Dismantling the International Nuclear Arsenal

Nuclear weapons have been in constant focus since the bombing of Hiroshima and Nagasaki in World War II. Since then about 30 countries have sought out the ability to produce nuclear weapons even though only around 10 to 15 actually have succeeded. This section focuses on the protection and elimination of nuclear weapons around the globe.

A dismantled Soviet bomber. Source

Process
Both the U.S. and Russia have acknowledged having 50 tons of plutonium excess to current defense needs. In the U.S., the dismantling of these nuclear warheads is a step-by-step process beginning as a memo and usually ending with the storage of plutonium and highly enriched uranium (HEU).

Treaties
A summary of the international treaties regarding the disarming of nuclear weapons.

The Former Soviet Union: A Security Threat?
While initially much post-Cold War focus was on reducing the size of the nuclear weapons arsenals, the focus has now turned to protecting what is left.