Did US move nuclear arms to UK in a signal to Putin?

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For the first time since 2008, the US is believed to have redeployed nuclear weapons to the UK, reportedly delivering B61-12 bombs to RAF Lakenheath. A tracked flight from Kirtland Air Force Base and major upgrades at the base point to a long-term nuclear mission — a clear message to Russian President Vladimir Putin amid the war in Ukraine read more
RAF Lakenheath is primarily used as a United States Air Force (USAF) base. It's the largest US Air Force base in Europe and serves as a hub for combat airpower and support operations. Image/Lakenheath Alliance For Peace
For the first time since 2008, the United States is believed to have redeployed nuclear weapons to Britain, a development that could reshape Nato's nuclear posture in Europe.
Evidence gathered from open-source flight tracking, defence experts, and Pentagon planning documents suggests that the US delivered B61-12 thermonuclear bombs to RAF Lakenheath in Suffolk earlier this month, reported Bloomberg.
On July 16, observers recorded an unusual movement: a US Air Force C-17 Globemaster transport aircraft departed from Kirtland Air Force Base in Albuquerque, New Mexico — the US military's principal nuclear weapons hub — and flew directly to Lakenheath.
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What made the mission stand out was that the plane's transponder remained switched on, broadcasting its identity and location for all to see.
The aircraft was part of the Prime Nuclear Airlift Force, a specialised unit responsible for moving nuclear weapons. Such missions are typically shrouded in secrecy, but this flight left an unmistakable trail.
Speaking to Bloomberg, defence analyst William Alberque, a senior fellow at the Pacific Forum, suggested the flight's visibility was intentional: 'This is a down payment that there's more to come on shifting Nato's deterrence posture toward strengthening. Returning US nuclear weapons to the UK is no small feat.'
The flight that raised the alarm
Investigation into the aircraft's journey provided critical clues. The C-17 — with the call sign Reach 4574 (RCH4574) — first took off from Lewis–McChord Air Base in Washington state, then crossed the continental US to Kirtland, reported UK Declassified.
The base houses the Kirtland Underground Munitions Maintenance and Storage Complex, the world's largest nuclear weapons storage site, containing gravity bombs and warheads for the US arsenal.
Read the inside story of how the US Air Force secretly delivered nuclear weapons to Lakenheath Air Base last week: https://t.co/7gI9G5GSms @Cnduk @ScottishCND @EDP24 pic.twitter.com/Zzqdouu00W — Nukewatch (@NukewatchUK) July 22, 2025
Observers from Nukewatch UK, a monitoring group, tracked the mission and reported that the aircraft 'almost certainly loaded up with a cargo of anything up to 20 newly manufactured B61-12 nuclear weapons.'
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Midway through the trip, the pilot told ground control that the aircraft had 'haz cargo' — hazardous cargo — on board.
The flight landed at Lakenheath Air Base on July 17 at 12:50 pm local time. During its time on the ground, the base enforced an unusual security protocol: no other flights took off or landed, and a strict two-and-a-half nautical mile no-fly zone was imposed around the base.
🚨Armed police are patrolling outside RAF Lakenheath as the US air force reportedly transfers more nuclear bombs to British soil with three times the power of Hiroshima.
Photo via @NukewatchUK: pic.twitter.com/Fg8FwYgabZ — Declassified UK (@declassifiedUK) July 24, 2025
Two days later, on July 18, the aircraft departed and returned to Lewis-McChord, its mission complete.
Hans Kristensen, who directs the Nuclear Information Project at the Federation of American Scientists, was unequivocal: 'There are strong indications that the US has returned nuclear weapons to the UK.'
Why the B61-12 matters
At the heart of the reported deployment is the B61-12, the latest version of a nuclear gravity bomb first developed during the Cold War. Unlike earlier models, this modernised version is equipped with a guidance tail kit that significantly improves its accuracy.
The weapon has a variable yield ranging from 0.3 kilotonnes to 50 kilotonnes — meaning it can deliver a highly targeted strike or a far more devastating blast, depending on the setting.
For comparison, the bomb dropped on Hiroshima in 1945 had a yield of about 15 kilotonnes, making the B61-12's maximum output more than three times as powerful.
These bombs can be carried by several aircraft, including US and Nato jets, and soon by the F-35A fighters that Britain is now acquiring.
The UK Ministry of Defence announced in June that it would buy at least 12 new F-35As, specifically citing their ability to carry B61-12 bombs.
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An updated UK Ministry of Defence policy paper reinforced the connection to Nato's broader nuclear strategy, stating that 'Nato's nuclear deterrence also relies on US nuclear weapons deployed in Europe and supporting capabilities and infrastructure provided by Allies.'
The same document confirmed a significant shift for the UK Royal Air Force, noting that 'This decision reintroduces a nuclear role for the RAF for the first time since the UK retired its sovereign air-launched nuclear weapons after the Cold War.'
Upgrades at RAF Lakenheath point to long-term plans
RAF Lakenheath, where the bombs are believed to have been delivered, has a long history with US nuclear weapons, hosting them for more than half a century from 1954 until 2008.
Documents from the US Department of Defence show that the base has been undergoing major upgrades for years, hinting at preparations for a renewed nuclear mission.
Budget filings revealed multimillion-dollar investments in 'surety' projects — the Pentagon term for measures ensuring nuclear weapon security and reliability.
One notable project is a 144-bed 'surety dormitory,' now under construction and expected to be finished by February 2026.
The justification cited the 'influx of airmen due to the arrival of the potential Surety mission and the bed down of the two F-35 squadrons,' revealing that additional housing was needed for junior personnel.
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Procurement records indicate new equipment orders linked to what the Pentagon itself referred to as a 'nuclear mission' at RAF Lakenheath.
A calculated message to Putin
The timing of the suspected deployment has raised eyebrows. US President Donald Trump has recently taken a harder stance on Russia, agreeing to send Ukraine additional Patriot missile systems via European intermediaries and threatening to impose secondary tariffs on Moscow if it fails to agree to a ceasefire soon.
Just days before the suspected nuclear transfer, Trump warned that he was 'disappointed' in Putin and hinted that the deadline for compliance could be shortened.
Defence expert Sidharth Kaushal of the Royal United Services Institute linked the deployment to NATO strategy, telling Bloomberg: 'Capabilities such as the B61 can contribute to limiting the impact of Russia's large advantage in theatre-level nonstrategic nuclear weapons.'
Both Washington and London have remained silent on the matter, consistent with their longstanding policy of neither confirming nor denying the presence or location of nuclear arms.
Groups such as the Campaign for Nuclear Disarmament (CND) have urged UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer to clarify the situation to Parliament, citing the security implications of having US nuclear bombs back on British soil.
Meanwhile, experts point out that control of these weapons remains firmly in American hands. Under established US procedures, only the US president can authorise their use — regardless of where they are stored.
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According to analysts, the shipment also means the B61-12 is now fully deployed across seven bases in six Nato countries.
With inputs from agencies