Bloomberg: US Likely Deploys Nuke Weapons to UK for First Time Since 2008

By Staff, Agencies

The United States has likely reintroduced nuclear weapons to British soil for the first time in over 15 years, according to a Bloomberg report published Monday.

Citing open-source flight data and defense analysts, the report suggests the move is part of a broader effort to recalibrate NATO’s deterrence posture in light of mounting tensions with Russia.

On July 16, a US military transport aircraft with its transponder deliberately left active flew from Kirtland Air Force Base in New Mexico—known for housing nuclear arms—to RAF Lakenheath in eastern England.

Defense analysts believe the aircraft carried B61-12 thermonuclear bombs, signaling what could be the first known US nuclear redeployment to the UK since 2008.

“This is a down payment that there’s more to come on shifting NATO’s deterrence posture toward strengthening,” said William Alberque, a former senior NATO arms control official.

He described the act of leaving the transponder on as a deliberate message to Moscow, adding: “Returning US nuclear weapons to the UK is no small feat.”

Neither Washington nor London has officially confirmed the deployment, and the exact number of weapons remains undisclosed.

If verified, the transfer would represent a major adjustment in NATO’s nuclear footprint in Europe. Since the Cold War, the alliance has maintained tactical nuclear weapons in Belgium, Germany, the Netherlands, Italy and Turkey—but not the UK.

A move to position such assets closer to Russia is likely to be interpreted by Moscow as a significant escalation.

The Bloomberg revelation follows recent British moves to bolster its nuclear capabilities. In June, London confirmed plans to acquire at least 12 F-35A fighter jets, the only model certified to carry US B61-12 nuclear bombs.

UK defense officials hailed the acquisition as “the biggest strengthening of the UK’s nuclear posture in a generation.”

The reported redeployment also comes amid growing calls within NATO to enhance nuclear readiness. In 2023, then-NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg said the alliance was contemplating more forward deployments of nuclear weapons to counter threats from Russia and China, whom he labeled “potential adversaries.”

The Kremlin dismissed his comments as reckless, with spokesman Dmitry Peskov accusing NATO of “yet another fueling of tensions.”

If confirmed, the US nuclear deployment to the UK would mark a historic shift in European deterrence strategy—one likely to draw a sharp response from Moscow.