Though the US maintains an edge in global military force, it continues to face threats from not only member states of the Treaty on the Nonproliferation of Nuclear Weapons, like China and Russi, but also non-members such as North Korea which is developing its own arsenal.
In its latest index of US military strength, the Heritage Foundation assessed threats to US interests.
While Russia and China remain “most worrisome” given their ongoing modernization of their respective arsenals and defiant behavior in the region, North Korea warrants “sustained attention” due to its evolving nuclear capabilities, including a program to develop a submarine-launched ballistic missile, the think tank said.
Across the globe, at least 3,582 nuclear warheads are estimated to be in possession of states, with the US topping the list with 1,797.
Russia followed with 1,582, while France and China are thought to have 290 and 250, respectively. North Korea is presumed to have a nuclear arsenal of 8 warheads.
