tested on 22 November 1955. The weapon had a nominal yield of approximately 3 megatons. It was scaled down to 1.6 megatons for the live test. Leading to the RDS-37 The R ...

, 3 megaton bomb, the first Soviet two-stage hydrogen bomb, tested 22 November 1955
RDS-220

Tsar Bomba The Tsar Bomba (code name: ''Ivan'' or ''Vanya''), also known by the alphanumerical designation "AN602", was a Thermonuclear weapon, thermonuclear aerial bomb, and by far the most powerful nuclear weapon ever created and tested. The Soviet phy ...

an extremely large three stage bomb, initially designed as a 100-megaton-bomb, but was scaled down to 50 megatons for testing. *

Intercontinental Ballistic Missile An intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) is a ballistic missile with a range (aeronautics), range greater than , primarily designed for nuclear weapons delivery (delivering one or more Thermonuclear weapon, thermonuclear warheads). Conven ...

s ** RDS-9, 40 kiloton warhead for R-5M MRBM (SS-3) **

, 3 megaton warhead for R-7 Semyorka / SS-6 Sapwood ICBM ** RDS-46, 5 megaton warhead for R-7A Semyorka / SS-6 Sapwood ICBM ** 8F17, 3 megaton warhead for R-16 / SS-7 Saddler ICBM ** 8F115 and 8F116, 5-6 megaton warhead for R-16 / SS-7 Saddler ICBM **Unknown model warheads for R-9 / SS-8 Sasin ICBM ** 15F42 1.2 megaton warhead for UR-100 / SS-11 Mod 3 Sego ICBM **Unknown model 750

kiloton TNT equivalent is a convention for expressing energy, typically used to describe the energy released in an explosion. A ton of TNT equivalent is a unit of energy defined by convention to be (). It is the approximate energy released in the det ...

to 1.0 megaton warhead for RT-2 / SS-13 Mod 1 Savage ICBM ** 15F1r 750 kiloton to 1.65 megaton warhead for RT-2 / SS-13 Mod 2 Savage ICBM **Unknown model 466 kiloton warhead for RT-2 / SS-13 Mod 3 Savage ICBM **Unknown model 500 kiloton warhead for RT-20 / SS-15 Scrooge ICBM **Unknown model 1.5 megaton warhead for RT-20 / SS-15 Scrooge ICBM **Unknown model 650 kiloton to 1.5 megaton warheads for RT-21 Temp 2S / SS-16 Sinner ICBM **Unknown model 300–750 kiloton warheads for MR-UR-100 Sotka / SS-17 Spanker Mod 1 ICBM **Unknown model 4–6 megaton warhead for MR-UR-100 Sotka / SS-17 Spanker Mod 2 ICBM **8F675 (Mod2) 20 megaton warhead for R-36M2 / SS-18 Satan ICBM **8F021 2 or 5 megaton warheads for R-36MP / SS-18 Satan ICBM (3 MIRV warheads) **unknown 550 kiloton warheads for R-36M2 / SS-18 Satan ICBM (10 MIRV warheads) **Unknown model 750 kiloton warheads for R-36M2 / SS-18 Satan ICBM (10 MIRV warheads) **Unknown model 550 kiloton warheads for UR-100N / SS-19 Mod 1 Stiletto ICBM (6 MIRV warheads) **Unknown model 2.5–5 megaton warhead for UR-100N / SS-19 Mod 2 Stiletto ICBM **Unknown model 550 kiloton warheads for RT-23 Molodets / SS-24 Scalpel ICBM (10 MIRV warheads) **Unknown model 550 kiloton warhead for RT-2PM Topol / SS-25 Sickle ICBM **Unknown model 550 kiloton warhead for RT-2UTTH Topol M / SS-27 Sickle B ICBM *Various

tactical nuclear weapons A tactical nuclear weapon (TNW) or non-strategic nuclear weapon (NSNW) is a nuclear weapon that is designed to be used on a battlefield in military situations, mostly with friendly forces in proximity and perhaps even on contested friendly territ ...

including " suitcase bombs" (RA-115 or RA-115-01 as examples) *The most influential weapon and also the most powerful Nuclear Bomb (Tsar Bomb)

