Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty II (1993)

Summary

The START II treaty is a bilateral treaty negotiated by the United States and Russia and signed by Presidents Bush and Yeltsin on January 3, 1993. It will reduce the number of strategic delivery vehicles (ballistic missiles and heavy bombers) and the number of warheads deployed on them. Overall strategic forces will be reduced by 5,000 warheads in addition to the 9,000 warheads being reduced under START I.

By December 4, 2001, each Party must have reduced the total number of its deployed strategic warheads so that it does not exceed 4,250. This includes warheads on deployed intercontinental ballistic missiles (ICBMs), warheads on submarine-launched ballistic missiles (SLBMs), and the warheads carried on heavy bombers with nuclear missions. No more than 1,200 warheads may be on deployed ICBMs with multiple reentry vehicles (MIRVs); no more than 2,160 on deployed SLBMs; and no more than 650 may be on deployed heavy ICBMs.

By December 31, 2002, each Party must have reduced the total number of its deployed strategic warheads so that it does not exceed 3,500. Of those, none may be on MIRVed ICBMs, including heavy ICBMs. No MIRVed ICBMs will be deployed by the end of the second phase. No more than 1,750 warheads may be on deployed SLBMs. There will be no prohibition on MIRVed SLBMs.

Russia formally withdrew from the START II nuclear arms treaty with the United States on June 14, 2002, saying that it passed away because of the expiration of the Anti-Ballistic Missile Treaty. The U.S. Congress ratified the treaty in 1996 and the Russian parliament followed suit in 2000, but Russian lawmakers linked START II to preservation of the 1972 ABM Treaty.