saregamapa

Pakistan has 70-90 nuclear warheads

By Hans M. Kristensen

Pakistan’s nuclear weapons stockpile now includes an estimated 70-90 nuclear warheads, according to the latest Nuclear Notebook published in the Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists. The estimate is an increase compared with the previous estimate of approximately 60 warheads due to Pakistan’s pending introduction of a new ballistic missile and cruise missiles.
The increase in the warhead estimate does not mean Pakistan is thought to be sprinting ahead of India, which is also increasing its stockpile.
Modernizations
The nuclear-capable Shaheen-II medium-range ballistic missile appears to be approaching operational deployment after long preparation. The Army test-launched two missiles within three days in April 2008, and the U.S. Air Force National Air and Space Intelligence Center (NASIC) reported in June 2009 that the weapon “probably will soon be deployed.”


Two types of nuclear-capable cruise missiles are also under development; the ground-launched Barbur and the air-launched Ra-ad. The development of cruise missiles with nuclear capability is interesting because it suggests that Pakistan’s nuclear weapons designers have been successful in building smaller and lighter plutonium warheads.

Warhead Security Concerns
An article published in the July issue of the CTC Sentinel news letter of the Combating Terrorism Center at the U.S. Military Academy at West Point gained widespread attention for describing terrorist attacks against three of Pakistan’s rumored nuclear weapons facilities: Wah Ordnance Facility, Kamra Air Base, and Sargodha Weapons Storage Facility. Although the incidents had been reported before, the article triggered the predictable rejection from a Pakistani military spokesman but with the additional claim that neither facility stored nuclear weapons. “These are nowhere close to any nuclear facility,” he said. Yet the official would most likely not disclose the location of the nuclear weapons, even if he knew where they were.

Pakistani Nuclear Forces 2009 « FAS Strategic Security Blog

While the CTC Sentinel article says “most” of Pakistan’s nuclear sites might be close to or even within terrorist dominated areas, senior U.S. officials said the weapons were secure and mostly located south of Islamabad.

Regardless of the actual location of the weapons, there have, of course, been many more terrorists attacks against other facilities that have nothing to do with Pakistan’s nuclear weapons program, and so far no pattern has emerged in public of a concerted terrorist effort against nuclear sites – much less an attempt to steel nuclear weapons. A U.S. intelligence official commented to the New York Times that it was unclear whether the attackers knew what the facilities contained. “If they were after something specific, or were truly seeking entry, you’d think they might use a different tactic, one that’s been employed elsewhere – such as a bomb followed by a small-arms assault.”
Pakistani and U.S. statements about the Pakistani nuclear arsenal, and the basis for our estimate, are included in the Nuclear Notebook.

saregamapa

Terrorist threat to Pakistan' nuclear weapons

http://www.ctc.usma.edu/sentinel/CTC...l-Vol2Iss7.pdf

Aliph Ahmed

The biggest threat to Pakistani nukes are the terrorists guided by the Indian consulates in Afghanistan, trained, bankrolled and instructed by India to cause destruction to Pakistani nuclear installations.

saregamapa

India Infatuation. Pakistan has got 10 billion dollars as aid from US and it used to by weapons against India.


There are signs that Pakistan is walking the same path of stretched truth and deception that has been its core foreign policy strategy in the past. According to a report published in the New York Times, the United States is accusing Pakistan of illegally modifying American-made missiles to expand its capability to strike land targets. Many assume the ultimate target of this modification to be India, the arch rival of Pakistan since 1947.

Saad Khan: Pakistan's India Infatuation

The U.S sold Harpoon antiship missiles to Pakistan during the peak of the Cold War in mid 1980s. The Reagan administration also announced a $3.2 billion aid package to Pakistan at the time to counter Russian forces in Afghanistan. It is believed that a major chunk of that aid was spent on Pakistan's nuclear program.


The U.S has also accused Pakistan of modifying PC-3 aircraft for land-attack missions. Both of these allegations, if true, are a violation of the Arms Control Export Act. (The U.S provided 165 Harpoon missiles to Pakistan during the period from 1985 to 1988.)


