Pakistan’s nuclear arsenal to surpass Britain’s in a decade: Reports

[Zarvan]

Pakistan has increased production of its nuclear arsenal in the past decade, and is now also aiming to develop smaller and lighter atomic missile warheads, the Bulletin of the Atomic Scientist said in a report.

According to the report Pakistan’s development of the warheads have come on an alarming pace and it is expected to surpass Britain’s nuclear stockpiles in a decade.

“Pakistan has shown clear signs of its intention to grow its nuclear arsenal. Most recently, the country has begun to increase its plutonium production capabilities, with two new plutonium production reactors under construction, as well as a new chemical reprocessing facility,” the journal said.

“The country’s increased interest in plutonium demonstrates its likely goal to develop smaller, lighter warheads more suitable for use on missiles. In 2011, Nuclear Notebook reported that, in the next decade, Pakistan’s arsenal could grow larger than that of Britain’s, it already has almost around 200 nukes compared to almost 100 of India’s.” it said.

According to the journal, the global nuclear stockpile stands at roughly 19,000 nuclear weapons — the nuclear-armed states account for an estimated 420 of those weapons, while the nuclear weapon states have the rest.

“With stocks of fissile material sufficient for an arsenal of up to 200 nuclear warheads, Israel may have the largest stockpile among the nuclear-armed states” it said.

“Today, these three countries have the largest arsenals they have ever had. This growth trend among key nuclear-armed states stands in stark contrast to Britain, which, with an estimated 225 warheads, has the smallest arsenal of the nuclear weapon states; its arsenal peaked between 1975 and 1980 with 520 warheads,” it said.
Pakistan

 

[Safriz]

baseless speculations.
Pakistan does not need that many nukes.

 

[Zarvan]

baseless speculations.
Pakistan does not need that many nukes.

Sir Pakistan is increasing its Nuclear Arsenal and every one knows it and more the Nukes the better it is in fact Pakistan should have a lot more nukes

 

[farhan_9909]

Pakistan needs atleast 200 nukes

after 200 we can stop the production facility

 

[arp2041]

baseless speculations.
Pakistan does not need that many nukes.

Pakistan is increasing the stockpile of it's tactical nukes since IA had changed it's doctrine from full scale deployment to cold start, making tactical nukes is not as difficult as strategic nukes, so yes Pakistan can certainly cross the 225 mark in a decade.

Sir Pakistan is increasing its Nuclear Arsenal and every one knows it and more the Nukes the better it is in fact Pakistan should have a lot more nukes

Right, building nukes is the best thing, not just the build-up cost, but also the storage cost for complete lifetime of the weapon. And what is it with nos.?? As if 200+ will make any difference?? USSR at it's peak of 1988 had 18000+ nukes, but that couldn't stop it from disintegration did it. If i am not wrong, than Pakistan is spending $ 2 billion every year for building nukes, this is close to 1% of it's GDP when the economic conditions of Pakistan is not so good.

 

[The SC]

Pakistan has increased production of its nuclear arsenal in the past decade, and is now also aiming to develop smaller and lighter atomic missile warheads, the Bulletin of the Atomic Scientist said in a report.

According to the report Pakistan’s development of the warheads have come on an alarming pace and it is expected to surpass Britain’s nuclear stockpiles in a decade.
“Pakistan has shown clear signs of its intention to grow its nuclear arsenal. Most recently, the country has begun to increase its plutonium production capabilities, with two new plutonium production reactors under construction, as well as a new chemical reprocessing facility,” the journal said.

“The country’s increased interest in plutonium demonstrates its likely goal to develop smaller, lighter warheads more suitable for use on missiles. In 2011, Nuclear Notebook reported that, in the next decade, Pakistan’s arsenal could grow larger than that of Britain’s, it already has almost around 200 nukes compared to almost 100 of India’s.” it said.

According to the journal, the global nuclear stockpile stands at roughly 19,000 nuclear weapons — the nuclear-armed states account for an estimated 420 of those weapons, while the nuclear weapon states have the rest.

“With stocks of fissile material sufficient for an arsenal of up to 200 nuclear warheads, Israel may have the largest stockpile among the nuclear-armed states” it said.

“Today, these three countries have the largest arsenals they have ever had. This growth trend among key nuclear-armed states stands in stark contrast to Britain, which, with an estimated 225 warheads, has the smallest arsenal of the nuclear weapon states; its arsenal peaked between 1975 and 1980 with 520 warheads,” it said.
Pakistan

Poor little Britain, just 225 warheads, what about its access to the 17 000 American warheads?

 

[Zarvan]

Pakistan is increasing the stockpile of it's tactical nukes since IA had changed it's doctrine from full scale deployment to cold start, making tactical nukes is not as difficult as strategic nukes, so yes Pakistan can certainly cross the 225 mark in a decade.



Right, building nukes is the best thing, not just the build-up cost, but also the storage cost for complete lifetime of the weapon. And what is it with nos.?? As if 200+ will make any difference?? USSR at it's peak of 1988 had 18000+ nukes, but that couldn't stop it from disintegration did it. If i am not wrong, than Pakistan is spending $ 2 billion every year for building nukes, this is close to 1% of it's GDP when the economic conditions of Pakistan is not so good.

Sir first of all we are not USSR we are Pakistan and if went down we will take our beloved neighbor along with us don't worry but we are not going to we will rise and hit back and hit back hard

 

[arp2041]

Sir first of all we are not USSR we are Pakistan and if went down we will take our beloved neighbor along with us don't worry but we are not going to we will rise and hit back and hit back hard

Sorry, my Flags are coming in the way of making rational arguments & have a constructive debate, so i better leave

 

[ChineseTiger1986]

Poor little Britain, just 225 warheads, what about its access to the 17 000 American warheads?

Most of American warheads are outdated Cold War products, while most useful ones are only W-76 and W-88.

225 warheads is enough for Britain since their American counsin can also product them with its nuclear umbrella.

 

[INDIC]

Sir Pakistan is increasing its Nuclear Arsenal and every one knows it and more the Nukes the better it is in fact Pakistan should have a lot more nukes

And what would be the cost of maintaining this many nukes.

 

[Zarvan]

And what would be the cost of maintaining this many nukes.

Sir their is not much cost Pakistan knows what money to spent on to defense and other things

 

[INDIC]

Sir their is not much cost Pakistan knows what money to spent on to defense and other things

You are wrong, maintaining nukes is very expensive and I believe it will cost equivalent to half of your defence budget.

 

[ChineseTiger1986]

You are wrong, maintaining nukes is very expensive and I believe it will cost equivalent to half of your defence budget.

Maintaining 10000 nukes is extremely expensive, while maintaining some 100 nukes is affordable as long as you produce the nukes with quality, not the dirty nukes.

Even China can maintain 100-300 nukes between 1960-1970s.

 

[INDIC]

Maintaining 10000 nukes is extremely expensive, while maintaining some 100 nukes is affordable as long as you produce the nukes with quality, not the dirty nukes.

Even China can maintain 100-300 nukes between 1960-1970s.

Even in 1960 China's economy was huge plus inflation in last 50 years. Pakistan's defence budget is very small less than $6 billion, I don't think so. it will be very expensive for Pakistan to maintain this many nukes.

 

[Rajaraja Chola]

@arp2041 just have a doubt. In 1999 both nations made nukes which are carried by missiles and aircraft and fairly large ones.

But now producing new tactical nukes, one needs to test these nukes right. How can one just deploy it in battlefield without testing the new tactical nukes?