How do nuclear weapons get stored? In a new article published in the Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists, researchers reveal the locations where nuclear warheads are stored. According to the report, the United States stores nearly 10,000 nuclear warheads at 18 locations. The authors assembled information from declassified documents, government statements, news reports, leaks, and commercial high-resolution satellite photos to answer the question, “How do we store nuclear weapons?”
The United States and Soviet Union built large-scale nuclear arsenals during the Cold War, resulting in large quantities of nuclear waste. These materials are still managed today, but their levels in the environment are extremely low and pose little danger to the population. After the Cold War ended, the U.S. and Soviet Union decided to stop developing new nuclear weapons, and both countries began to reduce their stockpiles. As a result, both countries are now in the process of disposing of radioactive waste.
The United States has nine hundred and fifty nuclear warheads. These weapons come in two main types: bombs and intercontinental ballistic missiles. Each type has multiple variants. During the Cold War, readiness forces would store their nuclear weapons in igloo bunkers. To transport a nuclear weapon, it would require a convoy of 50 armed military personnel. The Security Alert Team and Backup Alert Team would accompany the vehicle. The deployment of WS3 began in 1988 and was widespread by 1995.
Fortunately, there is a new way to learn about how nuclear weapons are stored. In March 1998, researchers re-declared an early development unit pit. The group also made available footage from several tests that took place in Los Alamos, New Mexico. After the release of these videos, the team is now working to digitize thousands of films and make them available online. You can also view the videos on YouTube.
Though U.S. government officials are unwilling to divulge their location of nuclear weapons, the fact remains that nuclear storage sites are essential to ensuring the safety of these weapons. Although the security of these weapons depends on military protection and personnel, there is no way to guarantee the safety of nuclear bombs unless these facilities are adequately protected. If unauthorized personnel gain access to them, a nuclear bomb will be detonated.
The nuclear weapons that are stored in underground facilities are known as ‘explosive devices’. These devices release immense amounts of energy by splitting atoms. A kiloton is a thousand-ton explosive. In 1958, the United States conducted 35 nuclear tests. One of the most famous tests was Operation Hardtack I, which lasted for a day and involved a barge in the ZUNI crater.
Despite the fact that the United States does not publish the exact number of its European-deployed stockpile, the United States government estimates that in 2021, there will be 100 U.S. nuclear weapons stored at six NATO bases. These weapons are not deployed on aircraft, but rather stored in WS3 underground vaults at its national air bases. If used, these weapons would be loaded onto NATO fighter planes, which are designed to defend against a nuclear attack.
Despite these threats, the Pakistani government has denied having nuclear weapons in its arsenal. While it is alleged that Pakistan has a stockpile of nuclear materials in its arsenal, these weapons are separate and must be stored separately from their launch vehicles. Each nuclear weapon is a unique and complex weapon of mass destruction, and a single mistake could derail an entire nuclear arsenal. If a country is a nuclear threat to the United States, it must stop doing so.
There are many ways to learn more about the storage of nuclear weapons. The Nuclear Weapons Databook was published in 1987 by the Ballinger Publishing Company. The Idaho Chemical Processing Plant has a 50-50 partnership between the Department of Energy and the University of Idaho and decommissions nuclear weapons and reprocessing spent naval reactor fuel from 1953-1992. The plant is home to 52 reactors and ten operable but shut-down reactors. The project also houses eleven stainless steel high-level waste underground storage tanks.
The Department of Energy has also published several reports on the storage and disposal of highly enriched uranium. One of the reports, DOE/EH-0525, addresses the environmental, health, and safety risks associated with highly enriched uranium. The department also published a preliminary FY 2003 Congressional Budget Laboratory/Facility Table. Although the government still has some uncertainties, the report contains the most important details.