How Many Nukes Does China Have?
How many nuclear warheads China holds, what carries them, and its test and treaty record, as of early 2026. Two independent counts (FAS and SIPRI) are shown side by side, every figure cited.
China has an estimated 620 nuclear warheads as of early 2026 (FAS). 34 are deployed on strategic launchers, and 620 are in the military stockpile. SIPRI’s January 2026 count matches.[1, 2]
Warhead count
FAS and SIPRI are compiled by the same analysts and agree on the totals; they split the categories slightly differently. Retired warheads are awaiting dismantlement and are not part of the reserve.
FAS (beginning of 2026 (FAS page updated 2026-06-09))
| Deployed (strategic) | 34 |
|---|---|
| Reserve / nondeployed | 586 |
| Military stockpile | 620 |
| Total inventory | 620 |
SIPRI (January 2026 (SIPRI Yearbook 2026, Table 8A.1))
| Deployed | 34 |
|---|---|
| Stored (nondeployed) | 586 |
| Military stockpile | 620 |
| Retired, awaiting dismantlement | – |
| Total inventory | 620 |
Terms: deployed = on missiles or at bomber bases; reserve / stored = non-deployed but in the stockpile; military stockpile = deployed + reserve; retired = withdrawn, awaiting dismantlement; total inventory = stockpile + retired.[1, 2]
How China delivers them
Delivery systems from the latest Nuclear Notebook / SIPRI table (2026 (Table 1, Nuclear Notebook published 2026-07-08)). A “?” or a dash is the source’s own mark of an uncertain or unstated figure.[3]
| System | Type | Launchers | Warhead × yield | Weapons | Year | Warheads |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| DF-5A (CSS-4 Mod 2) | land-based ballistic missile (range 12,000 km) | 6 | 1 × 4.5 MT | 6 | ||
| DF-5B (CSS-4 Mod 3) | land-based ballistic missile (range 13,000 km) | 12 | up to 5 × 425 kt | 60 | ||
| DF-5C (CSS-4 Mod 4) | land-based ballistic missile (range 13,000 km) | 5 | 1 × 'multi-MT' | (2025) | 5 | |
| DF-26 (CSS-18) | land-based ballistic missile (range 4,000 km) | 300 | 1 × 425 kt | 100 | ||
| DF-31A/AG (CSS-10 Mod 2) | land-based ballistic missile (range 11,200 km) | 104 | 1 × 425 kt | 104 | ||
| DF-31B (CSS-10 Mod 3) | land-based ballistic missile (range 12,000 km) | 320 | 1 × 425 kt | 150 | ||
| DF-41 (CSS-20) | land-based ballistic missile (range 12,000 km, mobile) | 28 | up to 3 × 425 kt | 84 | ||
| DF-61 | land-based ballistic missile (range 12,000 km, mobile) | ? | ? | (2025) | ? | |
| JL-2 (CSS-N-14) | SLBM (range 7,000+ km) | 0 | 1 × 700 kt | 0 | ||
| JL-3 (CSS-N-20) | SLBM (range 9,000+ km) | 6 SSBNs / 72 missiles | 1 × 425 kt | 72 | ||
| H-6N (B-6) | bomber (range 3,100+ km) | 20 | 2 × ALBM | 20 | ||
| H-20 | bomber (future) | ? | (ALCM?) | (2030) | ||
| Subtotal | 775 | 509 | ||||
| Subtotal | 867 | 601 |
- 620 warheads[3]
Blast radius of China’s warheads
For each distinct warhead yield in China’s arsenal, the air-burst 5 psi (most homes destroyed) and 3rd-degree-burn radii, calculated by the same engine as the blast radius calculator.[4, 5]
China’s nuclear tests
- First name
- 596[6]
- First date
- 1964-10-16 07:00 GMT[6]
- First site
- Lop Nur Test Ground (42.35 N, 88.30 E)[6]
- First yield
- 22[6]
- Site all
- Lop Nur[7]
- Last
- 1996-07-29[8]
- Moratorium
- moratorium from 1996-07-30[8]
- Allegation 2020
- US Under Secretary Thomas DiNanno (Feb 2026, Conference on Disarmament) accused China of a 'yield producing nuclear test' on 22 June 2020[9]
- Allegation 2020 ctbto
- CTBTO (17 Feb 2026 statement): IMS detected two small seismic events near Lop Nur on that date; cause cannot be assessed with confidence[9]
China has not published an official total number of tests, and secondary compilations differ, so this page does not assert a single total.
Treaty status
Frequently asked questions
How many nuclear weapons does China have?
China has an estimated 620 nuclear warheads as of early 2026, according to the Federation of American Scientists. SIPRI’s January 2026 count is the same.[1]
When did China first test a nuclear weapon?
China’s first nuclear test is recorded as 1964-10-16 07:00 GMT.[6]
Is China part of the Non-Proliferation Treaty?
On the Non-Proliferation Treaty, China is: party (nuclear-weapon state); accession 1992-03-09.[10]
Every figure on this page comes from a verified primary source, cited inline and listed below. Warhead counts are the Federation of American Scientists’ Status of World Nuclear Forces and SIPRI’s Yearbook; delivery systems come from the Nuclear Notebook; blast radii are calculated from Glasstone & Dolan scaling laws. Candidate and unverified figures are withheld.
Data as of 22 October 2026. By Marko Visic, BSc Physics.
Sources
- 1.Source: Federation of American Scientists (Kristensen, Korda, Johns, Knight-Boyle, Kohn), Status of World Nuclear Forces (2026 estimates; page updated 9 Jun 2026) — retrieved Oct 2026
- 2.Source: SIPRI (Hans M. Kristensen and Matt Korda), SIPRI Yearbook 2026, ch. 8: World nuclear forces (Appendix 8A, Tables 8A.1, 8A.4, 8A.5; January 2026) — retrieved Oct 2026
- 3.Source: Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists / FAS, Chinese nuclear weapons, 2026, Table 1 (Jul 2026) — retrieved Oct 2026
- 4.Source: U.S. DoD / DOE (Glasstone & Dolan, via Atomic Archive), The Effects of Nuclear Weapons, 3rd ed. (1977) §2.127 — retrieved Oct 2026
- 5.Source: Wikipedia, Effects of nuclear explosions — scaling-law table — retrieved Oct 2026
- 6.Source: Nuclear Weapon Archive (Carey Sublette), China's Nuclear Weapons (last changed 1 May 2001) — retrieved Oct 2026
- 7.Source: Atomic Archive, China's Nuclear Tests — retrieved Oct 2026
- 8.Source: IAEA (circulating a Chinese Government statement), INFCIRC/522 (16 Sep 1996): Chinese Government statement on nuclear testing — retrieved Oct 2026
- 9.Source: Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists (Kristensen, Korda, Johns, Knight-Boyle), Chinese nuclear weapons, 2026 (8 Jul 2026) — retrieved Oct 2026
- 10.Source: Government of the Netherlands, Treaty Database, Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons: parties (page modified 2022-10-20) — retrieved Oct 2026
- 11.Source: Government of the Netherlands, Treaty Database, Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty: parties (page modified 2026-07-10) — retrieved Oct 2026
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