kristensen.jpg

Hans M. Kristensen

Kristensen is the director of the Nuclear Information Project with the Federation of American Scientists (FAS) in Washington, DC. His work focuses on researching and writing about the status of nuclear weapons and the policies that direct them. Kristensen is a co-author to the world nuclear forces overview in the SIPRI Yearbook (Oxford University Press) and a frequent adviser to the news media on nuclear weapons policy and operations. He has co-authored Nuclear Notebook since 2001.

Subscribe

Articles by Hans M. Kristensen

1 September 2013
Nuclear notebook

Global nuclear weapons inventories, 1945-2013

Hans M. KristensenRobert S. Norris

The authors calculate that some 125,000 nuclear warheads have been built since 1945, about 97 percent of them by the United States and the Soviet Union and Russia.

1 July 2013
Europe/Russia
Nuclear notebook

The British nuclear stockpile, 1953–2013

Robert S. NorrisHans M. Kristensen

Recent research has revealed new facts about the British nuclear arsenal over a 25-year period starting in 1953. This accounting and the authors’ own research support an estimate that the British produced about 1,250 nuclear warheads between 1953 and 2013.

Explain This
19 June 2013
Nuclear Weapons
AmericasEurope/Russia

De-alerting nuclear forces

Hans M. KristensenMatthew McKinzie

The practice of keeping nuclear weapons on alert evolved during the Cold War, as the United States and the Soviet Union deployed fully-armed nuclear weapons that could strike the adversary before it could retaliate. 

1 May 2013
Nuclear notebook

Russian nuclear forces, 2013

Hans M. KristensenRobert S. Norris

Russia is in the middle of modernizing its nuclear forces, replacing Soviet-era ballistic missiles with fewer improved missiles. In a decade, almost all Soviet-era weapons will be gone, leaving a smaller but still effective force that will be more mobile than what it replaced.

1 March 2013
Nuclear notebook

US nuclear forces, 2013

Hans M. KristensenRobert S. Norris

As of early 2013, the United States has continued to reduce its nuclear stockpile, and retirement alone has accounted for a dip of over 250 warheads since last year. Of the total stockpile of approximately 4,650 warheads, an estimated 2,150 warheads are deployed.

1 November 2012
Nuclear notebook

The Cuban Missile Crisis: A nuclear order of battle, October and November 1962

Hans M. KristensenRobert S. Norris

This year marks the 50th anniversary of the Cuban Missile Crisis, when the United States and the Soviet Union walked back from the brink of a nuclear war.

1 September 2012
Nuclear notebook

Nonstrategic nuclear weapons, 2012

Hans M. KristensenRobert S. Norris

In this Nuclear Notebook, the authors write about nonstrategic nuclear weapons—starting with the difficulty of finding a universal definition for them. Although the United States and Russia have reduced their nonstrategic stockpiles, significant inventories remain.

1 July 2012
Nuclear notebook

Indian nuclear forces, 2012

Hans M. KristensenRobert S. Norris

In April 2012, India successfully test-launched the Agni V ballistic missile—and though the missile needs more testing and is still several years away from operational deployment, the Agni V introduces a new dynamic to the already complex triangular security relationship among India, Pakistan, a

1 May 2012
Nuclear notebook

US nuclear forces, 2012

Hans M. KristensenRobert S. Norris

As of early 2012, the United States maintained an estimated 2,150 operational warheads. The arsenal is composed of roughly 1,950 strategic warheads deployed on 798 strategic delivery vehicles, as well as nearly 200 nonstrategic warheads deployed in Europe.

1 March 2012
Nuclear notebook

Russian nuclear forces, 2012

Hans M. KristensenRobert S. Norris

Despite the promise of a more transparent future after Russia's ratification of New START in January 2011, the international community’s ability to monitor developments in Russia’s nuclear forces has become more difficult because the Kremlin does not release full aggregate treaty numbers of the

Pages