That’s a pretty big leap. The absence of explosive testing doesn’t mean the weapons haven’t been maintained.
Saying “I think 65% probably don’t work” is an opinion, not a conclusion supported by evidence.
I will copy-paste here information that is available when you search for it:
———
The biggest gap is that it assumes “not recently tested” = “probably doesn’t work.” That’s not how modern nuclear arsenals are maintained.
Here are the main problems with the argument:
1. It ignores stockpile stewardship.
The U.S. stopped full-scale nuclear explosive testing in 1992, but it didn’t stop evaluating its weapons. Instead, it uses:
* sophisticated computer simulations,
* non-nuclear experiments,
* inspections and replacement of aging components,
* surveillance of deployed warheads.
Russia follows similar maintenance practices, though with less public transparency.
2. It treats nuclear weapons like ordinary ammunition.
Nuclear warheads aren’t simply left in storage for decades. Components that age—such as tritium gas, electronics, neutron generators, seals, and conventional explosives—are periodically replaced or refurbished.
3. It offers an unsupported number.
The claim that “65%” wouldn’t work is just a guess. No evidence or analysis is given to justify that figure.
4. It overlooks reliability requirements.
Nuclear deterrence depends on adversaries believing the weapons will work. Nuclear states spend enormous resources maintaining that credibility because a large-scale failure would undermine their strategic position.
5. It assumes a binary outcome.
Reliability isn’t simply “works” or “doesn’t work.” A warhead could:
* fail to launch,
* fail to detonate,
* produce a lower-than-designed yield,
* or function exactly as intended.
Those are different failure modes with different probabilities.
There is one point behind the claim that has some merit: aging is a real issue. Materials degrade over decades, which is why every nuclear power invests heavily in maintenance and life-extension programs. But acknowledging aging is very different from concluding that most weapons are nonfunctional.