Latest news with #B61-12
The National
5 hours ago
- Politics
- The National
Hosting US nuclear weapons at RAF Lakenheath only endangers us
It is the first time the US has stationed its own nuclear warheads in the UK for more than 15 years. US nuclear weapons were stored at Lakenheath for much of the Cold War, but removed in 2008. Neither the US military nor the UK Government has confirmed the presence of US bombs at Lakenheath. However, open source information from flight trackers showed a flight from Kirtland Air Force Base in New Mexico – where US Air Force nuclear weapons are based – to Lakenheath on July 18. READ MORE: Safeguarding concerns raised after Scottish school pipe band plays for Donald Trump Details regarding the aircraft's flight path and protocols mean it is highly likely to have been carrying US B61-12 gravity bombs. These are 100 times as destructive as the Hiroshima bomb. This recent development, along with the news that the UK will spend about £1 billion on US nuclear-capable jets based at RAF Marham, indicates the country is regressing into a Cold War posture. Important questions must therefore be asked about the US and UK's obligations as depository states to the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons (NPT). The NPT was developed in 1968 and presented to the UN by the United States, United Kingdom and Russia. The treaty states that signatories must forgo any efforts to pursue nuclear weapons, with the exception of the five countries it formally recognised as nuclear states: the US, Russia, UK, France, and China. As well as obliging these countries to pursue disarmament in good faith, the NPT prohibits them from transferring nuclear weapons to non-nuclear states or from providing materials and technology to help develop them. The manner in which the US has transferred nuclear weapons to military bases across Europe since the 1950s and throughout the Cold War has therefore been highly contentious. US nuclear weapons were first stationed in the United Kingdom in 1954. In the ensuing decades, they were stationed in Nato countries Germany, Italy, France, Turkey, the Netherlands, Greece, and Belgium. At the peak of nuclear sharing in 1971, the US had more than 7000 nuclear weapons deployed in Europe. The nuclear sharing arrangement between the US and Nato allies therefore precedes the NPT and continued after its adoption by the UN. In fact, articles I and II of the treaty were co-drafted by the US and the Soviet Union to tolerate nuclear sharing, after the US assured the USSR that no hosting country had launch authority. It is on the basis that shared nuclear weapons are totally under the control of the US and cannot be used by the host countries that these arrangements are deemed compliant with the letter of the NPT. But the NPT was written to limit the potential frontiers of nuclear conflict, and as such Nato nuclear sharing violates the spirit, even if not the letter, of the treaty. READ MORE: Humza Yousaf pleads for 'meaningful action' in Gaza after family member killed At the height of the Cold War, the stationing of US Pershing missiles in Europe and Nato's 'Able Archer' nuclear exercises led to an escalation of tensions with the USSR that was possibly the closest Europe has come to nuclear conflict until 2024. The lessons of the Cold War – that nuclear proliferation escalates nuclear tensions – led the US to retrieving most of its armaments so that only around 100 US gravity bombs are stationed in Europe today. In fact, there is an argument to be made that the Trident system is equally – if not more – problematic under the NPT framework than the US nukes based in England. That is because the US provides the delivery system for the UK's submarine-launched nuclear warheads, which are officially not controlled by the US but supposedly a sovereign, UK-controlled nuclear capability. The much-vaunted 'independence' of Trident is of course highly dubious, given the heavy reliance of the Royal Navy on US technical, logistical and communications support to operate the missiles. In any case, without the US provision of technology, the UK would not currently be a nuclear state. The lease of the Trident missiles to the UK could therefore be seen as an act of nuclear proliferation by the United States that violates the NPT in both letter and spirit. By hosting US nuclear weapons again at Lakenheath and building £15bn more worth of warheads, the UK is regressing to a Cold War posture. This shows that our leaders have not learnt the most important lessons of the nuclear age: that the nuclear arms race does not establish international stability but only worsens tensions and raises the risk of nuclear conflict. History has shown that preparing for war does not ensure peace – quite the contrary. Those who want peace in Scotland and the UK must loudly oppose our country becoming a nuclear staging post in a prospective new Cold War era – whether that be at Lakenheath, Marham or Faslane.
India Today
17 hours ago
- Business
- India Today
US moved nuclear weapons to UK for first time since 2008: Report
In a bid to send a message to Russian President Vladimir Putin that it stands with Europe, the US, for the first time since 2008, has stationed its nuclear weapons in the UK.A US aircraft flew on July 16 while transmitting its location publicly and blatantly identifying itself, from a US nuclear weapons depot at Kirtland Air Force Base in Albuquerque, New Mexico, to an airbase in the UK city of Lakenheath, according to defence analysts and open data, as reported by source, a Europe-based senior fellow at the Pacific Forum, added that the flight C-17, used primarily by the US to transport nuclear weapons, and a part of the US Air Force's Prime Nuclear Airlift Force, did not fly over any country's territory. According to the Bloomberg report, the budget documents of the US Department of Defence (DOD)showcase how the country has allocated millions of dollars over the years to the work being done on nuclear weapons safety facilities in suggest that the US transported the new B61-12 thermonuclear bombs into Europe – the first time it has increased its nuclear arsenal in the region since the Cold senior fellow, William Alberque, noted that flying with the transponders on and transmitting the location could be a move to remind Russia that the US still has nuclear capabilities functioning in officials declined to President Donald Trump, in recent weeks, has grown more stern in the face of his Russian counterpart. Trump has agreed to send Ukraine more US-made Patriot missiles and has threatened to hit Russia with secondary tariffs if the nation does not negotiate a ceasefire with Ukraine within 50 days. Notably, the UK announced last month its plan to purchase numerous US-made F-35A fighter jets capable of carrying B61-12 nuclear B61-12 bombs are capable of carrying a warhead with adjustable yield levels and can be carried on F-35A jets and also on NATO aircraft, according to the Bulletin of the Atomic yield level measures the explosive power of a nuclear weapon. The missiles with adjustable yield can now be deployed either on a small army or a big use of nuclear weapons by the US, however, can only occur at the behest of its President and Commander-in-Chief, Donald Trump.- EndsTune InMust Watch IN THIS STORY#United States of America#Russia
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First Post
a day ago
- Politics
- First Post
Did US move nuclear arms to UK in a signal to Putin?
