US Nukes Deployed to England for First Time in over a Decade

For the first time since at least 2008, U.S. nuclear weapons have returned to British soil, with a number of B61-12 thermonuclear gravity bombs transferred to RAF Lakenheath in Suffolk. The weapons have been flown from the U.S. Air Force Nuclear Weapons Center at Kirtland Air Force Base in New Mexico. This was reported by UK Defence Journal.

RAF Lakenheath previously hosted U.S. nuclear weapons during the Cold War, but the last known removal took place in 2008 following years of disarmament-related reductions across Europe. The reported return of U.S. nuclear weapons to British soil would represent a significant shift in the nuclear posture of NATO. Neither the U.S. Air Force nor UK officials have provided official comments on the deployment of nuclear weapons.

The B61-12 is a modernized low-yield tactical nuclear bomb capable of 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 B61-12 bomb received a 50-kiloton warhead and was modified with guided tail fins, allowing for a significant increase in accuracy and the removal of the braking parachute.

According to UK Defence Journal