US accelerates plans to send upgraded nukes to Europe: report

The United States has moved up plans to deploy an upgraded version of its nuclear gravity bomb to Europe amid increased tensions over Russia’s threats to use a nuclear weapon in Ukraine, according to a report.

Russia this week held high-profile nuclear drills at the Kura firing range on the far-eastern Kamchatka Peninsula.

Photo: EPA/RUSSIAN DEFENCE MINISTRY PRESS SERVICE via PAP

The planned deployment of improved US nuclear weapons to NATO bases in Europe, originally scheduled for the spring of 2023, is now planned for December, the Politico news service has reported.

It said two people familiar with the issue confirmed the accelerated timeframe reported in a US diplomatic cable.

The sources asked not to be identified due to the sensitivity of the issue, Politico reported.

The United States has accelerated plans to move a more accurate version of its mainstay nuclear bomb to NATO bases in Europe, amid heightened tensions over Russia’s threats to use a nuclear weapon in Ukraine. https://t.co/moIttDoazA

— POLITICOEurope (@POLITICOEurope) October 27, 2022

The plan involves replacing older weapons with the newer version at various storage facilities in Europe for potential use by US and allied bombers and fighter jets, according to the politico.com website.

⚡️ Politico: US accelerates plans to update nuclear bombs in Europe.

The U.S. has rescheduled the arrival of the upgraded B61-12 air-dropped gravity bomb to NATO bases in Europe to December 2022, Politico reported, citing a U.S. diplomatic cable and two unnamed sources.

— The Kyiv Independent (@KyivIndependent) October 27, 2022

Russian President Vladimir Putin on Wednesday watched high-profile military exercises in which his country's strategic forces practiced delivering “a massive nuclear strike,” according to news reports. 

Thursday is day 246 of the Russian invasion of Ukraine. 

(gs)

Source: PAP, politico.com