Dear Jim,
I love your site. This is just a quick note while you are on the subject of the nuclear threat. I have been following Joel Skousen’s World Affairs Brief web site for the past few years and he seems to be of the opinion that this is a threat we should take very seriously. I encourage your readers to check out his article on analysis of strategic threats. I also HIGHLY recommend his books “The Secure Home” and “Strategic Relocation.” I know you’ve mentioned his books before in past articles but it is worth repeating. No preparedness library would be complete without them. – “Kaivman”
Dear Jim:
The Nuclear Weapon Archive has a lot of useful information on the past and present of national arsenals. The Russians seem to have much lower capabilities now than previously, but it’s believable and reasonable, given the state of their economy and domestic troubles. I don’t believe they’re a likely threat any time soon. Here are some brief quotes from the site:
“This single warhead missile is currently (late 1997) the only strategic nuclear delivery system in production in Russia.”
“The Topol has a range of 10,500 km, and a payload of 1000 kg. It is armed with a single 550 KT warhead with an accuracy (CEP – circular error probability) of 200 m.”
Russia does not appear to have any ERRB (Enhanced Radiation Reduced Blast) warheads for strategic use. China may:
“Current estimates assert that only about 20 ICBMs are in service – the Dong Feng (East Wind)-5A. This figure is surprising in light of China’s ability to produce the same basic booster in larger numbers as the Long March 2 satellite launcher. The U.S. government has stated that in 1981 there were DF-5As deployed in hardened silos at two sites. It is thought to carry the largest warhead ever tested by China (4-5 MT).”
“The neutron bomb claimed by China is strictly a tactical weapon (designed for use against armored vehicles). China has conducted a number of low yield tests that may have been tactical weapons, and a large military exercise incorporating simulated nuclear weapons was held in June 1982.”
Their best missile is estimated at a 13,000 km range, making them more of a potential threat than Russia. I don’t believe their dependence on our market for their economy makes an attack likely in the foreseeable future. – Michael Z. Williamson