United States nuclear weapons, 2025

Hans M. Kristensen, Matt Korda, Eliana Johns, Mackenzie Knight-Boyle

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The United States has embarked on a wide-ranging nuclear modernization program that will ultimately see every nuclear delivery system replaced with newer versions over the coming decades. 

In this issue of the Nuclear Notebook, we estimate that the United States maintains a stockpile of approximately 3,700 warheads—an unchanged estimate from the previous year. Of these, only about 1,770 warheads are deployed, 

while approximately 1,930 are held in reserve. Additionally, approximately 1,477 retired warheads are awaiting dismantlement, giving a total inventory of approximately 5,177 nuclear warheads. 

Of the approximately 1,770 warheads that are deployed, 400 are on land-based intercontinental ballistic missiles, roughly 970 are on submarine-launched ballistic missiles, 300 are at bomber bases in the United States, 

and approximately 100 tactical bombs are at European bases. The Nuclear Notebook is researched and written by the staff of the Federation of American Scientists’ Nuclear Information Project: 

director Hans M. Kristensen, associate director Matt Korda, and senior research associates Eliana Johns and Mackenzie Knight.

This article is freely available in PDF format in the Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists’ digital magazine (published by Taylor & Francis) at this link. To cite this article, 

please use the following citation, adapted to the appropriate citation style: Hans M. Kristensen, Matt Korda, 

Eliana Johns, and Mackenzie Knight. 2025. “United States nuclear weapons, 2025.” Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists,