Strategic Offensive Reductions Treaty (SORT)

About SORT:

• The Strategic Offensive Reductions Treaty (SORT), commonly known as the Moscow Treaty, was a nuclear arms reduction agreement signed between the United States and Russia on May 24, 2002.

It was intended to reduce the number of deployed strategic nuclear warheads in both countries. The treaty was signed by U.S. President George W. Bush and Russian President Vladimir Putin during a summit in Moscow.

Key Features of SORT (Moscow Treaty):

Warhead Limits:

1. • Each country agreed to reduce its operationally deployed strategic nuclear warheads to a range of 1,700 to 2,200 by December 31, 2012.

Lack of Verification Measures:

1. • Unlike previous treaties, SORT did not include detailed mechanisms for verification, monitoring, or transparency. Instead, it relied on the verification framework established under the START I Treaty (1991).

Flexibility:

1. • The treaty allowed each country to determine its own methods and timelines for achieving the reductions, as long as the final numbers were met by the deadline.

• SALT I (1972)
  • Limited strategic ballistic missile launchers and ABM systems between the U.S. and Soviet Union.
  • Relevance to SORT: Set the foundation for arms control, indirectly influencing SORT’s focus on reducing strategic warheads.
• ABM Treaty (1972)
  • Restricted U.S. and Soviet missile defense systems to maintain strategic balance.
  • Relevance to SORT: U.S. withdrawal in 2002, post-SORT signing, led Russia to abandon START II, shaping SORT’s context.
• SALT II (1979)
  • Capped strategic delivery systems and certain missiles; signed but unratified.
  • Relevance to SORT: Early attempt at limiting offensive arms, unlike SORT’s simpler warhead focus.
• INF Treaty (1987)
  • Eliminated U.S. and Soviet intermediate-range (500–5,500 km) nuclear and conventional missiles.
  • Relevance to SORT: Contributed to nuclear reductions, complementing SORT’s strategic warhead cuts.
• START I (1991)
  • Reduced deployed strategic warheads to 6,000 and delivery vehicles to 1,600, with strong verification.
  • Relevance to SORT: SORT relied on START I’s verification (inspections, data exchanges) since it lacked its own.
• START II (1993)
  • Aimed for 3,000–3,500 warheads and banned MIRVed ICBMs; ratified but never enacted.
  • Relevance to SORT: SORT replaced START II after Russia’s withdrawal, allowing more flexibility (e.g., no MIRV ban).
• START III (Proposed, Never Concluded)
  • Planned to cut warheads to 2,000–2,500; stalled over verification and missile defense disputes.
  • Relevance to SORT: SORT’s 1,700–2,200 warhead limit echoed START III’s goals but was less detailed.
• New START (2010)
  • Limits deployed warheads to 1,550, delivery vehicles to 700, and launchers to 800, with robust verification.
  • Relevance to SORT: Superseded SORT in 2011, adding stricter limits and verification absent in SORT.