US is planning to station nuclear weapons in the UK for the first time in 15 years as the threat from Russia increase, per the Telegraph.
The U.S. plans to store nuclear warheads, potentially three times more powerful than the Hiroshima bomb, at the RAF Lakenheath air base, as indicated by procurement contracts. These documents, accessible through the U.S. Department of Defense's procurement database, outline imminent nuclear missions at the base. The move raises questions about a rumored "surety dormitory," although the Pentagon has remained tight-lipped on the matter.
In 2008, the U.S. removed its nuclear missiles from the UK amid reduced Cold War tensions. RAF Lakenheath is anticipated to host B61-12 gravity bombs with variable yields of up to 50 kilotons. The procurement records also reveal the Pentagon's orders for new equipment, including ballistic shields, at the base.
Operated by the U.S. Air Force under British regulations, RAF Lakenheath's agreement allows the U.S. to store nuclear weapons deployable by F-35 fighter jets. Two squadrons of F-35s are already slated for deployment at the base with the 48th Fighter Wing.
This relocation aligns with NATO's broader initiative to enhance nuclear sites worldwide, anticipating potential escalations in conflicts. Tensions have risen with the Kremlin following Russia's invasion of Ukraine in February 2022. Russia warns that placing weapons in Britain would be seen as an escalation, prompting compensating counter-measures.
Maria Zakharova, a Russian foreign ministry spokesperson, stated, "If this step is ever made, we will view it as escalation...This practice and its development force us to take compensating countermeasures designed to reliably protect the security interests of our country and its allies."
