How Much Does the US Spend on Nuclear Weapons?
The United States is one of the world’s leading nuclear powers, with a stockpile of over 3,800 nuclear warheads. Despite the decline in the number of nuclear weapons worldwide, the US remains committed to maintaining a strong nuclear deterrent. But at what cost?
Current Spending
The US government spends a significant amount of money on nuclear weapons each year. According to the Federation of American Scientists, the total spending on nuclear weapons in the 2020 fiscal year was $52.4 billion. This includes:
- $23.6 billion for the National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA), which is responsible for maintaining and modernizing the US nuclear stockpile.
- $14.4 billion for the Department of Defense (DoD), which is responsible for the military’s nuclear weapons and related programs.
- $4.4 billion for the Department of Energy (DoE), which is responsible for the nuclear weapons complex and related programs.
Historical Spending
The US has a long history of spending significant amounts of money on nuclear weapons. According to a report by the Congressional Research Service, the total spending on nuclear weapons from 1945 to 2019 was $5.8 trillion. This includes:
- $2.1 trillion for the development and production of nuclear weapons.
- $1.4 trillion for the maintenance and modernization of nuclear weapons.
- $1.3 trillion for the nuclear weapons complex and related programs.
- $1.0 trillion for nuclear weapons research and development.
Breakdown of Spending
Here is a breakdown of the US spending on nuclear weapons by category:
| Category | 2020 Spending (Billions) | 2019 Spending (Billions) | 2018 Spending (Billions) |
|---|---|---|---|
| National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA) | 23.6 | 22.6 | 21.6 |
| Department of Defense (DoD) | 14.4 | 13.4 | 12.4 |
| Department of Energy (DoE) | 4.4 | 4.3 | 4.2 |
| Research and Development | 2.2 | 2.1 | 2.0 |
| Maintenance and Modernization | 10.8 | 10.3 | 9.8 |
| Nuclear Weapons Complex | 2.2 | 2.1 | 2.0 |
| Other | 1.4 | 1.3 | 1.2 |
Comparison to Other Countries
The US spends significantly more on nuclear weapons than other countries. According to a report by the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI), the US accounted for 43% of the world’s total nuclear weapons spending in 2020. The next closest country was China, which accounted for 10% of the world’s total nuclear weapons spending.
Conclusion
The US spends a significant amount of money on nuclear weapons each year, with a total spending of $52.4 billion in the 2020 fiscal year. This includes spending on the National Nuclear Security Administration, the Department of Defense, the Department of Energy, and research and development. The US has a long history of spending significant amounts of money on nuclear weapons, with a total spending of $5.8 trillion from 1945 to 2019.
