The US Air Force's nuclear-capable next-generation stealth bomber, built by Northrop Grumman, accelerating toward 2027 fielding as the most on-schedule leg of US nuclear modernization.
The 2010 US-Russia strategic-arms treaty that capped deployed warheads at 1,550 and ran an on-site inspection regime until its lapse in February 2026, ending 50 years of bilateral nuclear limits.
The spread of nuclear weapons beyond the five original powers, now covering nine states and 12,187 warheads globally, and the defining fault line of post-Cold War security diplomacy.
The US Air Force's replacement for the 50-year-old Minuteman III ICBM, awarded to Northrop Grumman in 2020 and now 81% over budget at US$141 billion.
An operational test pilot flew the stealth bomber in June 2026 as the Air Force accelerates toward 2027 fielding at Ellsworth
Reuters finds 80+ launch pads, bunkers and octagon command sites near the Hami ICBM silos
Moscow could upload hundreds of warheads but, four months on, shows no large-scale breakout
A US deal could permit Saudi enrichment while a new defence pact with Pakistan reopens old proliferation fears
The last treaty capping the two largest arsenals expired 5 February 2026 with no successor and no inspections
America's $141B Minuteman replacement targets a first test launch in 2027, years late, with new-build silos driving the overrun