The U.S. State Department this week released additional details about the types of ballistic missiles, launchers, and bombers being counted under the latest New Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty (New START) aggregate data.
The treaty requires the United States and Russia by next February to each cap its nuclear arsenal at 700 deployed ICBMs, submarine-launched ballistic missiles, and heavy bombers; 1,550 fielded strategic warheads; and 800 deployed and nondeployed long-range launchers.
The latest aggregate numbers were initially released in April, with data declared as of March 1. The numbers show the United States has reduced its fleet of deployed ICBMs, SLBMs, and heavy bombers from 681 to 673, while Russia has increased its own from 508 to 523.
The ICBM systems counted are all Minuteman III missiles, the only U.S. ground-based intercontinental ballistic missiles still in operation, according to this week’s updated information. Specifically, the State Department document shows a total of 405 deployed Minuteman III ICBMs, the aging weapon that will eventually be replaced by the Ground-Based Strategic Deterrent.
Of those, 136 are housed at the F.E. Warren Missile Complex in Wyoming; 133 at the Malmstrom Missile Complex in Montana; and 136 at the Minot Missile Complex in North Dakota.
The sea-based systems counted under the treaty encompass 220 deployed Trident II SLBMs. One hundred of the those are deployed at Kings Bay, Ga., and another 120 in Silverdale, Wash. – both host U.S. naval submarine bases.
Among 48 total deployed heavy bombers, 12 are B-2A stealth bombers – all at Whiteman Air Force Base in Missouri – and 36 are B-52H long-range strategic bombers, deployed between Barksdale Air Force Base in Louisiana and Minot Air Force Base in North Dakota.
Another 41 B-52H bombers are equipped for non-nuclear armaments, distinguishable by their lack of “horizontally mounted antennas on the side of the aircraft fuselage,” according to the State Department.
The latest aggregate data also shows the U.S. increased its number of deployed strategic warheads from 1,367 to 1,411, while Russia decreased its own from 1,796 to 1,765. Meanwhile, the U.S. reduced its number of deployed and nondeployed long-range delivery systems from 848 to 820, while Russia cut down from 847 to 816.
These changes occurred since the last information exchange released in October 2016, containing data declared as of Sept. 1 of that year.
Gen. Robin Rand, commander of Air Force Global Strike Command, said in June on Capitol Hill that the United States is three months ahead of schedule in meeting its compliance obligations under New START.
The U.S. baseline plan includes retaining up to 420 deployed ICBMs and 60 nuclear-capable bombers. The Navy is also overhauling its Ohio-class nuclear submarines so that each vessel will carry fewer missiles to comply with treaty limits for warheads and operational launchers.
While the numbers on both sides continue to fluctuate as each country modernizes its arsenal, the United States is already below treaty limits for two of the three categories. U.S. and international arsenal experts say the fluctuations are temporary and to be expected.
Both the U.S. and Russia remain over the limit for deployed and nondeployed long-range launchers, but officials say both are on track to make the appropriate cuts by next February.
New START will expire in 2021, by which point President Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin must decide whether to extend the agreement for five years as allowed, negotiate a new follow-on treaty, or abandon it altogether.
The two presidents are scheduled to meet today for the first time at the G20 summit in Hamburg, Germany.
