U.S. Deploys Nuclear Weapons to UK for First Time Since 2008
B61-12 thermonuclear gravity bombs. X/ @peacemaket71
July 21, 2025 Hour: 1:36 pm
The B61-12 gravity thermonuclear bomb is a guided device with a yield of up to 50 kilotons.
On Sunday, the UK Defence Journal published an article stating that the United States has redeployed nuclear weapons to British soil for the first time since 2008.
RELATED:
Russia Strikes Ukraine Overnight With Hypersonic Missiles
More specifically, the administration of U.S. President Donald Trump reportedly transferred several B61-12 gravity thermonuclear bombs from Kirtland Air Force Base in New Mexico to the Royal Air Force base in Lakenheath, located in Suffolk County, about 65 miles northeast of London.
“Lakenheath had previously hosted U.S. nuclear weapons during the Cold War, but they were withdrawn amid disarmament efforts in Europe. The last withdrawal occurred in 2008, making this the first deployment in 17 years,” the UK Defence Journal said.
The new weapons deployment would represent a shift in NATO’s nuclear posture in Europe and reflect the deterioration of relations between Washington and Moscow, as well as a renewed U.S. emphasis on “deterrence.”
The B61 is one of the U.S. military arsenal’s oldest nuclear weapons and exists in several variants. It is a guided bomb with a yield of up to 50 kilotons and can be carried by aircraft such as the F-35A fighter jet.
teleSUR/ JF
Sources: RT – UK Defence Journal