By Mu Sheng
穆昇
The Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI), a Swedish think tank, released a report on June 16 showing that the global spending on nuclear weapons kept rising in 2023, with the US spending USD 51.5 billion in total, more than the combined nuclear spending of other nuclear states.
6月16日，瑞典智库斯德哥尔摩国际和平研究所发布报告称，2023年度全球核武器支出持续走高，美国年度总支出达515亿美元，高于其他拥核国家核武器支出总和。
More real-combat deployments
实战部署数量增加
According to the report, the past five years saw a 33% increase in nuclear arsenal expenditure by all nuclear states in the world. In 2023, the world's total nuclear spending reached USD 91.4 billion, an increase of USD 10.8 billion or 13.4% from 2022. Among that, the US registered the largest increase of 17.8%, and the money was mainly used to upgrade ballistic missiles and nuclear submarines, and for other programs. The UK followed closely with a 17.1% increase.
报告称，过去5年，全球拥核国家在核武库建设方面支出增加33%。2023年，全球核武器支出总额达914亿美元，较2022年度增加108亿美元，增长13.4%。其中，美国是增长最多的国家，增长17.8%，主要支出用于推进弹道导弹升级、核潜艇更新换代等项目。紧随其后的是英国，增长17.1%。
Statistics show that as of January this year, there were a total of 12,121 nuclear warheads around the world, 391 less than the same period last year. As nuclear weapons stocked up during the Cold War are gradually decommissioned and dismantled, the total number of nuclear warheads has kept falling, but the number of combat warheads has increased year by year.
据统计，截至今年1月，全球核弹头总数12121枚，比去年同期减少391枚。随着冷战时期的核武器逐步退役并拆除，全球核弹头总数持续下降，但作战用的核弹头数量逐年增加。
At present, the US has deployed 1,770 nuclear warheads and stored 1,938 ones, with another 1,336 decommissioned but not dismantled yet. Russia has 1,710 warheads in deployment, 2,670 in store, and 1,200 decommissioned but not dismantled. France has deployed 280 of its 290 nuclear warheads, while the UK has deployed 120 of its 225 nuclear warheads.
目前，美国有1770枚核弹头处于部署状态、1938枚处于储存状态，还有1336枚已退役但尚未拆除。俄罗斯有1710枚核弹头处于部署状态、2670枚处于储存状态，及1200枚退役但尚未拆除。法国拥有290枚核弹头，其中280枚处于部署状态。英国拥有225枚核弹头，处于部署状态的为120枚。
The US' mounting nuclear spending
美国不断加大投入
The US has sped up its nuclear weapons' buildup in recent years. The US National Nuclear Security Administration(NNSA) delivered more than 200 revamped nuclear warheads in 2023 to the US military, and the country plans to largely enhance its manufacturing capacity of new types of nuclear warheads from the current 10 per year to 80 per year. Moreover, the US has a backlog of over USD 300 billion worth of nuclear weapon contracts, some of which will last for another 10 years, meaning the US' nuclear spending will continue to rise.
近年来，美国不断加快核武器建设。美国国家核安全管理局在2023年，向美军交付超过200枚翻新核弹头。美国还计划大幅提升新型核弹头的生产制造能力，将其生产数量从现在的每年10枚提升至每年80枚。此外，美国有超过3000亿美元的未完成核武器合同，其中一些合同将持续到未来10年，这意味着美国的核武器支出还将持续上涨。
According to news from the US Department of Defense, the US military will deploy the new B61-12 and B61-13 tactical nuclear bombs to replace the old ones currently in service. The new nuclear bombs can be delivered by bombers as well as fighter jets like F-35 and F-15EX. In particular, the B61-13 can generate about 360,000 tons of destructive forces, 24 times as destructive as the nuclear bomb dropped in Hiroshima in 1945.
美国国防部称，美军将部署新型B61-12和B61-13战术核弹，以替换现役的老式核弹。新型核弹不仅可用轰炸机投送，还可以用F-35、F-15EX等战斗机投送。其中，B61-13战术核弹可产生约36万吨的破坏力，是1945年广岛原子弹爆炸当量的24倍。
The day before the release of the report, NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg said NATO was discussing the feasibility of putting more nuclear weapons in war-readiness. According to him, the US is modernizing its nuclear warheads in Europe and Europe is upgrading its aircraft performing NATO's nuclear missions. It is said that the US has deployed about 100 B61 tactical nuclear bombs in countries like Belgium, Germany, Italy, and the Netherlands.
在报告发布的前一天，北约秘书长斯托尔滕贝格称，北约正在探讨使更多核武器处于战备状态。他表示，美国正在对其位于欧洲的核弹头进行现代化改造，欧洲也在对负责执行北约核任务的飞机进行升级。据称，美国在比利时、德国、意大利和荷兰等国部署有约100枚B61战术核弹。
According to the analysis, despite its largest number of deployed nuclear warheads, the US is still spending a huge amount of money on upgrading its existing nuclear warheads and carrier platforms, enhancing nuclear sharing, and extending its deterrence, which will elevate the risk of a nuclear war and pose more threats to global strategic stability.
分析认为，美国拥有部署状态的核弹头数量居世界之首，仍斥巨资对现有核弹头和运载平台进行全面更新，并强化核共享和延伸威慑，相关做法将抬高核战争风险，不利于全球战略稳定。
