(qlmbusinessnews.com . Wed 23rd Jul, 2025) London, UK —
Breaking: B61-12 Nuclear Bombs Shipped to RAF Lakenheath, UK Responds to Trump's Ultimatum to Putin
For the first time in over a decade, the US has transferred nuclear arms to British territory, escalating its stance in the wake of President Donald Trump's stern 50-day ultimatum to Vladimir Putin to cease hostilities in Ukraine. Reports have emerged that “several” B61-12 thermonuclear gravity bombs have been delivered to RAF Lakenheath in Suffolk, which is said to house a new storage facility for these weapons, despite public outcry against the decision.
The B61-12, a formidable free-fall weapon which is released from aircraft, weighs approximately 320kg and boasts an explosive yield significantly greater than that of the “Fat Man” nuclear bomb dropped on Nagasaki in World War II. These munitions are believed to have been transported from the US Air Force Nuclear Weapons Center at Kirtland Air Force Base in New Mexico, marking the return of US nuclear deterrents to the UK for the first time since their withdrawal in 2008. This withdrawal concluded a 54-year period of US nuclear presence in the UK, dating back to the Cold War, during a phase of global nuclear arsenal reduction across Europe.
The US Department of Defense has remained quiet about the deployment, and it is unlikely that the UK's Ministry of Defence will confirm the presence of these nuclear deterrents.
Equipped for nuclear capability, F-35A Lightning II fighter jets, operated by both the 493rd and 495th Fighter Squadrons stationed at Lakenheath, can carry the B61-12 nukes. This reinforcement introduces a second line of nuclear deterrence to the UK, complementing its Vanguard-class submarines, each armed with 40 deployed warheads. The UK's nuclear air force was disbanded in 1998, with the nation opting instead for a “continuous at-sea deterrent” through its Vanguard submarines, ensuring a perpetual and elusive threat to adversaries.
Previously, the Royal Air Force was outfitted to deploy the domestically developed WE.177 in response to a nuclear threat.
In a move signalling the UK's intention to revive the RAF's nuclear role since the Cold War's termination, the UK confirmed the acquisition of 12 new F-35A fighter jets in June, aligning with NATO's dual-capable aircraft nuclear mission to enhance continental security.
“In an era marked by profound uncertainty, we cannot afford to assume peace is a given,” remarked Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer, highlighting the investment in national security and the benefits of the defence sector to communities nationwide.
The transference of nuclear weapons between these two allied nations follows President Trump's ultimatum to Russia, demanding the cessation of its conflict in Ukraine—a call which Russia seems to have dismissed as it intensifies aerial and missile assaults on Ukrainian civilians.
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