In the midst of allegations concerning the deployment of American nuclear weapons in the UK, a Pentagon official on Saturday adhered to the longstanding policy of neither confirming nor denying such reports.
Earlier revelations by the British newspaper “Telegraph” suggested that the United States plans to deploy nuclear weapons in the UK for the first time in 15 years.
According to the newspaper, contracts related to a new facility at the Royal Air Force base in Lakenheath indicate Washington’s intention to station nuclear warheads three times more powerful than the strength of the Hiroshima bomb.
In response to the report, a Pentagon official refrained from confirming or denying its accuracy, stating to the Telegraph, “The US routinely updates its military facilities in allied countries.” He further explained, “Such activities often accompany non-classified administrative budget documents. These documents do not predict or aim to disclose any specific position or details about bases.”
He emphasized, “The policy of the US is neither to confirm nor deny the presence of nuclear weapons in any public or specific location.”
It is noteworthy that the US withdrew its nuclear missiles from the UK in 2008, assessing that the Cold War threat from Russia had diminished.