THE LOOMING NUCLEAR DANGER!

The world is now without any armscontrol agreement with regard to nuclear weapons. The new START treaty, whose duration was extended up to 2026 by the two superpowers- USA and Russia, who between them have 90 percent of the world’s nuclear weapons, is now under suspension. Moscow has walked out of it because of what it says is the American-led war in Ukraine against Russia’s very survival.

The new START represented a 75 percent reduction in warheads since the end of the Cold War. Under it, both Russia and the United States agreed to limit the number of deployed warheads to no more than 1,550 by February 5, 2018. The treaty establishes that the number of warheads deployed on intercontinental ballistic missiles (ICBMs) and submarinelaunched ballistic missiles (SLBMs) is counted as the number of re-entry vehicles (RVs) on each missile. Heavy bombers are counted as one warhead against the total regardless of how many warheads they carry.

Number of launchers: The new START limits both parties to a maximum of 800 deployed and non-deployed ICBM and SLBM launchers. Of those 800, no more than 700 delivery systems may be deployed at any time. Neither party may convert ICBM or SLBM launchers into launchers for missile defence systems.

Accordingly, as of September 1, 2022, the US had 1,420 deployed warheads and 659 deployed strategic delivery systems, the US State Department had revealed. Russia had 1,549 deployed warheads attributed to 540 deployed strategic launchers. Combined, the two countries accounted for about 90 percent of the world’s nuclear weapons.

Importantly, within 45 days of new START’s entry into force, Russia and the United States were required to report the numbers of deployed warheads, and deployed and non-deployed missiles and delivery systems of strategic weapons. This information was compiled into a database, which is updated with changes every six months. Inspections are intended to verify the data that is exchanged between the two countries.