Over the last 25 years, Russian and US nuclear weapons stockpiles have decreased dramatically, thanks in part to the visionary efforts of leaders who recognized the very real risks of nuclear war.
Our recommendations
President Obama should:
- Reduce the number of deployed strategic weapons by roughly 550
- Reduce the number of strategic weapons in the hedge by 1,000
- Eliminate the hedge of 300 tactical weapons
- Declare additional stockpiles of plutonium and uranium to be excess to military needs
Today the US arsenal stands at around 4,500 warheads, including both deployed and stored weapons. According to the military’s own analysis, the arsenal could still be significantly reduced without compromising deterrence.
President Obama can and should order these and other reductions immediately. Past presidents have made similar cuts without involving Congress and without guarantees from Russia; President Obama should do the same.
What to cut
In 2013, a comprehensive government review found that the United States could safely reduce its arsenal of deployed strategic nuclear weapons by an additional third from New START levels, even if Russia does not make further reductions (New START is a 2010 arms reduction treaty between the United States and Russia).
Such a step still makes sense for the United States. The levels outlined by the administration are more than adequate for deterring a nuclear attack, and would cost significantly less to maintain than the current outsized arsenal.
In addition to deployed weapons, the administration could also cut the “hedge”—weapons kept in reserve as technical and strategic backups. UCS analysis found that the United States could immediately reduce the strategic hedge by at least 1,000 weapons, leaving 1,250 strategic weapons. In addition, the United States could eliminate the tactical hedge of 300 weapons.
Too much plutonium is not a good thing
US military stockpiles of plutonium and highly-enriched uranium are much larger than necessary, expensive to store safely, and pose serious security risks.
Depending on cuts made to the arsenal, the United States could safely dispose of between 18 and 22 metric tons of plutonium (in addition to plutonium currently declared as excess), while still retaining enough for existing warheads.
Similarly, the United States could dispose of an additional 140 to 185 metric tons of highly-enriched uranium without impacting the current arsenal.
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Related resources
North Korea Basics
Understanding China’s Foreign and Defense Policies
How Nuclear Weapons Work
