Pakistan 'expanding nuclear arsenal to deter US attack'

[Blackwater]

Pakistan is expanding its nuclear arsenal to deter an American attack on its status as an atomic power, according to India's former foreign secretary.

Asia's triangular arms race has traditionally reflected the rivalries between India and China and India and Pakistan, but according to an influential former adviser to Manmohan Singh, the Indian prime minister, Pakistan now regards the United States as a potential threat.

In an article for The Hindu newspaper, Shyam Saran said Islamabad had invested in a new generation of plutonium-based warheads, increased the size range of its arsenal, and improved the accuracy of its missiles.

Washington has voiced its concerns over the build-up in the region but believes it reflects Pakistan's long-standing fear of arch rival India's conventional force superiority.

But according to Mr Saran, Islamabad's burgeoning nuclear arsenal is increasingly aimed at deterring its fractious ally in the war on terror, the United States. Its fear that Washington may strike to wipe out Pakistan's nuclear capability dates back to just after the 9/11 attacks when then President Musharraf said it had been warned to support the war on terror or face being "bombed back to the stone age."

Despite his acquiescence, relations between the two countries have been strained ever since and reached their lowest point following the 2011 special forces raid which killed Osama bin Laden at his home in the centre of Pakistan's main garrison town Abbotabad.



"While the immediate threat to its strategic assets passed, Pakistan's suspicions of US intentions in this regard have now risen to the level of paranoia," Mr Saran said.

His comments follow the latest in a series of missile tests last week when the Pakistan Army confirmed it had fired a nuclear-capable Hatf-V medium range missile capable of hitting Indian cities as far east as Bangalore.

Lieutenant-General Talat Masood, a retired senior Pakistan Army commander and nuclear expert, said Mr Saran's claims had some truth in them. "I would not say it [Pakistan's growing nuclear capability] was meant to counter America – that would be suicidal. But there has always been a fear in Pakistan's strategic community and government, in the recent past, a feeling that America is unfavourably inclined towards our nuclear programme and if things got worse it could neutralise our nuclear weapons capability, go after them," he said.

The Stockholm International Peace Research Institute voiced its concerns about the nuclear weapon build-up earlier this year after India developed a nuclear submarine and Pakistan unveiled a series of short range missiles.

Pakistan is believed to have more nuclear warheads than India – 110 to 100 – and Washington remains concerned about the security of its nuclear bases.



Pakistan 'expanding nuclear arsenal to deter US attack' - Telegraph

 

[Blackwater]

pakistan digging its own grave

 

[Apollyon]

Uranium Fuel Constraints for Pakistan's Nuclear Weapon Complex

Tamara Patton, December 2012

As construction on a fourth reactor at Pakistan's weapons-grade plutonium production complex at Khushab continues apace, an important question is where the government plans to get the uranium needed to fuel its growing fleet of reactors.

The answer cannot be 'Pakistan' for much longer, at least not without severe difficulties. Pakistan is not a signatory to the Nonproliferation Treaty, which complicates the import of uranium. Pakistan has been able to secure Chinese LEU fuel assemblies for the Chasma Nuclear Power plants and a limited stock of safeguarded natural uranium fuel assemblies for the Karachi Nuclear Power Plant (KANUPP). However, as Canada stopped supplying Pakistan with fuel assemblies for KANUPP in 1976, this stock is most likely gone by now, causing KANUPP to rely on domestic stocks of uranium in recent decades. The weapons program, including military HEU production and fabrication of fuel for the reactors at Khushab, must also rely on domestic production. Pakistan's Bagalchore mine was reportedly exhausted and closed by 2000, so uranium resources now only come from the Qabul Khel mine (opened in 1992), the Nanganai deposit (1996), and Taunsa deposits (2002), all using in situ leaching. Current domestic production estimates from these sources stand at 40 tons of uranium per year.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Using these estimates, the table here shows how the completed four reactors at Khushab would operate at around a total of 200 MWt at 70 percent efficiency, which translates to a requirement of as much as ~70 tons of uranium per year. (but the production capacity is only ~ 40 tons)
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

