St. Joseph Church
Bristol, Connecticut
Deacon Robert M. Pallotti, D. Min.
Pastoral Minister
Strategic Arms Reduction Talks Treaties
START II and its Extension Protocol at a Glance*
Basic Terms:
--By December 31, 2007, the United States and Russia are to
deploy no more than 3,000 to 3,500 strategic nuclear warheads each on ICBMs, SLBMs and
heavy bombers.
--By December 31, 2003, the sides are to
"deactivate" all strategic nuclear delivery vehicles to be eliminated under the
treaty by removing their nuclear reentry vehicles or taking other jointly agreed steps.
Additional Limits:
--No multiple warhead missile (MIRVs) on land-based
missiles.
--All SS-18 "heavy" Russian Missiles must be
destroyed.
--Reductions in strategic nuclear warheads, as well as the
de-MIRVing of ICBMs, may be achieved by "downloading" (removing) warheads from a
missile. Once removed, warheads may not be restored to downloaded missiles.
Counting Rules:
--Unlike START I, which substantially undercounts bomber
weapons, the number of weapons counted for heavy bombers will be the number they are
actually equipped to carry.
--Provided they have never been equipped for long-range
nuclear air-launched cruise missiles (ALCMs), up to 100 heavy bombers may be
"reoriented" (shifted without physical conversion) to conventional roles and
will not count against the overall limits. These reoriented bombers may be returned to a
nuclear role but may not again be reoriented and exempted from limits.
* Arms Control Today. The Arms Control Association,
Washington, D.C., March 1998. and
SIPRI Yearbook 1997: Armaments, Disarmament and
International Security. Oxford University Press,
Oxford, New York, 1997, pp. 365-379.
Compiled by Deacon Robert M. Pallotti, D. Min.
Created 4/29/1998
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