A nuclear weapon also called an atom bomb nuke atomic bomb nuclear warhead a bomb or nuclear bomb is an explosive device that derives its destructive force from nuclear reactions either fission fission bomb or from a combination of fission and fusion reactions thermonuclear bomb both bomb types release large quantities of energy from relatively small amounts of matter. 50 were retained as part of the hedge portion of the enduring stockpile until completely dismantled in 2011. 9 000 38 000 was the most powerful us bomb in active service until 1997.
1 200 5 000 variable yield weapon most powerful us weapon in active service. The nuclear arms race was an arms race competition for supremacy in nuclear warfare between the united states the soviet union and their respective allies during the cold war during this very period in addition to the american and soviet nuclear stockpiles other countries developed nuclear weapons though none engaged in warhead production on nearly the same scale as the two superpowers. This act fueled the start of the.
The united states developed and used the first nuclear weapons in 1945 when they dropped the atomic bombs on hiroshima and nagasaki at the end of world war ii. In order of acquisition of nuclear weapons these are the united states russia the successor state to the soviet union the united kingdom france and china. Five are considered to be nuclear weapon states nws under the terms of the treaty on the non proliferation of nuclear weapons npt.
Eight sovereign states have publicly announced successful detonation of nuclear weapons. Norris and william arkin of the natural resources defense council published in the bulletin of the atomic scientists. Hoenig 1984 nrdc nuclear notebook prepared by robert s.
Arkin and milton m. Nuclear forces and capabilities. The united states detonated two nuclear weapons over the japanese cities of hiroshima and nagasaki on august 6 and 9 1945 respectively with the consent of the united kingdom as required by the quebec agreement the two bombings killed between 129 000 and 226 000 people most of whom were civilians and remain the only uses of nuclear weapons in armed conflict.
Pure test units which were experiments and not intended to. Us nuclear weapons of all types bombs warheads shells and others are numbered in the same sequence starting with the mark 1 and as of march 2006 ending with the w 91 which was canceled prior to introduction into service all designs which were formally intended to be weapons at some point received a number designation. Government spent at least 9 49.
Between 1940 and 1996 the u s.
Usa nuclear bomb. The united states was the first country to manufacture nuclear weapons and is the only country to have used them in combat with the separate bombings of hiroshima and nagasaki in world war ii before and during the cold war it conducted over one thousand nuclear tests and tested many long range nuclear weapons delivery systems.
The united states was the first country to manufacture nuclear weapons and is the only country to have used them in combat with the separate bombings of hiroshima and nagasaki in world war ii before and during the cold war it conducted over one thousand nuclear tests and tested many long range nuclear weapons delivery systems.
