Image:US and USSR nuclear stockpiles.svg

Nuclear warhead stockpiles of the United States and the Soviet Union/Russia, 1945-2006. These numbers are total stockpiles, including warheads that are not actively deployed (that is, including those on reserve status or those that may be scheduled for dismantlement). The numbers of active/operational warheads could be much smaller in the present time, circa 5,700 for the United States and 5,800. Inadequate historical data prohibits long-term distiction between the two, hence lumping all numbers together.

The high for the USA is 32,040 in 1966; the high for the USSR is 45,000 in 1986; the point at which the USSR surpassed the USA in warheads is 1978. Note that raw stockpile totals do not necessarily tell you much about nuclear capabilities; delivery mechanisms and types of weapons can make a big difference (many of the weapons added to the stockpile during the "surge" periods were tactical, not strategic, for example).

Source data from: Robert S. Norris and Hans M. Kristensen, "Global nuclear stockpiles, 1945-2006," Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists 62, no. 4 (July/August 2006), 64-66. Online at http://thebulletin.metapress.com/content/c4120650912x74k7/fulltext.pdf

Created by User:Fastfission first by mapping the lines using OpenOffice.org's Calc program, then exporting a graph to SVG, and the performing substantial aesthetic modifications in Inkscape. The goal of this graph is to give a quick, at-a-glance impression of relative stockpile levels between the two countries; those looking for specifics should consult the raw data (compiled on the discussion page of this image).

License

This image has been released into the public domain by its author, Fastfission. This applies worldwide. In some countries this may not be legally possible; if so: Fastfission grants anyone the right to use this work for any purpose, without any conditions, unless such conditions are required by law. العربية | Български | Deutsch | Ελληνικά | English | Español | Français | Italiano | 日本語 | 한국어 | Polski | Русский | Српски / Srpski | Svenska | தமிழ் | Українська | ‪中文(繁體)‬ | ‪中文(简体)‬  +/-

If you want to credit someone, credit "Wikimedia Commons." Otherwise don't credit anyone, that's fine by me. -- Fastfission 15:00, 14 April 2008 (UTC)