Missiles could be placed at RAF Lakenheath in Suffolk in case of potential war between Nato and Russia
The US is planning to station nuclear weapons in the UK for the first time in 15 years amid a growing threat from Russia, according to a report. Warheads three times as strong as the Hiroshima bomb would be located at RAF Lakenheath in Suffolk under the proposals, the Telegraph reported.
The US previously placed nuclear missiles at RAF Lakenheath and removed them in 2008 after the cold war threat from Moscow receded. Pentagon documents seen by the newspaper reveal procurement contracts for a new facility at the airbase.
A Ministry of Defence spokesperson said: “It remains a longstanding UK and Nato policy to neither confirm nor deny the presence of nuclear weapons at a given location.”
American nukes in the UK aren’t missiles that can be launched, they are gravity bombs that are loaded onto fighter bombers and would be used tactically as part of a European ground war. This type, to be precise:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/B61_nuclear_bomb
This is not a first strike weapon nor one that can be used immediately if e.g. Russian ICBMs were to be detected en route to the UK or any other NATO country.
The presence of these weapons in the UK serves several purposes: They are part of the overall nuclear deterrent, but they are also an expression of American commitment to their European allies. It’s a signal to Russia that if a European NATO member were to be attacked, they have the ability to deploy this weapon on the battlefield. It’s not just theoretical: A total war started by Russia against NATO is unfortunately increasingly likely in the coming years, so one reason this weapon is being transferred to the UK is that there is the expectation that it might be needed soon.
Note that the UK is not the only European nation where American nuclear weapons are present. There are five NATO member states - Belgium, Germany, Italy, The Netherlands and Turkey - that have an agreement with the US enabling pilots from these countries to deploy American nuclear bombs in case of a war, about 20 of the same B61 type mentioned above. These nations are all threatened by Russian nukes, but have no active nuclear weapons programs of their own, so this is a vital part of their deterrent.
All of these nations, with the exception of Turkey, just recently purchased F-35 jets specifically for this mission, replacing older Tornado jets that had previously fulfilled this role. The bombs are under the full control of American officers until the American President and the heads of the respective nations’ governments have both signed off their use. The US President approves and permits American officers to unlock the weapons. The local head of government has the final word and full control over their use from that point on.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nuclear_sharing