New START Treaty

In News

  • Recently, the U.S. accused Russia of not complying with the New START treaty.

New Start treaty

  • About
    • The New START treaty is formally known as the Measures for the Further Reduction and Limitation of Strategic Offensive Arms.
  • The term ‘strategic offensive arms’ applies to nuclear warheads deployed by Strategic Nuclear Delivery Vehicles (‘SNDVs’).
  • SNDVs are Inter-Continental Ballistic Missiles (‘ICBMs’) with a range exceeding 5,500 kilometres, strategic bombers, warships (including strategic submarines ) and cruise missiles, including air and sea-launched cruise missiles.
  • It is the last remaining arms control treaty between the world’s two main nuclear powers, US and Russia.
  • It is one of the key controls on the superpower deployment of nuclear weapons.
  • Signed by: Barack Obama in 2010 and extended by Joe Biden till 2026.
    • It took effect in February 2011.
    • The treaty will remain in force till 4 February, 2026.
  • Structure:
    • It restricts both countries to a maximum of 1,550 deployed strategic nuclear warheads each and limits launchers and heavy bombers to 800.
    • It also outlines mutual inspections and regular data exchanges on warheads and delivery mechanisms.
    • It includes an agreement to notify each other about the status of some ballistic missiles.
  • Background:
    • It is a successor to the START framework of 1991 (at the end of the Cold War) that limited both sides to 1,600 strategic delivery vehicles and 6,000 warheads.

Source:HT