The Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty and its verification: Report No. 12
The Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty (START), signed between the United States and the former Soviet Union in Moscow, July 31, 1991, if ratified and implemented, will lead to major reductions in the deployments of strategic nuclear arms of the two largest nuclear powers. Equally important, it will put in place a comprehensive system of notifications, data exchanges, cooperative measures, and on-site inspections that, combined with national technical means (NTM), are expected to add to the confidence that the parties will have in their abilities to verify the reduced deployments called for in the treaty. The treaty limits the number of strategic nuclear delivery vehicles-intercontinental ballistic missiles (ICBMs), submarine-launched ballistic missiles (SLBMs), and heavy bombers-of each party to 1,600 after a seven-year balanced reduction period. The total number of accountable, deployed nuclear warheads is limited to 6,000 for each party. The total number of warheads on ballistic missiles is limited to 4,900 for each side. A reduction of deployed, heavy ICBMs (namely, Soviet SS-18s) from 308, with 3,080 warheads, to 154, with 1,540 warheads, together with other prohibitions, sublimits, and counting rules, was designed to reduce the number of most threatening deployments capable of a first strike. The aggregate missile throw-weight is limited to 3,600 metric tons, and mobile-missile deployments are limited to restricted areas, further limiting surprise attack.
- Research Organization:
- Los Alamos National Lab., NM (United States)
- Sponsoring Organization:
- USDOE, Washington, DC (United States)
- DOE Contract Number:
- W-7405-ENG-36
- OSTI ID:
- 10172462
- Report Number(s):
- LA--12364; ON: DE92019466
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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