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H-bomb armed nations
In 1953, the [[Soviet Union]] was the first to produce an explosion which made use of nuclear fusion, greatly alarming the United States which had hoped to retain its nuclear lead indefinitely. However, this Soviet device was a huge ground-based installation rather than a deliverable weapon. It was not a "true" fusion bomb because the main use of the fusion reaction was not to produce explosive energy, but to produce a neutron flux which had the effect of boosting the fission reaction. That is, most of the explosive energy came from nuclear fission. The Soviet Union later developed a bomb similar to the Teller-Ulam design, and its scientists claimed to have invented it independently of the American bomb.
In 1953, the [[Soviet Union]] was the first to produce an explosion which made use of nuclear fusion, greatly alarming the United States which had hoped to retain its nuclear lead indefinitely. However, this Soviet device was a huge ground-based installation rather than a deliverable weapon. It was not a "true" fusion bomb because the main use of the fusion reaction was not to produce explosive energy, but to produce a neutron flux which had the effect of boosting the fission reaction. That is, most of the explosive energy came from nuclear fission. The Soviet Union later developed a bomb similar to the Teller-Ulam design, and its scientists claimed to have invented it independently of the American bomb.
Subsequently India, Pakistan, Great Britain, France, China, South Africa and Israel have all developed their own hydrogen bombs, although South Africa has since dismantled its programme after negotiations with the international community. Negotiations between the US and Russia have also drastically cut both those nations' arsenals, although both retain very large nuclear stockpile.
[[Category:Weapons]]
[[Category:Weapons]]