The US says there is an 'increased potential' for nuclear conflict with the country's main enemies because they are stockpiling nuclear weapons.
Russia and China have been modernizing and expanding their respective arsenals over the last decade, according to a recently disclosed 2020 report from the Pentagon on nuclear operations.
And North Korea has accelerated testing of missiles capable of reaching America's homeland, and Iran has the technology to create a nuclear weapon within a year of deciding to do so.
It says the US has tried to negotiate reductions in nuclear weapons capabilities since since 2010, but 'no potential adversary has reduced either the role of nuclear weapons in its national security strategy or the number of nuclear weapons it fields.'
'Rather, they have moved decidedly in the opposite direction,' according to the report, which was released on Tuesday and specifically mentions Russia, China, North Korea and Iran.
'As a result, there is an increased potential for regional conflicts involving nuclear-armed adversaries in several parts of the world and the potential for adversary nuclear escalation in crisis or conflict.'
The U.S. Air Force has released a new visualization of the secretive B-21 Raider stealth bomber Tuesday. This is only the third artist's graphic of the aircraft designed to perform long range conventional and nuclear missions
A Russian Yars carrying an intercontinental nuclear missile system drives during the Victory Day Parade in Red Square in Moscow, Russia, June 24, 2020
A Dongfeng-41 intercontinental strategic nuclear missiles group formation marches to celebrate the 70th anniversary of the founding of the People's Republic of China in Beijing on October 1, 2019
Russia and China are the most serious threats to the United States because of the technology and arsenals they already possess.
In 2019, Russia and the US withdrew from their 1987 Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces Treaty, which required the US and Soviet Union to eliminate all of their nuclear and conventional ground-launched ballistic and cruise missiles with ranges of 500 to 5,500 kilometers.
The two counties extended the New Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty for five years in 2021.
The agreement - dubbed the New START - enhances U.S. national security by placing verifiable limits on all Russian deployed intercontinental-range nuclear weapons.
Russia, which considers the US and NATO 'principal threats to its contemporary geopolitical ambitions,' modernized its Soviet warhead delivery capabilities, is employing new nuclear warheads and launchers, and developing three new intercontinental-range nuclear weapon systems.
The weapon systems include high-tech planes, ground-launched cruise missiles and underwater autonomous torpedoes.
A Tu-22M3 bomber of the Russian air force capable of carrying nuclear warheads takes off from the Hemeimeem air base in Syria
A Borei-class nuclear-powered submarine launches an RSM-56 Bulava ballistic nuclear missile in the Barents Sea
China has increased its number and capabilities of nuclear weapons, including its 'most advanced' submarine-launched missiles.
China is also developing a bomber, which would allow China to fire weapons by land, sea and air.
North Korea has 'accelerated' its pursuit of nuclear weapons and dramatically increased its missile flight testing, most recently including the testing of intercontinental-range missiles capable