The Harpoon antiship missiles are used in conventional warfare and cannot be modified easily. Robert Hewson, a weapons expert, told the Times that Harpoon missiles lack the necessary features to be modified into a modern weapon. He, however, did not give any opinion on the modification of PC-3 aircraft. These aircraft are relatively new and can be modified with the right technology. Pakistani military engineers, with strong technical support from China, might have carried out some alterations to the aircraft.


Pakistanis are also asking for the transfer of Predator Drone technology. These aircraft have proved to be successful in surveillance and attacks against the Taliban and al-Qaeda leadership in Pakistan's mountainous tribal areas.
Even if the allegations are false, Pakistan is certainly amassing weapons of mass destruction. The decades old animosity with India -- despite the recent dialog process -- remains a major issue. Pakistani intelligence authorities were believed to be behind the deadly attacks in Mumbai. The Pakistani spy agency (ISI) is also accused of fueling anti-state elements in the disputed territory of Kashmir.


Pakistan's nuclear program, despite international concerns, is growing at alarming speed. Uranium enrichment and weapons development progresses at multiple sites located near the Indian border. The Pakistani army is facing a grave internal threat of Taliban but it still considers India to be its biggest enemy.


The Obama administration, on the other hand, is following a softer approach towards Pakistan. A $7.5 billion aid package awaits Congressional approval. This aid is in addition to more than $230 million donated for the internally displaced persons of the Swat valley. Richard Holbrooke, the U.S attaché for Afghanistan and Pakistan, asked for donations from the European and Islamic countries but no one came for help. The displaced persons are now returning home and Americans aid agencies are helping them to rebuild their lives.
The case of Pakistan is really a complex one. The U.S has already 'donated' over $10 billion to the previous Musharraf regime, which apparently spent that money buying weapons for a future war against India. Some of the money was pocketed by the corrupt Pakistani officials as well, due to the fact that officials did not provide any account of even a single cent to the U.S authorities.


Given this history, the Obama administration plans to appoint special auditors to monitor the disbursement of U.S aid. This would at least ensure an honest spending on education and health, as promised by President Obama. The Obama administration also needs to put pressure on Pakistan to end anything that could be seen as saber rattling in the region. India is not a threat to Pakistan, Islamic militancy is. If its leaders are still not able to overcome their 'infatuation' with India, then it could prove disastrous for regional stability.

Aliph Ahmed

^^^^^

You dont even have your facts right. Out of those $ 10 billion, $ 7 billion was Pakistani money that was recievable for the services and logistics provided to USA. Out of the remaining $3 billion, half was ear marked for Military over 5 years. Pakistani army only got $500 million which is peanuts.

Having said that, It seems that the Indians in particular are unable to accept that Pakistan has mastered the back end of the nuclear fuel cycle and most importantly is now building indigenous nuclear reactors, which is more challenging than producing an atomic bomb. It is logical for any country that can produce an indigenous plutonium production reactor to be able to produce a heavy water and tritium plant, a metal fuel plant, high-tech design, engineering, manufacturing, simulating, coimputing, and fabrication facilities and an indigenous infrastructure that goes into the making of fuel cycle facilities. Expansion signifies Pakistan's confidence in the quality and reliability of its manpower and infrastructure, and points in the direction of what Pakistan can achieve in terms of becoming a first-class nuclear power.

From a strategic view point, the Indians are now realizing that Pakistan has developed and matured its capability to develop nuclear and perhaps thermonuclear warheads (using Pu-Tritium combination) that can be delivered by ballisitic and cruise missiles, which they cannot intercept. If we are able to develop some MIRV capability, then no one will dare to doubt Pakistan's ability to strike back and will learn to behave and not act like a bull in a china shop.........M Ahmed.

hanibal

^^ whom u r talking facts with???

So what if Pakistan have this many nuclear war-heads? why Indians are wetting their pants?

