The US Nuclear Arsenal

5,500 warheads. A $1.7 trillion modernization program. The power to end civilization — maintained and upgraded every year, with almost no public debate.

5,500

Total Warheads

1,744

Deployed Strategic

1,964

Reserve/Stockpile

1,792

Retired (awaiting dismantlement)

$1.7 Trillion

Modernization Cost (30yr)

$60.7B

Annual Nuclear Budget

1,054

Total Tests Conducted

90 seconds

Doomsday Clock (2024)

What 5,500 Warheads Means

• A single modern warhead (W76-2, 100kt) has 6.7x the destructive power of the Hiroshima bomb.

• The US arsenal could destroy every city on Earth with a population over 100,000 — and still have warheads left over.

• Nuclear winter from even a "limited" exchange of 100 warheads would cause global famine killing an estimated 2 billion people.

• The US and Russia together hold 89% of all nuclear weapons on Earth.

• A president can order a nuclear launch in under 4 minutes. There is no legal requirement for anyone else to approve.