Is The U.S. About To Deploy Nuclear Weapons To The U.K.?

Significant modernization is underway at RAF Lakenheath for F-35A aircraft, a planned “surety dormitory,” and other infrastructure indicating that the nuclear weapons mission may be returning after a hiatus of 15 years.  

Bloomberg: Russia Warns of 'Escalation' If US Stations Nuclear Bombs in UK 

Russia warned Tuesday it will treat any US move to station nuclear weapons in the UK for the first time in 15 years as an “escalation” after media reports indicated plans to deploy the bombs on British soil. 

“If this happens, it will be treated by us as an escalation, which will lead to the exact opposite of achieving the pressing task of removing all US nuclear weapons from Europe,” Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said Tuesday, according to state news service Tass.  

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Update #1: Moscow warns US move to return nukes to UK soil would be viewed as step toward escalation -- TASS  

Update #2: Russia warns return of US nuclear weapons to UK would be seen as escalation -- Reuters 

WNU Editor: The Federation Of American Scientists believes the US is preparing to deploy nuclear weapons to the UK .... Increasing Evidence that the US Air Force’s Nuclear Mission May Be Returning to UK Soil (FAS). More here .... Is the US resending nukes to the UK? The FAS thinks so (Interesting Engineering), and here .... Airbase project could pave way for UK to host US nuclear weapons (The Guardian).

US Using British Atomic Weapons Factory For Its Nuclear Programme

Photo: AWE is the headquarters of Britain's nuclear development programme (Image from the BBC)

From The Guardian:

• Joint warhead research carried out at Aldermaston
• Work breaches nuclear treaty, campaigners warn

The US military has been using Britain's atomic weapons factory to carry out research into its own nuclear warhead programme, according to evidence seen by the Guardian.

US defence officials said that "very valuable" warhead research has taken place at the Atomic Weapons Establishment at Aldermaston in Berkshire as part of an ongoing and secretive deal between the British and American governments.

The Ministry of Defence admitted it is working with the US on the UK's "existing nuclear warhead stockpile and the range of replacement options that might be available" but declined to give any further information.

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My Comment: Working together results in significant cost savings. The British can always have their own independent nuclear weapons program .... but why pay double when it could cost half the price.

America Removes Nuclear Weapons From Britain After 50 Years

Workers at Pantex Plant near Amarillo, Texas, begin disassembling a B61 gravity bomb by separating it into its major subcomponents (the weapon has a total of 5,919 parts). The bomb's warhead is in the section directly behind the nose.

From The Telegraph:

The Federation of American Scientists, which monitors the US atomic weapons arsenal, said the inventory held at RAF Lakenheath in Suffolk had been shut down. The airbase has been home to US nuclear weapons since 1954.

Report author and weapons expert Han Kristensen said the information had been confirmed by several official sources.

The withdrawal of the B61 bombs marks a strategic shift in the US defensive posture.

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My Comment: This unilateral decision is a surprise. I guess the decision has been made that they do not serve a purpose anymore.