United Kingdom

* Blue Steel * Yellow Sun productionised air-delivered thermonuclear bomb casing. * Warheads ** Blue Danube Fission weapon. ** Red Snow for Yellow Sun Mk.2. ** Green Grass For Yellow Sun Mk.1. ** Red Beard, tactical nuclear weapon. ** WE.177 (also used as a nuclear depth charge). ** Blue Cat – nuclear warhead a.k.a. Tony – UK version of US W44, a.k.a. ''Tsetse''. ** Blue Fox – kiloton range nuclear weapon, later renamed Indigo Hammer – not to be confused with the later Blue Fox radar. ** Blue Peacock ten-kiloton nuclear land mine, a.k.a. the "chicken-powered nuclear bomb", originally 'Blue Bunny' It used the Blue Danube physics package. ** Blue Rosette – short-case nuclear weapon bomb casing for reconnaissance bomber to spec R156T, including the Avro 730, Handley Page HP.100, English Electric P10, Vickers SP4 and various others. ** Blue Slug – nuclear ship-to-ship missile using Sea Slug launcher. **

Blue Water Maritime geography is a collection of terms used by naval military units to loosely define three maritime regions: brown water, green water, and blue water. Definitions The elements of maritime geography are loosely defined and their meanings hav ...

– nuclear armed surface to surface missile. ** Green Bamboo – nuclear weapon. ** Green Cheese – nuclear anti-ship missile. ** Green Flash – Green Cheese's replacement. ** Green Granite – nuclear weapons – Green Granite (small) & Green Granite (large). ** Green Grass – nuclear weapon ** Indigo Hammer – nuclear weapon ** Orange Herald – fusion-boosted fission weapon. It is believed that the fusion boost didn't work, which would make it the most powerful fission bomb ever tested at 720 kt. ** Violet Club – nuclear weapon

France

France is said to have an arsenal of 350 nuclear weapons stockpiled as of 2002. *Bombs ** AN 11 ** AN 22 ** AN 52 ( MR 50 CTC) *Warheads (and missiles) ** MR 31 ( S2) ** MR 41 ( M1 and M2) ** MR 50 CTC ( AN 51 CTC and AN 52 CTC) ** AN 51 CTC (

Pluton In geology, an igneous intrusion (or intrusive body or simply intrusion) is a body of intrusive igneous rock that forms by crystallization of magma slowly cooling below the surface of the Earth. Intrusions have a wide variety of forms and com ...

) ** AN 52 CTC ( AN 52) **

TN 60 The TN 60 was a French nuclear missile warhead. The 1 megaton TN 60 missile warhead entered service in early 1977 as an interim warhead for the MSBS M20 SLBM. The TN 60 was the first French warhead "hardened" to penetrate the Russian ABM defense ...

( M20) ** TN 61 ( M20 and S3) ** TN 70 MIRV ( M4) ** TN 71 MIRV ( M4) ** TN 75 MIRV ( M45 and M51) **TN 76 MIRV ( M5) ** TN 80 ( ASMP) ** TN 81 ( ASMP) ** TN 90 ( Hadès) ** TNA ( ASMP-A) ** TNO MIRV ( M51)

China

China is believed to possess around 250 nuclear weapons, but has released very little information about the contents of its arsenal. *Tests: ** 596 (nuclear test) ** Test No. 6 *Ballistic Missiles: ** DF-1 ** DF-2 ** DF-3A ** DF-4 ** DF-5 **

DF-11 The Dong-Feng 11 (a.k.a. M-11, CSS-7) is a short-range ballistic missile developed by the People's Republic of China. History The DF-11 is a road-mobile short-range ballistic missile (SRBM) which began development in 1984 as the M-11, of whi ...

** DF-15 ** DF-17 ** DF-21 ** DF-31 ** DF-31B ** DF-41 ** JL-1 ** JL-2 ** B-611 ** P-12 *Cruise Missiles ** DH-10 ** CJ-10 ** HN1 ** HN2 ** HN3 ** CF-2 ** CF-1 ** SS-N-2

India

Although India's nuclear programme and its details are highly classified, international figures suggest that India possesses about 172 nuclear weapons as per 2024 estimate. In 1999, India was estimated to have 800 kg of separated reactor-grade plutonium, with a total amount of 8,300 kg of civilian plutonium, enough for approximately 1,000 nuclear weapons.

Israel

Israel is widely believed to possess a substantial arsenal of nuclear weapons and missiles, estimated at 75–130 and 100–200 warheads, but refuses officially to confirm or deny whether it has a nuclear weapon program, leaving the details of any such weapons unclear.

Mordechai Vanunu Mordechai Vanunu (; born 14 October 1954), also known as John Crossman, is an Israeli former nuclear technician and peace activist who, citing his opposition to weapons of mass destruction, revealed details of Israel's nuclear weapons program ...

