The atomic stockpile had grown to 298 bombs by June 1950, and it now began to increase more rapidly – to 438 in 1951, to 832 in 1952, and to 1,161 in 1953.32 This growth was accompanied by an increase in the number of nuclear delivery vehicles. Until 1948 SAC had only about 30 B-29s modified to drop atomic bombs, and all of these were based in New Mexico.33 By December 1948 the number of nuclear-capable aircraft had grown to 60, and to 250 by June 1950; by the end of 1953 it had reached 1,000.34 Most of these were medium bombers which could not strike the Soviet Union from the United States;
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