ALWAGHT- US nuclear weapons have reportedly returned to British soil for the first time since at least 2008.
For the first time since at least 2008, US nuclear weapons have reportedly been returned to British soil, with multiple sources indicating that several B61-12 thermonuclear gravity bombs were transferred this week to RAF Lakenheath in Suffolk. These weapons are believed to have been flown from the US Air Force Nuclear Weapons Center at Kirtland Air Force Base in New Mexico to a newly built secure storage facility at the UK base.
The US Department of Defense has not publicly confirmed the transfer, and the UK Ministry of Defence typically does not comment on nuclear weapon deployments. The B61-12 is a modernized, low-yield tactical nuclear bomb with variable explosive power and precision guidance, compatible with platforms like the F-35A Lightning II, which is operated at RAF Lakenheath by the 48th Fighter Wing.
RAF Lakenheath hosted US nuclear weapons during the Cold War, with the last removal in 2008 amid disarmament efforts. The reported return marks a significant shift in NATO’s nuclear posture in Europe amid worsening relations with Russia. The re-establishment of nuclear storage at Lakenheath was hinted at in 2022 through US budget documents revealing infrastructure upgrades related to nuclear readiness.