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. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD 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: @Cnduk @ScottishCND @EDP24 — 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.' STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD 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: — 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. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD 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. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD 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. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD 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
NDTV
a day ago
- Politics
- NDTV
US Has Likely Moved Nuclear Weapons In UK For First Time Since 2008: Report
The US has likely stationed nuclear weapons in the UK for the first time since 2008, in a signal to Russian President Vladimir Putin that it remains committed to European security. On July 16, a US military aircraft flew with its transponder on - making its identification and location publicly visible - from a US nuclear weapons depot at Kirtland Air Force Base in Albuquerque, New Mexico, to an airbase in the UK city of Lakenheath, according to defense analysts and open-source data. The C-17 flight involved the US Air Force's Prime Nuclear Airlift Force, which transports nuclear weapons, and didn't fly over any other nation's territory, according to William Alberque, a Europe-based senior fellow at the Pacific Forum. The US and UK governments have longstanding policies of not commenting on the status or location of their nuclear weapons. US Department of Defense budget documents show that millions of dollars of work on "surety" facilities - the term the Pentagon uses to describe nuclear weapon security - has been in progress at Lakenheath for several years. The weapons the aircraft most likely delivered were the new B61-12 thermonuclear bombs, increasing the number of US tactical nuclear weapons in Europe for the first time since the Cold War. "There are strong indications" that the US has returned nuclear weapons to the UK, said Hans Kristensen, director of the Federation of American Scientists' Nuclear Information Project. Alberque said the decision to leave the flight transponders on indicates the US wants to show Russia that it is not reducing its nuclear capability in Europe. NATO officials declined to immediately comment. "This is a down payment that there's more to come on shifting NATO's deterrence posture toward strengthening," Alberque said. "Returning US nuclear weapons to the UK is no small feat." The move also signals that the US is committing more flexible nuclear capabilities to Europe, creating a wider range of options for its forces, said Sidharth Kaushal, a senior research fellow at the Royal United Services Institute. "Capabilities such as the B61 can contribute to limiting the impact of Russia's large advantage in theater-level nonstrategic nuclear weapons," Kaushal said. US President Donald Trump has hardened his approach to Putin in recent weeks, agreeing to send Ukraine more US-made Patriot missiles through European purchases and threatening to hit Russia with secondary tariffs if it doesn't agree to a cease fire within 50 days. On Monday, Trump said that he would reduce that deadline, adding that the was "disappointed" in Putin. The UK announced last month that it would purchase at least a dozen new US-made F-35A fighter jets capable of carrying B61-12 nuclear bombs. This week, its Ministry of Defense stated in an updated policy document that "NATO's nuclear deterrence also relies on US nuclear weapons deployed in Europe and supporting capabilities and infrastructure provided by Allies." The new jets will be available to fly NATO's nuclear mission, according to the document. "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," the MoD said in the document. B61-12 thermonuclear gravity bombs carry a warhead with a yield adjustable between 0.3 kilotons and 50 kilotons, according to the Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists. They can be carried on F-35A fighter jets as well as other US and NATO aircraft. Yield measures the explosive power of a nuclear weapon, measured in the equivalent in tons of conventional explosives. Designed to be much more accurate than previous B61 models, its variable yield means it can be used against small military targets as well as population centers. The apparent shipment to the UK means the bomb is now fully deployed in Europe at seven bases across six NATO countries, Kristensen said. US nuclear weapons, even those on other countries' territory, can only be used after the direct authorization of the US President.
Time of India
2 days ago
- Politics
- Time of India
'US likely moved N-arms to UK for first time since '08'
T Tired of too many ads? go ad free now he US has likely stationed nuclear weapons in the UK for the first time since 2008, in a signal to Russian President Vladimir Putin that it remains committed to European security. On July 16, a US military aircraft flew with its transponder on - making its identification and location publicly visible - from a US nuclear weapons depot at Kirtland air force base in Albuquerque, New Mexico, to an airbase in the UK city of Lakenheath, according to defence analysts and open-source data. The C-17 flight involved the US air force's Prime Nuclear Airlift Force, which transports nuclear weapons, and didn't fly over any other nation's territory, according to William Alberque, a Europe-based senior fellow at Pacific Forum. US and UK govts have longstanding policies of not commenting on status or location of their nuclear weapons. The weapons the aircraft most likely delivered were the new B61-12 thermonuclear bombs, increasing the number of US tactical nuclear weapons in Europe for the first time since the Cold War. Alberque said the decision to leave the flight transponders on indicates the US wants to show Russia that it is not reducing its nuclear capability in Europe. "Returning US nuclear weapons to the UK is no small feat." The move also signals that the US is committing more flexible nuclear capabilities to Europe, creating a wider range of options for its forces, said Sidharth Kaushal, a senior research fellow at the Royal United Services Institute. "Capabilities such as the B61 can contribute to limiting the impact of Russia's large advantage in theater-level nonstrategic nuclear weapons," Kaushal said.
