Pak nuclear stockpile to touch 200 in a decade: Experts

Parthy

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Pakistan has the world's fastest-growing nuclear stockpile and it could achieve 150-200 warheads in a decade despite the political instability in the country, two top American atomic experts have said.

Pakistan is in the process of building two new plutonium production reactors and a new reprocessing facility to fabricate more nuclear weapons fuel, wrote nuclear experts Hans M Kristensen and Robert S Norris in the latest issue of Bulletin of Atomic Scientists.

In their paper 'Pakistan's nuclear forces, 2011', the authors estimate that if Pakistan's expansion continues, its nuclear weapons stockpile could reach 150-200.

"Despite its political instability, Pakistan continues to steadily expand its nuclear capabilities and competencies; in fact, it has the world's fastest-growing nuclear stockpile," they wrote.

"We estimate that Pakistan has a nuclear weapons stockpile of 90-110 nuclear warheads, an increase from the estimated 70-90 warheads in 2009," the paper said.

"It is also developing new delivery systems. Enhancements to Pakistan's nuclear forces include a new nuclear capable medium-range ballistic missile, the development of two new nuclear-capable short-range ballistic missiles, and the development of two new nuclear-capable cruise missiles," they wrote.

"With four new delivery systems and two plutonium production reactors under development, however, the rate of Pakistan's stockpile growth may even increase over the next 10 years," they warned.



Pak nuclear stockpile to touch 200 in a decade: Experts - The Times of India
 

KS

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Why the Angry emoticon ?

I say let them get 2000. Whats the use ? Does anyone know the amount of resources it takes to maintain and safeguard the nukes ? Let them spend on it and not on education, infra or nation building

Ultimately everyone knows that the Paki Generals are not that insane to start a nuke war as they know then their private jagir (Pakistan) will be no more.
 

KS

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This is a good excuse to increase our nukes and get up to the Chinese levels.
No I don't think we should engage in this stupid nuke race. The threshold must be some 400 or 500 nukes (high yield, miniaturized ones) and thats it.

We should not make these white elephants more than we need just for the sake of matching some one.

400 nukes is more than enough deterrent for any power to think , not twice, not thrice, but 100 times before doing anything stupid with India.

The first priority must be to develop thorium reactors and perfect the full cycle for civilian use.
 
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No I don't think we should engage in this stupid nuke race. The threshold must be some 400 or 500 nukes (high yield, miniaturized ones) and thats it.

We should not make these white elephants more than we need just for the sake of matching some one.

400 nukes is more than enough deterrent for any power to think , not twice, not thrice, but 100 times before doing anything stupid with India.

The first priority must be to develop thorium reactors and perfect the full cycle for civilian use.
If we don't engage we are left behind and playing catch up. We have 11 military reactors why be so frightened??
 

sayareakd

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good for Pakistan i wish Pakistan goes for 2000 and even more nukes. This is one contest i want us to lose. more nukes they got more bankrupt they will become.
 

KS

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If we don't engage we are left behind and playing catch up. We have 11 military reactors why be so frightened??
I am not frightened.

I am just saying 400 or 500 high yield nukes are more than enough deterrent for us against any power in the world, let alone China or least of all Pakistan.

Nukes are white elephants that suck up a huge amount of resources and making more than we need is just plain foolish.

Instead invest that money in civilian nuke power or maybe other defence projects like artys,SPHs,missiles,BMD etc which actually see battle and not just remain hangar queens like the nukes.


Not when they are gifted from China.
Still they have to maintain it.

Production costs are just a fraction of the maintenance costs.
 
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Kunal Biswas

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Nothing Surprising..

Open a BMD shield over their territory and see the fun..
 
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Make our nukes bigger if they are making 10 kt make our nukes 1 MT . So one of our equals a 100 of theirs. Let it be a numbers game they win but make our nuke MUCH MUCH bigger push them to MEGATON levels.
 

BangersAndMash

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Where do these "experts" get their figures from? How credible are articles/reports such as these?

What I find strange is pakistanis deny articles/reports that claim their country harbours terrorists (they ask for proof)! But when a article/report mentions 200 nukes without any proof, they jump for joy!
 

plugwater

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More nukes = More chances of it falling into terrorist hands.

I agree with LF, We need to Increase our yield.
 
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Still they have to maintain it.

Production costs are just a fraction of the maintenance costs.
NSG has ok'd China-Pak nuclear deal?? US-India nuclear deal is almost gone. Chinese are giving soft loans and supplying fuel and missiles. Pakistan's cost is almost nothing don't fool yourself. Give up this nonsense hope of Pakistan going bankrupt, I have been hearing this for 2 decades and I doubt it will ever happen.
 

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These should be enough to feed millions of poor pakistanis. Can these stockpile centers also provide shelter for its homeless citizens?

What a troubled neighborhood!
 
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These should be enough to feed millions of poor pakistanis. Can these stockpile centers also provide shelter for its homeless citizens?

What a troubled neighborhood!
Their hatred for India is greater than concern for their citizens.
 

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Exact number of arsenal can never be estimated , the pakistani military is not dumb as maintaining warheads drains resources big time , most of these numbers are cooked up by forum members who try and POINT to their UNKNOWN RELIABLE sources.

The cause for concern is proliferation and its a valid concern as a country of pakistans nature when unable to maintain the number of nukes can exchange materials for funds/technology and vice versa
 

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Exact number of arsenal can never be estimated , the pakistani military is not dumb as maintaining warheads drains resources big time , most of these numbers are cooked up by forum members who try and POINT to their UNKNOWN RELIABLE sources.

The cause for concern is proliferation and its a valid concern as a country of pakistans nature when unable to maintain the number of nukes can exchange materials for funds/technology and vice versa
Not they are well on their way for that number. They have moved to Pu bombs (untested) which requires lesser fissile material and is more compact too. They have 4 reactors based on Pu. The numbers are real.
 

KS

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NSG has ok'd China-Pak nuclear deal?? US-India nuclear deal is almost gone. Chinese are giving soft loans and supplying fuel and missiles. Pakistan's cost is almost nothing don't fool yourself. Give up this nonsense hope of Pakistan going bankrupt, I have been hearing this for 2 decades and I doubt it will ever happen.
First the NSG ok'd the deal only for Chasma-4 (or was it Khushab-4 ?) because they claimed it was grandfathered - meaning the deal was signed before China entered NSG in 2004. I dont think any more deals would be okayed.

Second the exemption given or India stays as of now with all three US, Russia and France (more importantly France) have said the "FUll" exemption given to India still stands. I dont think anyone is fool enough to leave the 100 + billion dollar Indian nuke market to satisfy some nuclear nothings like Austria, Swiss etc. I think it is too early to say anything.

Thirdly how many days can the Chinese afford to carry the crippled man unless he himself is willing to come out of crutches ?

See I am not for de-nuclearising or reducing the existing stocks. I just want an arsenal of about 500 high yield, miniaturised nukes with the associated ICBMs and SLBMs. But too much of anything is not useful and that too nukes.We need to think for ourselves, for our credible deterrence, not for measuring the weany with anyone.
 

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Chasma was grandfathered. Others proliferated by China. Khushab is the key to Pak ramping up it's nuke arsenal.
 

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