In 1938, chemists from Germany, Otto Hahn and Fritz Strassman, were able to break the uranium atom into two almost equal parts, using neutron bombardment. This event is the starting point in the creation of nuclear energy and weapons.
The United States currently has 652 carriers for nuclear weapons and 1,350 combat components for them, in the Russian Federation - 527 carriers and 1,444 components.
China’s nuclear arsenal already includes about 300 warheads, and this number is growing every year. The study of this issue took up the publication of the Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists, analyzing the performance of the director of the nuclear information program Hans Christensen and his colleague Robert Norris.
Nuclear Weapons Development Project
The PRC is implementing a project on the development of nuclear weapons, which began in the 1980s. Armament is complemented by the latest developments of ballistic missiles capable of hitting targets at various distances. The installation for launching intercontinental devices has been upgraded, its mobile versions are being developed.
According to the authors of the study, about 300 nuclear warheads can be delivered to their targets by 130 land and 48 sea means, as well as 20 aircraft. Most of the ammunition supplies have an average capacity of 250 kilotons.
"The United States deployed a missile defense system in the Pacific, after which the PRC began to install separable head components on intercontinental missiles. This project should open up new opportunities for the military," said Hans and Robert. They assume that ground vehicles can carry 166 units of such weapons.
There are 3 Chinese submarines operating on a nuclear engine on permanent combat duty. They installed 12 systems for launching missiles that can hit targets at a distance of up to 7000 kilometers. This opens up the possibility of hitting Alaska, Guam, Hawaii, the Russian Federation and India from the Chinese coast. If submarines begin to move eastward, missiles can reach the territory of the United States of America.
