List of current nuclear triads
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
The following list of nuclear triads, deployed in 2024, includes all five countries known to possess them (United States, Russia, China, India and Pakistan). Where available, the names and number of nuclear warheads are given. The list excludes non-strategic (tactical) nuclear weapons.
The United States and Russia, previously Soviet Union, have been wielding their nuclear triads since the 1960s. Pakistan completed its nuclear triad in 2017,[1] India in 2018[2] and China in 2020.[3]
United States
| Weapon | Type | Warhead | Number of warheads | Delivery |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| LGM-30G Minuteman III | ICBM | W78 / W87[4] | 400[5][a] | Ground silo |
| Weapon | Type | Warhead | Number of warheads | Delivery |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Trident II D5 | SLBM | W76-0/1/2, W88[4] | 1920[6][b] | Ohio-class submarines |
| Weapon | Type | Warhead | Delivery |
|---|---|---|---|
| AGM-86B/C/D | ALCM | W80-1[4] | B-52H Stratofortress |
| B61-7/11, B83-1 | Unguided bomb | N/a | B-2A Spirit |
Russia
| Weapon | Type | Number of warheads | Delivery |
|---|---|---|---|
| RS-24 Yars | ICBM | 772[7] | Ground silo / transporter erector launcher |
| RS-20V Voyevoda[c] | ICBM | 340[7] | Ground silo |
| RT-2PM2 Topol-M | ICBM | 78[7] | Ground silo / transporter erector launcher |
| Avangard missile complex | ICBM | 7[7] | Ground silo |
| Weapon | Type | Number of warheads | Delivery |
|---|---|---|---|
| RSM-56 Bulava | SLBM | 576[7] | Borei-class submarines |
| R-29RMU Sineva / Layner | SLBM | 320[7] | Delta-III and Delta IV-class submarines |
| Weapon | Type | Number of warheads | Delivery |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kh-55, Kh-102 | ALCM | 448[7] | Tupolev Tu-95MS |
| Kh-55, Kh-102 | ALCM | 132[7] | Tupolev Tu-160 |
India
| Weapon | Type | Number of warheads | Delivery |
|---|---|---|---|
| Agni-I | SRBM | ~20[8] | Transporter erector launcher / rail mobile |
| Agni-II | SRBM | ~8[8] | Transporter erector launcher |
| Agni-III | IRBM | ~8[8] | Transporter erector launcher / rail mobile |
| Agni-IV | IRBM | N/a | Transporter erector launcher/ rail mobile |
| Agni-V | ICBM | N/a | Transporter erector launcher / rail mobile |
| Prithvi-II | SRBM | ~24[8] | Transporter erector launcher |
| Weapon | Type | Number of warheads | Delivery |
|---|---|---|---|
| Dhanush | ShLBM | ~4[8] | Sukanya-class patrol vessels |
| Sagarika (K-15) | SLBM | 12[8] | INS Arihant, INS Arighaat |
| K-4 | SLBM | — | INS Arighaat, INS Aridhaman |
| K-5 | SLBM | — | INS Arisudan, S5 Class Submarines |
| Weapon | Type | Number of warheads | Delivery |
|---|---|---|---|
| Classified 20-kt bomb | Unguided bomb | ~16[8] | Dassault Mirage 2000H |
| ? | Unguided and laser guided bombs | ~32[8] | SEPECAT Jaguar |
Pakistan
| Weapon | Type | Number of warheads | Delivery |
|---|---|---|---|
| Nasr | SRBM | 24 | Transporter erector launcher |
| Abdali-I | SRBM | 10 | Transporter erector launcher |
| Ghaznavi | SRBM | 16 | Transporter erector launcher |
| Shaheen-I | SRBM | 16 | Transporter erector launcher |
| Shaheen-II | MRBM | 24 | Transporter erector launcher |
| Shaheen-III | MRBM | — | Transporter erector launcher |
| Ghauri | MRBM | 24 | Transporter erector launcher |
| Ababeel | MRBM | 24 | Transporter erector launcher |
| Babur-1 | GLCM | 12 | Transporter erector launcher |
| Weapon | Type | Number of warheads | Delivery |
|---|---|---|---|
| Babur-III | SLCM | — | Agosta-class submarine |
| Weapon | Type | Number of warheads | Delivery |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ra'ad | ALCM | 36 | Dassault Mirage III/V |
| Ra'ad-II | ALCM | Dassault Mirage III/V |
China
| Weapon | Type | Number of warheads | Delivery |
|---|---|---|---|
| DF-5A | ICBM | 6[10] | Ground silo |
| DF-5B | ICBM | 60[10] | Ground silo |
| DF-21A/E | MRBM | ? | Mobile launcher |
| DF-26 | IRBM | 108[10] | Mobile launcher |
| DF-31 | ICBM | ? | Ground silo / transporter erector launcher |
| DF-31A | ICBM | 24[10] | |
| DF-31AG | ICBM | 64[10] | Mobile launcher |
| DF-41 | ICBM | 84[10] | Ground silo / transporter erector launcher, rail mobile |
| Weapon | Type | Number of warheads | Delivery |
|---|---|---|---|
| JL-2, JL-3 | SLBM | 0 (for the JL-2), 72 (for the JL-3)[10] | Type 094 submarines |
| Weapon | Type | Number of warheads | Delivery |
|---|---|---|---|
| DF-21[d] | ALBM | 10[10] | Xi'an H-6N |
| ? | Unguided bomb | 10[10] | Xi'an H-6K |
See also
Notes
- Expected to be replaced by RS-28 Sarmat.