Russian nuclear forces, 2011

Abstract

With Russia’s ratification of New START in January 2011 comes a commitment to bilateral nuclear reductions. With a 2018 deadline as the goal, the treaty sets out to limit the number of deployed strategic nuclear warheads and the number of deployed ballistic missiles and heavy bombers. But, the authors write, there are other numbers to watch—those that are not limited by New START; Russia is positioned to maintain thousands of other non-deployed strategic and nonstrategic warheads. The authors assess the country’s nuclear forces, providing clear analysis of intercontinental ballistic missiles, nuclear-powered ballistic submarines, strategic bombers, and nonstrategic tactical weapons.