What are the Primary Delivery Methods for Nuclear Weapons?
Nuclear weapons are probably the most destructive weapons the world has ever seen. They are powerful enough to give any side a decisive advantage if used in sufficient numbers and with diverse enough delivery methods. Because of this, nuclear states — the United States, Russia, China, France, the UK, India, Pakistian, and Israel — are reluctant to give them up. If nuclear war did break out, what delivery methods would be used? A macabre question, but worth considering for the geopolitical implications. There are four primary delivery options available for nuclear weapons, each with its own advantages and disadvantages. The most obvious is mounted on a missile. All the nuclear states possess at least intermediate-range ballistic missiles (3,300 – 5,500 km range), and most of them have intercontinental ballistic missiles (greater than 5,500 km range). These missiles would be fired either from military bases or submarines. Submarines offer the most lethal attack option, as they are high
