U.S. deploys nuclear weapons on UK soil for first time since 2008: media

The United States has deployed several nuclear warheads on the territory of the United Kingdom for the first time since 2008, according to reports by the UK Defence Journal on Monday.

This marks the first return of U.S. nuclear weapons to British soil since at least 2008, with several B61-12 thermonuclear bombs transferred to the British Royal Air Force (RAF)'s Lakenheath base in Suffolk, UK, said multiple media outlets.

The warheads are believed to have been moved from the U.S. Air Force Nuclear Weapons Center at Kirtland Air Force Base of New Mexico to newly constructed secure storage facilities in the UK.

RAF Lakenheath housed U.S. nuclear weapons during the Cold War; however, the last known withdrawal took place in 2008, aligning with broader arms reduction initiatives across Europe.

UK Defence Journal noted that the U.S. first signaled plans to restore nuclear storage capabilities at Lakenheath in its 2022 budget documents.

The report added that the return of such weapons would signify a major shift in the North Atlantic Treaty Organization's nuclear strategy for the European theater.