North Korea could amass 100 nuclear weapons by 2020, U.S. study warns

[Militant Atheist]

North Korea can amass 100 nukes, while China can only amass 50 nukes.

Doesn't China already have like 200 nukes?

 

[Aepsilons]

Doesn't China already have like 200 nukes?

As per NRDC, around 300 to 400. Could be more, could be less.

NRDC: Archive of Nuclear Data

 

[BoQ77]

They are just hyping NK nuke capability to promote the necessity of deploying THAAD to the SK public.

While we are dreaming that NK only a big mouth, they joined the club of satellite launchers with Unha-3 rocket that sent satellite to LEO

 

[Aepsilons]

While we are dreaming that NK only a big mouth, they joined the club of satellite launchers with Unha-3 rocket that sent satellite to LEO

Don't give out too much information to the Chosenjin enemy, my friend.

 

[ChineseTiger1986]

Doesn't China already have like 200 nukes?

We have by far more ICBMs than France and UK combined, only the gullible people would believe that we have only 200 nukes.

 

[BoQ77]

We have by far more ICBMs than France and UK combined, only the gullible people would believe that we have only 200 nukes.

You put China data here in attempt to compare to North Korea ?

 

[Penguin]

Doesn't China already have like 200 nukes?

Read the earlier posts: 2005 estimate 145, 2011-2013 reports already up to around 250

We have by far more ICBMs than France and UK combined, only the gullible people would believe that we have only 200 nukes.

Only gullible people DO NOT READ what has actually been posted before. E.g what is counted under START as a deployed ICBM and where China keeps the warhead it has.....

The Top 5 Countries with the Most Nuclear Weapons
puts China right between UK and France (then again, it ignores France's SSBNs and any UK tactical weapons)

7. World nuclear forces — www.sipri.org Sipri confirms 240 DEPLOYED warheads. (i.e. those mounted on the launch vehicle, not those stored elswhere, away from any launch vehicles)

Greenpeace reports:

The UK
has 200 weapons all of which are deliverable located in Coulport and Faslane, to be delivered by its Trident submarines. The UK also hosts 110 US-owned tactical nuclear weapons at RAF Lakenheath. UK Trident submarines typically go to sea with 48 warheads-equivalent to 380 Hiroshima bombs. Late in 2006, British Prime Minister Tony Blair said he intends to build new nuclear weapons to replace the current Trident system, while joining the US programme to extend its life. The UK government has already started construction on facilities to build a new nuclear bomb.
France
has 348 nuclear weapons all deliverable, and four ballistic missile submarines, each with a load of 16 missiles with 6 warheads each. The stock is stored in Luxeuil, Istres, Landivisiau and L'Ile Longue.
China
has an estimated stockpile of around 200 nuclear weapons, with some 145 classed as deliverable.

The vital statistics | Greenpeace International

Also relevant: http://www.ucsusa.org/sites/default...nwgs/Wordwide-Nuclear-Arsenals-Fact-Sheet.pdf

 

[ChineseTiger1986]

Read the earlier posts: 2005 estimate 145, 2011-2013 reports already up to around 250


Only gullible people DO NOT READ what has actually been posted before.

Saying that China only has 250 nukes is like saying our gold reserve is still 1054 tons.

Even a person with a pea brain can figure it out.

 

[Penguin]

You put China data here in attempt to compare to North Korea ?

Apparently!

Saying that China only has 250 nukes is like saying our gold reserve is still 1054 tons.

Even a person with a pea brain can figure it out.

Start reading some of the posted materials before you open your mouth again.

 

[ChineseTiger1986]

Apparently!


Start reading some of the posted materials before you open your mouth again.

Keep that for yourself.

 

[Aepsilons]

Keep that for yourself.

Take correction with grace.

 

[Militant Atheist]

We have by far more ICBMs than France and UK combined, only the gullible people would believe that we have only 200 nukes.

I think you misunderstood me, by reading your post it looked like as if you were implying that China has 50 nukes and prospect of North Korea having 100 is unreasonable.

 

[ChineseTiger1986]

I think you misunderstood me, by reading your post it looked like as if you were implying that China has 50 nukes and prospect of North Korea having 100 is unreasonable.

Anyway, any estimation between 50 to 250 are all nonsense for China.

We have developed so many different type of ICBMs, and no way that we will only have 24 ICBMs, since the cost of developing the ICBM is quite high, and only the mass production will allow you to reduce the cost.

So with so many ICBMs, we cannot only maintain 250 nukes, it doesn't make sense.

 

[Militant Atheist]

Anyway, any estimation between 50 to 250 are all nonsense for China.

We have developed so many different type of ICBMs, and no way that we will only have 24 ICBMs, since the cost of developing the ICBM is quite high, and only the mass production will allow you to reduce the cost.

So with so many ICBMs, we cannot only maintain 250 nukes, it doesn't make sense.

Just because you could have thousands of nuclear warheads doesn't mean that you should have them. The purpose of having nuclear weapons is to create a deterrence and 250 nuclear warheads are sufficient for a MAD scenario. Upkeep of nuclear weapons costs and it's more cost efficient to spend the money on conventional capability than on nuclear weapons, that is if you already have them. That's why I wasn't surprised even if the 250 estimate were correct. I'm unaware of current China's nuclear stockpile, last I read something on it was in 2008.

 

[ChineseTiger1986]

Just because you could have thousands of nuclear warheads doesn't mean that you should have them. The purpose of having nuclear weapons is to create a deterrence and 250 nuclear warheads are sufficient for a MAD scenario. Upkeep of nuclear weapons costs and it's more cost efficient to spend the money on conventional capability than on nuclear weapons, that is if you already have them. That's why I wasn't surprised even if the 250 estimate were correct. I'm unaware of current China's nuclear stockpile, last I read something on it was in 2008.

Having 250 nukes is far from being sufficient for a country like China, considering that our opponent is USA.

Having 1000-1500 nukes makes more sense as we won't pursue the Cold War craziness, but it is still crucial for us to possess the efficient nuclear deterrence, not the minimum nuclear deterrence.