RAF Lakenheath, which hosted US tactical nuclear weapons during the Cold War, has been undergoing upgrades since January 2024 to support “high-value assets”. The delivery flight appears to be part of this wider modernisation, with reports suggesting the aircraft returned to routine operations following the transfer.
“It looks like it went to England, dropped off those weapons, and then it went back to regular operations in the US,” said William Alberque, former director of NATO’s nuclear non-proliferation centre, speaking to The Times. Neither the US nor UK governments have issued official confirmation regarding the weapons’ arrival.
The development comes amid a broader repositioning of US nuclear assets, with B61-12 bombs being quietly deployed to undisclosed European locations since January 2025. Hans Kristensen, Director of the Nuclear Information Project at the Federation of American Scientists, said the move may indicate “a change in NATO’s policy of not responding with new nuclear weapons to Russia’s nuclear threats and behaviour.”
If verified, this would mark the first increase of US tactical nuclear weapons in Europe since the end of the Cold War. Kristensen noted that the deployment signifies a significant strategic shift by the alliance in the current geopolitical climate.
The UK Ministry of Defence declined to comment on the reported deployment. A spokesperson told The Guardian: “It remains a long-standing UK and NATO policy to neither confirm nor deny the presence of nuclear weapons at a given location.”
Tom Unterrainer, Chair of the Campaign for Nuclear Disarmament, urged Prime Minister Keir Starmer to address the matter publicly. “We call on the Prime Minister to explain to the British public what role the UK is playing in this escalation,” Unterrainer said.
The B61-12, in service for over 50 years, underwent a $9 billion life extension programme completed in January. The bomb includes an advanced inertial navigation system and variable yields ranging from 0.3 to 50 kilotons — more than three times the power of the bomb dropped on Hiroshima in 1945.
Designed for tactical use, the B61-12 can be deployed by multiple aircraft, including the F-35A Lightning II. These aircraft are operated at RAF Lakenheath by the 493rd and 495th Fighter Squadrons, both equipped for nuclear missions.
In July, Downing Street announced the UK would acquire 12 new F-35As, calling it the “biggest strengthening of the UK’s nuclear posture in a generation.” The announcement adds further context to the apparent return of US nuclear arms to British territory.
