The FAS Nuclear Weapons Page
The Nuclear Information Project provides the public with reliable information about the status and trends of the nuclear weapons arsenals of the world’s nuclear-armed countries.
The project, which according to the Washington Post is “one of the most widely sourced agencies for nuclear warhead counts,” uses open sources such as official documents, testimonies, previously undisclosed information obtained through the Freedom of Information Act, as well as independent analysis of commercial satellite imagery as the basis for developing the best available unclassified estimates of the status and trends of nuclear weapons worldwide.
The project also conducts analysis of the role of nuclear weapons and provides recommendations for responsibly reducing the numbers and role of nuclear weapons.
The research is mainly published on the FAS Strategic Security Blog, in the Nuclear Notebook in the Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists, the World Nuclear Forces overview in the SIPRI Yearbook, as well as in magazines. As a primary source for reliable information on nuclear weapons, the project is a frequent advisor to governments, parliamentarians, the news media, institutes, and non-governmental organizations.
The Nuclear Information Project is directed by Hans M. Kristensen in collaboration with Matt Korda and Robert S. Norris. The project also collaborates with experts and organizations, including Matthew McKinzie at the Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC).
PROJECT RESOURCES:
- FAS Resource Page: 2018 Nuclear Posture Review: Constantly updated to include the latest analysis from FAS and other experts on President Trump’s Nuclear Posture Review.
- Status of World Nuclear Forces: Looking for a quick overview with the most up-to-date information on the world’s nuclear weapons arsenals? View our Status of Nuclear Forces.
- FAS Strategic Security Blog: Read our news stories and analysis of current nuclear weapons-related issues.
- FAS Nuclear Notebook: Want to know more? Dive into the world-famous FAS Nuclear Notebook series with detailed information about each nuclear-armed state.
- Nuclear Information Project publications: Looking for a project publication? See the chronology with links going back more than a decade.
- Nuclear Information Project in the news: Want to see how much our research is used by others? See the chronology going back to 2008.
- Nuclear Information Project on Twitter: Follow our busy tweets with news, views, and resources.
This work builds on the Nuclear Weapons Databook project that Thomas Cochran and Robert Norris managed at NRDC for many years. Many of their publications are available here at FAS via the Cochran Archive and the Norris Archive.
The Nuclear Information Project is currently supported by the John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation, the New Land Foundation, the Ploughshares Fund, the Prospect Hill Foundation, and the Carnegie Corporation of New York (via an NRDC sub-contract).