Global Nuclear Arsenal Grows: Report Warns of Nearly 10,000 Deployed Warheads

Stockholm/London — The world's nuclear-armed states now have nearly 10,000 warheads ready for immediate use, a figure that has been steadily climbing for years, according to a sobering new assessment by the International Campaign to Abolish Nuclear Weapons (ICAN). The collective destructive power of these deployed weapons is staggering, estimated to be equivalent to 135,000 times the bomb that devastated Hiroshima in 1945.

The report, released Thursday, details a persistent trend of nuclear expansion and modernization. Since 2017, the global stockpile of operational warheads has grown annually, with an increase of 141 in the last year alone. More than 40% of these weapons are actively deployed on launch platforms—including intercontinental ballistic missiles in hardened silos, mobile launchers, strategic submarines, and long-range bombers—placing them on high-alert status.

"We are witnessing a new nuclear arms race, shrouded in secrecy and driven by geopolitical tensions," said a senior ICAN analyst involved in the report. "The numbers are moving in the wrong direction, and the risk of use, whether by accident or design, is increasing."

Beyond the nearly 10,000 active warheads, the nine nuclear-armed nations—China, France, India, Israel, North Korea, Pakistan, Russia, the United Kingdom, and the United States—collectively hold an additional 2,500 retired warheads awaiting dismantlement. The report singles out China, India, North Korea, Pakistan, and Russia as actively expanding their arsenals, while the U.S. and France are pursuing extensive modernization programs.

This expansion occurs against the backdrop of the 2021 Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons (TPNW), which ICAN was instrumental in creating—an effort recognized with the 2017 Nobel Peace Prize. While 99 states have joined the treaty, none of the nuclear-weapon states or their key security allies, including NATO members like Germany, are signatories. The report criticizes Europe, in particular, as "a major obstacle" to the treaty's broader adoption.

The legacy of Hiroshima, where a single bomb killed over 140,000 people in August 1945, serves as a grim benchmark for the catastrophic potential of today's vastly more powerful arsenals. Experts warn that the current trajectory undermines decades of arms control diplomacy and increases global instability.

Voices on the Report

• Dr. Anya Sharma, Security Studies Professor at Kings College London: "The data confirms a dangerous paradigm shift. We're not just maintaining old weapons; we're investing in new, more usable systems. This erodes the taboo against nuclear use and makes crisis escalation far more likely."
• Mark Reynolds, Former Arms Control Negotiator: "The report highlights a critical accountability gap. Modernization programs are often framed as 'maintenance,' but they represent a qualitative arms race with lower-yield, precision-guided weapons that blur the line between conventional and nuclear conflict."
• Elena Petrova, Activist with 'Disarm Now': "It's absolute madness. Nearly ten thousand fingers on the trigger, and our leaders are adding more. They are gambling with every life on this planet for a false sense of security. The TPNW is the only sane path forward, and every country blocking it is complicit."
• General (Ret.) James McKenna, Strategic Analyst: "While the numbers are concerning, they must be viewed in the context of deterrence. Strategic stability has historically required a balance of power. The real focus should be on dialogue and risk-reduction measures between major adversaries to prevent miscalculation."