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Unit 4Nuclear Weapons 1 - Technology, Materials, Testing and MonitoringChapter 1: Introduction
All chapters
  1. 1. Introduction
  2. 2. Basic Nuclear Physics
  3. 3. Nuclear Weapons
  4. 4. Armament and Disarmament
  5. 5. Monitoring
  6. 6. Summary
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Chapter 1

Introduction

It is important not to equate nuclear weapons with nuclear material.

Rafael Mariano Grossi, IAEA Director General

If you ask people on the street, many will say that they consider nuclear weapons to be not only a major security threat, but even a threat to the survival of humanity. There is a reason that the International Campaign to Abolish Nuclear Weapons (ICAN) has gained enormous popularity in recent years – and even won the 2017 Nobel Peace Prize.

Obviously, nuclear weapons use nuclear materials as their main component. According to the International Panel on Fissile Material, the estimated global stock of weapon-ready highly enriched uranium is 1,245 metric tons, of which 1,100 tons is already in weapons or available for use in weapons programmes.[^1] But other forms of nuclear material are also used as fuel in nuclear power plants to generate clean energy. The climate crisis and the discussion on energy security have revived the debate on increasing the use of nuclear energy. The discussion about expanding the current nuclear reactor fleet and acquiring new nuclear energy systems has intensified not only in Europe but also beyond, making nuclear investment viable. In addition, every state has the right to the civilian use of nuclear energy as codified in the Non-Proliferation Treaty (see LU05).

What are the main differences between nuclear materials to be used in a nuclear weapon and those intended for use as fuel in an energy system? How can the international community make sure that a state is not using the interest in nuclear energy to conceal a nuclear weapons programme? Can a state that engages in nuclear disarmament, dismantle their nuclear weapons and use the material as fuel for a nuclear power plant?

This unit provides an introduction to the physics of nuclear materials and what makes them useful in nuclear weapons. Chapter 2 starts with an insight into basic nuclear physics. Chapter 3 presents an overview of nuclear weapons, which includes the pathways to acquire nuclear material, different nuclear weapon designs, and the phases and effects of a nuclear explosion. Chapter 4 presents issues of armament and disarmament, such as stockpiles, nuclear tests and disarmament verification. Chapter 5 addresses monitoring in all its aspects related to the non-proliferation of nuclear weapons.

The EU Non-Proliferation and Disarmament eLearning Course aims to cover all aspects of the EU non-proliferation and disarmament agenda. It's produced by PRIF with financial assistance of the European Union. The contents of individual learning units are the sole responsibility of the respective authors and don't necessariy reflect the position of the European Union.