Fact Sheet
Verification Regime of the New START Treaty
Through the Treaty’s verification regime, which includes short-notice, on-site inspections at New START Treaty-related bases and facilities, the United States is able to verify information about the strategic nuclear arsenal of the Russian Federation. The verification regime provides both countries insight into each other’s strategic nuclear delivery systems, warheads, and facilities.
Since entry into force of the New START Treaty on February 5, 2011, the United States and the Russian Federation have:
- Sent and received more than 14,600 notifications related to the location, movement, and disposition of strategic offensive arms through the their respective Nuclear Risk Reduction Centers;
- Performed 14 data exchanges with a full accounting of the status and makeup of strategic nuclear weapons systems, giving each side a comprehensive look into each other’s strategic nuclear force structure every six months;
- Conducted 252 on-site inspections;
- Completed 14 exhibitions to demonstrate distinguishing features and technical characteristics of new types of strategic offensive arms, or to demonstrate the results of the conversion of a strategic offensive arm to be incapable of employing ICBMs, SLBMs, or nuclear armaments; and
- Convened 14 meetings of the Treaty’s Bilateral Consultative Commission (twice each Treaty year) to discuss issues related to implementation, with no interruption to the Parties’ work during global crises causing friction elsewhere in the bilateral relationship.
Modernization of the U.S. Nuclear Deterrent
Strong, safe, and effective U.S. nuclear forces underwrite effective deterrence and protect the United States, allies, and partners, and promote strategic stability. The transparency and predictability provided by the New START Treaty support these objectives and provide the United States the flexibility to modernize the U.S. nuclear deterrent. As reaffirmed in the recently released U.S. Nuclear Posture Review, the Administration will continue to work with Congress to ensure full funding for the sustainment and modernization of all three legs of the nuclear Triad and U.S. non-strategic nuclear forces.
U.S. Force Structure under the New START Treaty
U.S. strategic nuclear forces have been at or below the New START Treaty’s central limits since August 2017, as indicated in the September 1, 2017 data exchange presented below. Updated numbers as of February 5, 2018 will be released following the next Treaty-required data exchange.
- 660 deployed Minuteman-III ICBMs, Trident-II SLBMs, and B-2A and B-52H heavy bombers;
- 1393 warheads on deployed ICBMs and SLBMs and counted for deployed heavy bombers; and,
- 800 deployed and non-deployed launchers of ICBMs and SLBMs, and heavy bombers.
For further information on the New START Treaty, please visit https://www.state.gov/t/avc/newstart/index.htm.