, a former nuclear technician for Israel, confirmed the existence of a nuclear weapons program in 1986. Unconfirmed rumors have hinted at tactical nuclear artillery shells, light fission bombs and missile warheads, and perhaps thermonuclear missile warheads. The

BBC News Online BBC News Online is the website of BBC News, the division of the BBC responsible for newsgathering and production. It is one of the most popular news websites, with 1.2 billion website visits in April 2021, as well as being used by 60% of the U ...

website published an article on 28 May 2008, which quotes former U.S. President

Jimmy Carter James Earl Carter Jr. (October 1, 1924December 29, 2024) was an American politician and humanitarian who served as the 39th president of the United States from 1977 to 1981. A member of the Democratic Party (United States), Democratic Party ...

as stating that Israel has at least 150 nuclear weapons. The article continues to state that this is the second confirmation of Israel's nuclear capability by a U.S. spokesman following comments from U.S. Defense Secretary

Robert Gates Robert Michael Gates (born September 25, 1943) is an American intelligence analyst and university president who served as the 22nd United States secretary of defense from 2006 to 2011. He was appointed by President George W. Bush and retained b ...

at a Senate hearing and had apparently been confirmed a short time later by Israeli Prime Minister

Ehud Olmert Ehud Olmert (; , ; born 30 September 1945) is an Israeli politician and lawyer who served as the prime minister of Israel from 2006 to 2009. The son of a former Herut politician, Olmert was first elected to the Knesset for Likud in 1973, at th ...

Pakistan

As of 2024,

Pakistan Pakistan, officially the Islamic Republic of Pakistan, is a country in South Asia. It is the List of countries and dependencies by population, fifth-most populous country, with a population of over 241.5 million, having the Islam by country# ...

is believed to possess about 170 nuclear weapon devices and the specifications of these weapon systems and their productions are highly classified. The main series for nuclear transportation is Hatf (lit. ''Target'').

North Korea

North Korea claims to possess nuclear weapons, however, the specifications of its systems are not public. It is estimated to have 6–18 low yield nuclear weapons (August 2012 estimate). On 9 October 2006, North Korea achieved its first nuclear detonation. On 25 May 2009, North Korea conducted a second test of nuclear weapons at the same location as the original test. The test weapon was of the same magnitude as the atomic bombs dropped on Japan in the 2nd World War. At the same time of the test, North Korea tested two short range ballistic missiles. The country tested a 7 kt nuclear weapon on 2 February 2013. On 3 September 2017, North Korea conducted an underground thermonuclear test which had an estimated yield of 100kt to 250kt, according to various sources. On March 24, 2023, North Korea unveiled the tactical nuclear bomb with at least 10 warheads shown, each measuring an estimated 40 to 50 centimeters in diameter and 1 meter in length as reported by the South Korean media. Hwasong-11A (KN-23) and KN-25 ballistic missiles are capable of carrying it.

South Africa

South Africa built six or seven gun-type weapons. All constructed weapons were verified by

International Atomic Energy Agency The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) is an intergovernmental organization that seeks to promote the peaceful use of nuclear technology, nuclear energy and to inhibit its use for any military purpose, including nuclear weapons. It was ...

and other international observers to have been dismantled along with the complete weapons program, although they still possess the highly enriched uranium.

References

Bibliography

* Holloway, David, ''Stalin and the Bomb,'' New Haven & London,

Yale University Press Yale University Press is the university press of Yale University. It was founded in 1908 by George Parmly Day and Clarence Day, grandsons of Benjamin Day, and became a department of Yale University in 1961, but it remains financially and ope ...

, 1994, . * Zaloga, Steven J., ''The Kremlin's Nuclear Sword'' Washington, D.C., Smithsonian Institution Press, 2002, . *Hansen, Chuck. ''U.S. Nuclear Weapons''. Arlington, Texas, Areofax, Inc., 1988. . *Gibson, James N. ''Nuclear Weapons of the United States,'' Altglen, PA, Schiffer Publishing, 1996, . * Cochran, Thomas, Arkin, William, Hoenig, Milton "Nuclear Weapons Databook, Volume I, U.S. Nuclear Forces and Capabilities," Cambridge, Massachusetts, Ballinger Pub. Co., 1984, . * Hansen, Chuck,
Swords of Armageddon
(CD-ROM & download available). PDF. 2,600 pages, Sunnyvale, California, Chucklea Publications, 1995, 2007. (2nd Ed.)

External links

* – indicates that "most international experts conclude that South Africa has completed its nuclear disarmament. South Africa is the first and to date only country to build nuclear weapons and then entirely dismantle its nuclear weapons program." {{DEFAULTSORT:Nuclear Weapons * Lists of weapons

Weapons A weapon, arm, or armament is any implement or device that is used to deter, threaten, inflict physical damage, harm, or kill. Weapons are used to increase the efficacy and efficiency of activities such as hunting, crime (e.g., murder), law ...