By Xie Hao

谢浩

According to recent foreign media reports, relevant documents from the US Department of Defense show that the US plans to deploy tactical nuclear weapons at Royal Air Force (RAF) Base Lakenheath in the UK to counter threats from Russia. If this goes ahead, it will be the first time in more than a decade that the US has deployed nuclear weapons in the UK. It is reported that the nuclear weapon to be deployed this time is the new B61-12 nuclear bomb. The maximum yield of this nuclear bomb is 50,000 tons. Amid ongoing geopolitical tensions, the re-deployment of advanced tactical nuclear weapons by the US in the UK is expected to escalate nuclear tensions in Europe and severely impact regional peace and stability.

据外媒近期报道，美国防部相关文件显示，为应对来自俄罗斯的威胁，美国计划在英国拉肯希思皇家空军基地部署战术核武器。此事一旦实施，将是美国时隔10多年后再次在英国部署核武器。据悉，此次计划部署的核武器是美国新型的B61-12型核弹。这种核弹的最大当量5万吨。在地缘冲突持续的当下，美国在英国重新部署新型战术核武器，将进一步加剧欧洲核对抗，严重冲击地区和平稳定。

In fact, the US has long had plans to redeploy nuclear weapons in the UK. In the FY2023 defense budget, the US clearly plans to invest $384 million to upgrade and reconfigure the nuclear bomb storage facilities of six NATO member states, including the UK, to meet the requirements for the deployment of the B61-12 nuclear bomb. In 2023, the US Congress formally approved $50 million in funding for the Air Force to build dormitories at RAF Lakenheath base for personnel performing potential surety missions. At the time, some analysts believed that the potential surety mission referred to in the project was the storage of nuclear weapons, and that the US move was to prepare for the deployment of nuclear weapons in the UK.

事实上，美国欲重新在英国部署核武器的打算早有端倪。在2023财年国防预算中，美国就明确计划投入3.84亿美元，对包括英国在内的6个北约成员国的核弹存储设施进行升级改造，以达到部署美B61-12型核弹的条件。2023年，美国国会正式批准向空军提供5000万美元资金，为在拉肯希思皇家空军基地执行“潜在安全任务”的人员建造宿舍。当时就有分析认为，该项目中提及的“潜在安全任务”就是指保管核武器，而美国此举正是为在英国部署核武器做准备。

As the conflict between Russia and Ukraine drags on, the US has several considerations in its plan to redeploy nuclear weapons in the UK.

在俄乌冲突持续延宕的当下，美国计划在英国重新部署核武器有多重考虑。

On one hand, it aims to strengthen strategic deterrence against Russia. The US first deployed nuclear weapons in the UK in 1954, and in the 1990s the US Air Force built over 10 underground storage bunkers at Lakenheath base to store a significant number of nuclear bombs. It was not until 2008 that the US withdrew these nuclear bombs, believing that the threat from Russia had diminished. Since the outbreak of the Russia-Ukraine conflict, the US has been upgrading its nuclear arsenals in Europe, with the planned redeployment in the UK being a specific measure.

一方面意在加强对俄罗斯的战略威慑。1954年，美国首次在英国部署核武器。20世纪90年代，美空军在拉肯希思皇家空军基地建造了数十个地下储存库，并存放了大量核弹。直至2008年，美国认为来自俄罗斯的威胁减弱才撤走了这些核弹。俄乌冲突爆发以来，美国开始升级其在欧洲核武库，此次计划重新在英部署核武器正是具体措施之一。

On the other hand, it aims to increase the security of US nuclear deployments in Europe. Under NATO's nuclear sharing mechanism, the US currently deploys about 100 nuclear bombs in Belgium, Germany, Italy, the Netherlands and Turkey. These countries naturally become priority targets for Russia. Compared to these countries, the UK is further away from Russia and relatively less vulnerable to attack. If the nuclear weapons deployed on the European continent became inoperable, those deployed in the UK would serve as a backup.

另一方面旨在提高美国在欧洲境内核部署的安全性。根据北约“核共享”机制，美国目前在比利时、德国、意大利、荷兰和土耳其等5国部署了约100枚核弹。这些国家自然也因此成为俄罗斯的“重点关注对象”。与这些国家相比，英国距离俄罗斯较远，相对不易被攻击。一旦美国在欧洲大陆部署的核武器无法发射，部署在英国的核武器将起到备份作用。

In recent years, the US has been stepping up its efforts to deploy global nuclear forces and seek nuclear deterrence advantages around the world. For example, the US has established a trilateral security partnership with the UK and Australia to cooperate on nuclear submarines, offered so-called extended deterrence to Japan and ROK, and accelerated the modernization of European nuclear arsenals. Regardless of the pretext or justification used by the US, these actions are likely to exacerbate global nuclear proliferation risks, trigger more instability and stimulate a global nuclear arms race. As the world's largest nuclear power, the US needs to seriously assume the responsibilities of a nuclear power, rather than being a major source of international nuclear security risks.

近年来，从与英澳宣布建立三边安全伙伴关系并开展核潜艇合作，到向日韩提供所谓“延伸威慑”，再到加快升级欧洲核武库，美国一直加紧推进全球核力量部署，在世界范围内谋求核威慑优势。但是，无论美国打着什么样的旗号和借口，其一系列举动只会加剧全球范围内的核扩散风险，引发更多的动荡并刺激核军备竞赛。作为世界上最大的拥核国，美国需要切实承担起一个核大国应尽的责任，而不是做国际核安全的最大风险源。

(The author is from the China Institute of Contemporary International Relations.)

（作者单位：中国现代国际关系研究院）