United Kingdom and weapons of mass destruction
| United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland | |
|---|---|
| Nuclear program start date | 10 April 1940 |
| First nuclear weapon test | 3 October 1952 |
| First thermonuclear weapon test | 15 May 1957 |
| Last nuclear test | 26 November 1991 |
| Largest yield test | 3 Mt (13 PJ) (28 April 1958) |
| Total tests | 45 detonations |
| Peak stockpile | 520 warheads (1970s) |
| Current stockpile | 225 method of delivery (Trident II SLBM) |
| Maximum missile range | 13,000 km (7,000 nmi or 8,100 mi) (UGM-133 Trident II) |
| NPT party | Yes (1968, one of five recognised powers) |
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| Nuclear weapons |
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| Background |
| Nuclear-armed states |
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The United Kingdom possesses, or has possessed, a variety of weapons of mass destruction, including nuclear, biological, and chemical weapons. The United Kingdom is one of the five official nuclear weapon states under the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons. The UK renounced the use of chemical and biological weapons in 1956 and subsequently destroyed its general stocks.