A new analysis by the Institute for the Study of War has warned that Iran could escalate its attacks on Israel by launching large missile salvos aimed at maximising psychological pressure on civilians.
During last week's Nuclear Security Summit, President Obama asked the media to leave and then screened videos depicting plausible scenarios pertaining to nuclear terrorism.
Congressional report estimated Pakistan's nuclear warheads to be between 110-130.
After nearly two decades of nuclear competition with Pakistan, India with the several long-range ballistic missiles in development is seemingly now paying attention to its future strategic relationship with China, a think-tank report has said.
China has more than 500 nuclear bombs in its arsenal and is developing new Inter-Continental Ballistic Missiles (ICBMs) that will significantly improve its nuclear-capable missile forces, the Pentagon said on Thursday.
'Torpedoes travel at more than 100 kilometres per hour, about 50-60 knots.' 'It must have been a matter of a few minutes before it detonated under the Iranian ship.' 'The Iranian ship would have probably got three, four minutes and wouldn't have known till they actually heard the whirr of the torpedo.'
'In the absence of any further testing of nuclear warheads, it is essential to focus upon the associated structures of nuclear defence.'
We have only thought of acquiring a nuclear deterrence capability, but we have deluded ourselves into believing that we have already accomplished it.
The indigenously developed naval version of the Prithvi short-range ballistic missile has a strike range of up to 350 km and can carry 500 kg of conventional or nuclear warhead, a Defence Research and Development Organisation official said.
Pakistan's nuclear weapons programme is considered to be among the fastest growing in the world by Stockholm-based International Peace Research Institute, with the estimates of Islamabad possessing 90-110 nuclear warheads.
I am inclined to believe that the Venezuela adventure is not an indication of American strength, alas, but rather of American weakness, points out Rajeev Srinivasan.
The Pentagon has been unable to locate hundreds of sensitive nuclear missile components in the United States inventory, according to top officials familiar with a highly confidential report by the American defence department.The finding comes after the air force last year found that a bomber mistakenly flew across the US with six nuclear warheads onboard.Washington recently dismissed its top air force officials, including the Chief of Staff and Service.
While Pakistan is estimated to possess 70-90 nuclear weapons, India is believed to have 60-80, claims Robert S Norris and Hans M Kristensen in their latest article 'Nuclear Notebook: Worldwide deployments of nuclear weapons, 2009'.
Pakistan on Wednesday successfully test-fired a new ballistic missile which is capable of carrying both conventional and nuclear warheads up to a distance of 1,300 kilometres.
India showcased its indigenous short-range tactical missile Pralay for the first time at the Republic Day parade on Sunday. The missile, developed by the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO), is capable of carrying a nuclear warhead and has a range of 150 to 500 kms. The parade featured an array of other indigenously built missiles, surveillance systems, and weapon systems, reflecting India's growing military prowess. The DRDO displayed its latest innovations for national security, including the quick reaction surface-to-air missile, airborne early warning and control system, and drone detect, deter and destroy system.
Pakistan on Friday successfully test-fired the medium-range Shaheen-III surface-to-surface ballistic missile which can carry nuclear warheads within a range of 2,750 kms, the military said.
'India must close the missile technology gap with both China and Pakistan as early as possible, or else the credibility of India's nuclear deterrence will remain suspect,' says Brigadier Gurmeet Kanwal (retd).
"We estimate that Pakistan now has a nuclear weapons stockpile of approximately 170 warheads. The US Defense Intelligence Agency projected in 1999 that Pakistan would have 60 to 80 warheads by 2020, but several new weapon systems have been fielded and developed since then, which leads us to a higher estimate," the Nuclear Notebook column published in the Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists on September 11 said.
Trump has a major decision to take in coming days -- specifically, how to rescue Israel from the attritional war that lies ahead, points out Ambassador M K Bhadrakumar.
India on Sunday conducted a second test flight of its indigenously developed nuclear-capable Agni-V long-range ballistic missile, which has a strike range of more than 5000 km, from the Wheeler Island off Odisha coast.
Rediff.com present a comprehensive listing of the nuclear nations and their collective and active stockpile.
With the fight now having been taken to the seizure of nuclear plants, it is one more warning to Europe that this prolonged war could end up with disastrous consequences, observes Rashme Sehgal
President Barack Obama has called for a one-third cut in the number of deployed United States strategic nuclear warheads if Russia agrees to a similar reduction, reviving his goal to work toward a world without atomic weapons.
The US assessment of nuclear weapons security in Pakistan appears to have changed considerably from confidence to concern, particularly as a result of the introduction of tactical nuclear weapons, the report said.
The pause gives the US time to breathe, to regroup, to move its expeditionary force into position without risk of interception along the way. It gives Iran nothing -- on the ground, attacks against its infrastructure continue apace. Prem Panicker in his must read daily blog on the Gulf War.
China is expected to boost its nuclear arsenal after President Xi Jinping's remarks at the key Congress of the ruling Communist Party in Beijing for the first time that Beijing will establish strong strategic deterrence, experts have said.
It is capable of delivering different types of warheads to a range of 900 kilometers
In its 28-page report, the CRS noted that Pakistan's nuclear arsenal is widely regarded as designed to dissuade India from taking military action against it, but Islamabad's expansion of its nuclear arsenal, development of new types of nuclear weapons and adoption of a doctrine called "full spectrum deterrence" have led some observers to express concern about an increased risk of nuclear conflict between Pakistan and India, which also continues to expand its nuclear arsenal.
India's nuclear strategy, which has traditionally focused on Pakistan, now appears to place increased emphasis on China, the two experts claimed.
Russian President Vladimir Putin on Wednesday monitored drills of the country's strategic nuclear forces involving multiple practice launches of ballistic and cruise missiles, the Kremlin said.
Pakistan military has appointed Lt Gen Zubair Mahmood Hayat as the new chief of the Strategic Plans Division, which manages and secures the country's nuclear arsenal.
Agni-V is a three stage missile, 17 metres tall, two metres wide and capable of carrying 1.5 tonne of nuclear warheads.
China displayed a range of new weapons at a military parade, including laser weapons, nuclear ballistic missiles, giant underwater drones, and fifth-generation aircraft.
Iran has fired 280 ballistic missiles at Israel since early Friday in retaliation to Israeli strikes on its nuclear programme, its military and political officials, and nuclear scientists.
India has successfully test-fired a long range hypersonic missile from the APJ Abdul Kalam Island off the coast of Odisha, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh said on Sunday.
Pakistan on Monday successfully test launched a surface-to-surface ballistic missile capable of carrying nuclear and conventional warheads to a distance of 2,750 kilometres, bringing most Indian cities under its range.
Pakistan on Thursday said its nuclear assets are completely safe and dismissed the world's suspicions as "baseless" at a meeting of the National Command Authority chaired by Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif.
The missile can carry a nuclear warhead weighing up to 1,500 kg.
China will be the nuclear threat of most concern to New Delhi for at least another decade, the latest report by the Arms Control Association says.
Describing the trial a "complete success", sources said that all the mission objectives were met during the test.