I estimate that the four reactors at Khushab could eventually produce between 60-70 kg of plutonium per year – enough for 10-20 warheads per year, depending on how plutonium is used in each warhead. This is a significant capacity, and the quick pace of construction at Khushab is one indicator that Pakistan's resources may be gravitating to this site. Nevertheless, it's too soon to rule out the continued production of uranium-based weapons in the future.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

More in the Link : But where will Pakistan turn for more uranium if needed? (interesting read)
Link : Jeffrey Lewis • Patton on Pakistan's U Supply

 

[arya]

good at least usa can say they are doing right

 

[farhan_9909]

indian delusions that USA will attack Pakistan


height of obssesion with PAKISTAN

 

[roma]

indian delusions that USA will attack Pakistan height of obssesion with PAKISTAN

strange logic your pak establishment has ......fear usa attack so build more short range missiles to attack india ?

 

[Blackwater]

indian delusions that USA will attack Pakistan


height of obssesion with PAKISTAN

'

dil dil pakistan jaan jaan pakistan ,jive jive pakistan

yeah kaisa tha bhai???

 

[LETHALFORCE]

Does Pakistan really feel they have the nuclear capability to deter USA??

 

[farhan_9909]

'

dil dil pakistan jaan jaan pakistan ,jive jive pakistan

yeah kaisa tha bhai???

bohot khoob

 

[farhan_9909]

Does Pakistan really feel they have the nuclear capability to deter USA??

yes if we got hands on ICBM with MIRV

though at present USA is nt in a position to even attack uganda

 

[JBH22]

No idea if Pakistan is churning those nuclear bombs for USA but its definitely for INDIA as to the "ability" to deter USA well they are already killing -----s in tribal areas.

 

[LETHALFORCE]

yes if we got hands on ICBM with MIRV

though at present USA is nt in a position to even attack uganda

Just to clear any delusions Pakistan does not have an ICBM or MIRV or a missile
flying beyond 2,000km or nuclear warhead capability beyond 20 kilotons.
One OHIO sub alone can destroy Pakistan.

 

[Iamanidiot]

The Pakistani government are on their way to get anal raped by the US

 

[Yusuf]

yes if we got hands on ICBM with MIRV

though at present USA is nt in a position to even attack uganda

Mein rou ya hasoon, karu mein kya karu!

 

[farhan_9909]

Just to clear any delusions Pakistan does not have an ICBM or MIRV or a missile
flying beyond 2,000km or nuclear warhead capability beyond 20 kilotons.
One OHIO sub alone can destroy Pakistan.

Pakistani engineers, with help from the Chinese, are also said to be in the advance stages of developing MIRV technology for its missiles. This would allow the military to fit several warheads on the same ballistic missile and then launch them at separate targets.

BBC News - Pakistan's growing nuclear programme

beyond just 2,000km?
really?

SHaheen II most latest range was 3000km

since than all the projects are kept highly classified

kpc-3 nuclear sub in close future(5-8)years will be enough to deter any action USA has even thought of

 

[LETHALFORCE]

@farhan

Stop the BS. Pakistan has no nuclear submarines or delivery platforms more
delusions.

 

[farhan_9909]

Just to clear any delusions Pakistan does not have an ICBM or MIRV or a missile
flying beyond 2,000km or nuclear warhead capability beyond 20 kilotons.
One OHIO sub alone can destroy Pakistan.

the small Raa'd can take up a warhead upto 35kt

Thanks to Dr munir we are now moving toward megaton warheads

 

[LETHALFORCE]

@Farhan

provide a link for your claims. From 1998 nuclear test US concluded
Pakistan does not have 5 kiloton capability.

 

[farhan_9909]

@farhan

Stop the BS. Pakistan has no nuclear submarines or delivery platforms more
delusions.

Source of MIRV is BBC

Source of 3000km range shaheen II test is missile threat.com

 

[LETHALFORCE]

@farhan

Shaheen is not MIRV and 3,000k is not enough to reach USA.