Nuclear powers plan weapon upgrades
This file photo shows US Navy launching a Trident II missile, capable of delivering a nuclear warhead, from a submerged submarine in the Atlantic Ocean.
Global nuclear powers plan to spend hundreds of billions of dollars on upgrading and modernizing their atomic warheads and delivery systems over the next decade, a report says.
The United States will spend USD 700 billion on its nuclear weapons program, and Russia will allocate at least USD 70 billion to delivery systems alone, the report for the British American Security Information Council (BASIC) has warned.
Several other countries, including China, India, France, Pakistan as well as the Israeli regime are set to spend large amounts of money on tactical and strategic missile systems, the Guardian reported on Sunday.
Washington also plans to spend a further USD 92 billion on new nuclear warheads and build 12 nuclear ballistic missiles submarines, air-launched nuclear cruise missiles and bombs, the document said.
The new revelation is believed to fly in the face of all international efforts aimed at a total elimination of nuclear weapons.
For several countries such as Russia, Pakistan, France and the Israeli regime, said the report, nuclear weapons have been assigned roles that go well beyond deterrence.
According to the report, in Russia and Pakistan nuclear weapons are assigned "war-fighting roles in military planning."
Pakistan and India are seeking smaller, lighter nuclear warheads so they have a greater range and can be deployed over shorter distances for tactical or "non-strategic" roles.
AO/MYA/MB
