US probably deployed nuclear weapons to Britain
(MENAFN) The United States has likely redeployed nuclear weapons to the United Kingdom for the first time in over 15 years, a media organization reported on Monday, citing open-source data and military experts. The move is widely viewed as a strategic message to Russia amid heightened geopolitical tensions.
According to the report, a U.S. military transport aircraft flew from Kirtland Air Force Base in New Mexico—a known storage site for nuclear arms—to RAF Lakenheath in eastern England on July 16. The aircraft reportedly had its transponder turned on, allowing its route to be tracked publicly, which analysts interpret as a deliberate signal to Moscow. The cargo is believed to have included B61-12 thermonuclear bombs, a modernized version of the B61 gravity bomb designed for tactical deployment.
Former NATO arms control official William Alberque said the visible transfer was “a down payment” on NATO’s effort to strengthen its nuclear deterrence. “Returning US nuclear weapons to the UK is no small feat,” he told the news agency
If confirmed, this would be the first US nuclear deployment to British soil since 2008**, when the last such weapons were withdrawn from RAF Lakenheath. NATO’s nuclear weapons are currently stationed in five countries:Belgium, Germany, the Netherlands, Italy, and Türkiye. Shifting those assets closer to Russia, particularly to the UK, would mark a significant escalation in NATO’s nuclear posture.
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