US deploys nuclear weapons to UK for first time since 2008 - Bloomberg
US deploys nuclear weapons to UK for first time since 2008 (photo: flickr.com)
The United States has deployed nuclear weapons to the United Kingdom for the first time since 2008. This move sends a signal to Russian President Vladimir Putin that the US remains committed to European security, Bloomberg reports.
According to the publication, this is indicated by data from open sources and US military flight records.
Specifically, on July 16, a C-17 transport aircraft with a transponder took off from Kirtland Air Force Base in New Mexico, where nuclear weapons are stored, and landed at an airbase in the British town of Lakenheath. It did not fly over the territory of any other country.
Experts say the flight was conducted by the US Air Force's primary nuclear transport unit, which is responsible for moving nuclear munitions.
Analysts suggest that the aircraft may have carried the latest B61-12 free-fall thermonuclear bombs. This could mark the first increase in the number of US tactical nuclear weapons in Europe since the Cold War.
The US and UK governments have not commented on the nuclear deployment. However, financial documents from the US defense budget show multimillion-dollar investments in "surety facilities" specifically at the Lakenheath base — a term typically referring to nuclear security systems.
According to experts, the move indicates that the United States wants to show Russia that it is not reducing its nuclear presence in Europe.
US returns nuclear weapons to Britain
Earlier, media reports indicated that the United States had transferred several B61-12 thermonuclear gravity bombs to Lakenheath Air Base in Suffolk, United Kingdom.
The B61-12 is a modernized low-yield tactical nuclear bomb. It features variable explosive power and precision guidance. It is designed to be compatible with a range of delivery platforms, including the F-35A Lightning II.
The 48th Fighter Wing at Lakenheath includes the 493rd and 495th Fighter Squadrons, which were among the first in Europe to operate F-35A aircraft.
Previously, American nuclear arsenals were stationed at Royal Air Force Lakenheath during the Cold War, but the last known removal occurred in 2008 after years of disarmament-related reductions across Europe.
