The US could return nuclear weapons to the UK for the first time in more than 15 years
The B61-12 thermonuclear bombs were probably delivered to the Lakenheath airbase in Suffolk. This is the first possible deployment of US nuclear weapons in Britain since 2008.
Here's What We Know
According to the UK Defence Journal, the US B61-12s could have been transported from Kirtland Air Force Base (New Mexico) to a newly built fortified storage facility in Lakenheath. The defence ministries of both countries have not yet confirmed the information.
The plans to upgrade the infrastructure at Lakengate first became known in 2022, when the US budget documents mentioned the upgrade of the base for potential nuclear missions. At the time, it was speculated that American nuclear weapons might reappear in the UK.
A prototype of the B61-12 bomb. Illustration: US AIR FORCE
The B61-12 is a modernised tactical nuclear bomb with precision-guided and variable yield. It is compatible with fifth-generation aircraft, including the F-35A Lightning II, which are equipped with squadrons 493 and 495 of the 48th Fighter Wing of the US Air Force at Lakenheath.
During the Cold War, US nuclear weapons were stationed at this base, but in 2008 they were completely removed as part of NATO's nuclear reductions. The possible return of such weapons is likely to indicate a change in approaches to nuclear deterrence in Europe amid rising tensions with Russia.
Source: UK Defence Journal