Aliph Ahmed

Because the Indians dont have a reliable working nuclear bomb.

mo293

This is all speculations, no one knows about quantity & quality of Pakistan nukes.. Its a state secret.

5Abi

^^ but ofcourse

Arleitter

Nuclear weapons are good for nothing...

Aliph Ahmed

Get your facts rights.

India has the fissile material for 200 bombs but not 200 bombs. She cant close eyes and keep on building bombs based on an unreliable design. I Hope they are as dumb as you say but I doubt it. Right now, they cant and shouldnt be building more unless the problems with the bomb design are rectified and verified through another round of testing.

Prithvis cant deliver nuclear bombs.

Agni takes couple of hours before it can fly and that too with an unreliable bomb? Good luck.

Indian nuclear submarine is with out a reactor. I will take atleast 10 years for it to go critical and all the faults removed as they will surface with time. It also do not have a lot of subystems. at the moment. It is just a shell based on Russian submarine design. Why do you think there are no pictures?

There are numerous reported nuclear material thefts in India. Chances are more likely that terrorists will exploit a nuclear bomb based on uranium/plutonium stolen or bought off Indian reactors.

Med911

lol... Apparently those werent even succesful tests...

And regardless, Pakistan only needs a handfull to take India out
Nuke sub or no Nuke sub...

And dont worry, Pakisan will always be around, regardless of how much you Indians may wish the contrary.

One thing is fairly certain, Pakistan certainly has better quality then Indians.. Your numbers arent worth squat when you can hardly shoot straight.

iShaz

So why is India government and Indian around the world are wetting themself about Pak Nukes? Since you are an Indian you might have any idea..no? Please tell us.

http://in.reuters.com/article/southA...39973920090529

NEW DELHI (Reuters) - The world must put pressure on Pakistan to restrict its nuclear capabilities, India's army chief said on Friday, adding that reports of Pakistan stockpiling nuclear arsenal was a matter of serious concern.
The New York Times last week reported U.S. lawmakers were told in confidential briefings that Pakistan was rapidly adding to its nuclear capability, stoking fears in Congress about the diversion of U.S. funds.

___________
Why is your COAS worried about Pak nukes?


And as for the Original post, i have been hearing these news since past 3 yrs that pak has 70-90 nukes etc. But to be honest no one knows how many nukes pak has.....these are all just reports without any valid source. I am pretty much sure Pak has 100+ nukes and rightly so !

Arleitter

^We are not worried about Pak arsenals.Becuase we know that they will be good for nothing,just like it happened in every conflict.

Arleitter

Great to see how Arihant is making you scared and tremble.

Pakistan has better quality than India?Where? In video game wars?????????

Punjabee in USA

You hit the nail on the head, yaar

ehsan

No wonder your army sat on the border for a whole year and than beat a retreat with their tails between their legs. Before that in 1965 you attacked Lahore and I used to live only 14 miles from the border, the awesome Indian army couldn't even come near to my house and they were dreaming of having tea in Lahore gymkhana.

Becharay Indian generals:

Hazaron khawhishein aisee kay hur khawahish per dum niklay.

COLD_FIRE

I wonder what are u guys worried for... if not entirely about Pakistan.

U guys just ridicule urself. Best wishes.

Aliph Ahmed

DId you know the Indians amassed 500,000+ troops on the Indo Pak border and went back with 800+ dead Indians without firing a single shot?

Are we allowed to have piegon talk as being witnessed by the Indian members high on curry on this forum?

mo293

You got him there bud and right on!!, here is an excerpt from Indian new media.

By Sanjeev Miglani
NEW DELHI (Reuters) - Nearly five years after India and Pakistan became nuclear powers, New Delhi is finally coming to terms with what that status means -- the threat of a Pakistani first strike has neutralized its conventional superiority. Analysts say last year's inconclusive military standoff between the neighbors highlighted what many had feared when the two conducted tit-for-tat nuclear tests in 1998, that India would no longer dare go to war with Pakistan.