Appendix 1.
Glossary of acronyms and key terms*

ACM: Advanced cruise missile.
ALCM: Air-launched cruise missile.
ICBM: Intercontinental ballistic missile.
MIRV: Multiple independently targetable reentry vehicle. A reentry vehicle carried by a delivery system, which can place one or more reentry vehicle over each of several separate targets.
MRV: Multiple reentry vehicle. The reentry vehicle of a missile delivery system, which places more than one reentry vehicle over an individual target.
SLBM: Submarine launched ballistic missile.
SSBN: Nuclear powered ballistic missile submarine.

Tactical nuclear weapons (also called non-strategic or sub-strategic nuclear weapons): Nuclear weapons intended to be used on the battlefield against conventional targets. In other words, non-strategic targets. In general, no universal definition exists. In other contexts, the phrase "tactical nuclear weapons" is often used to refer to lower yield nuclear weapons or nuclear weapons that travel distances less than what is needed to attack another continent. What defines tactical nuclear weapons in a true sense, however, is not how far they can travel or how powerful their explosive potential is, but how they are used.

Strategic nuclear weapons: Nuclear weapons intended to be used against counter-force targets (an opponent's nuclear weapons) or counter-value targets (an opponent's non-combatant population). While the phrase "strategic nuclear weapons" is often used to describe nuclear warheads attached to intercontinental delivery vehicles (missiles or aircraft), such usage is technically incorrect, as strategic targets can be nearby the state with the weapon in question.

Short-range ballistic missile: Range under 1,100 km.
Medium-range ballistic missile: Range between 1,100 and 2,750 km.
Intermediate-range ballistic missile: Range between 2,750 and 5,500 km.
Intercontinental ballistic missile: Range above 5,500 km.

Medium-range bomber: Range under 3,690 km.
Intermediate-range bomber: Range between 3,690 and 9,200 km.
Long-range bomber: Range over 9,200 km.

* Definitions taken from the U.S. Defense Department.

Aerospace Daily, "Missile tested Jan. 25 is new weapon in India's inventory" (Jan. 29, 2002).

BBC News, "Israel 'may have 200 nuclear weapons'" (Aug. 23, 2000).

Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists, "Nuclear Notebook" (2001-2002).

Central Intelligence Agency, "Unclassified Report to Congress on the Acquisition of Technology Relating to Weapons of Mass Destruction and Advanced Conventional Munitions" (Feb. 1, 2002).

Coalition to Reduce Nuclear Dangers: "Global Strategic and Nuclear Arsenals" (May 29, 2001).

Coalition to Reduce Nuclear Dangers, "Uncovering Nukes: A fact sheet on Tactical Nuclear Weapons" (Nov. 30, 2001).

Cordesman, Anthony, Center for Strategic and International Studies, "Weapons of Mass Destruction and the Global Nuclear Balance: A Quantitative and Arms Control Analysis" (December 2001) .

Defense and Foreign Affairs Strategic Policy, "India's Brinkmanship. Solution Time for Kashmir?" (January 2002).

Defense News, Theresa Hitchens, "Bush's Curious Timing: NPR Reanimates Nuclear Testing Specter" (January 2002).

Federation of American Scientists, "Weapons of Mass Destruction" (2001-2002).

Indian National Security Advisory Board, "Indian Nuclear Doctrine" (August 17, 1999).

Institute for Defense Studies and Analysis "Does India Need Tactical Nuclear Weapons?" (May 3, 2001).

Jane's Defense Weekly, "Jane's Special Reports: China Rising?" (January 2002).

Jane's Sentinel, "Claims about Israel's Nuclear Capability Questioned" (July 18, 2000).

Los Angeles Times, "Israeli nuclear arsenal may be smaller than feared" (Aug. 21, 2000).

National Intelligence Council, "Foreign Missile Developments and the Ballistic Missile Threat to the United States Through 2015" (Jan. 9, 2002).

National Intelligence Council¸ "China and Weapons of Mass Destruction: Implications for the United States" (Nov. 5, 1999).

National Resource Defense Council, "Exposing the U.S. Nuclear War Plan" (Jan. 23, 2002).

New York Times, Various Articles (2001-2002).

Nuclear Threat Initiative, "Global Security Newswire" (Nov. 2, 2001).

PBS Online Newshour: "Risk Assessment: Pakistan" (Nov. 5, 2001).

Physicians for Social Responsibility, "Issue Brief: U.S. and Russian Tactical Nuclear Weapons: A Forgotten Threat" (November 2001).

Schwartz, Stephen, Atomic Audit: The Costs and Consequences of U.S. Nuclear Weapons Since 1940 (Brooking Institution Press, 1998).

U.S. Defense Department, "Finding of the Nuclear Posture Review" (January 2002).

U.S. Defense Department, "Special Briefing on the Nuclear Posture Review" (January 2002).

Washington Post, Various Articles (2001-2002).

Compiled by Ben Friedman
CDI Research Assistant
bfriedman@cdi.org
Feb. 15, 2002