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US plans $4bn boost to UK airbases, files suggest nuclear storage

newsJun 30, 2026961

Pentagon files reported by the Guardian detail a roughly $4 billion package to upgrade US airbases in the United Kingdom, and indicate some new facilities may be designed to store US nuclear weapons. The documents also show $163 million earmarked for Menwith Hill, a long-running secretive spy site in North Yorkshire. The files and related commentary single out other US-occupied RAF sites, including Lakenheath, as part of the wider upgrade program. Reporting has prompted immediate questions about whether the planned facilities would place US nuclear warheads on UK soil and about who would have legal and investigative authority if incidents occurred on those bases. The disclosure is likely to increase political scrutiny in Westminster and among local communities near the bases, and could complicate UK-US defence and basing arrangements as details are clarified and parliamentary oversight resumes.

Prof Bill McGuire
@profbillmcguire.bsky.social

US nuclear weapons and secret bases on UK soil is an obscenity We don't need them and we don't want them It would be nice to think that the new PM will put a spanner in the works, but sadly I think not www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2026...

313h ago
Jeff3

Ffs why won't these fucking warmongering meglos just piss off.

Melissa Eco Zealot 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿1

UKG will never deliver a spanner to this … they’ll count the money claim they’ve increased GDP and hide the truth.

The Guardian
@theguardian.com

Nuclear weapons storage in spotlight as US plans $4bn boost for its UK airbases

283h ago
PhilT6022

Without a meaningful commitment to NATO, the presence of these US weapons on UK soil, just makes the UK a target!!

Life Is Amazing publisher2

Are we sure the US isn't ramping up its airbases in the UK... so it can attack the UK?

nearsighted.bsky.social1

These bases are the ultimate bargaining tool for the UK government. If the USA threatens tariffs then we tell them to remove the bases. Without its forward bases the USA is fucked. A strong PM is what we need not an appeaser.

Quoting this
La Reine des Metaphores3

One for @andyburnham.bsky.social to sort out. We live a mile and a half from one of these bases.

edolis 🇪🇺🇮🇹2

of course the US is going to use UK as a base to spy and threaten EU. As it already did with the centre for intercepting EU top level comms (Merkel case) in the past

Life Is Amazing publisher
@lifeisamazing.bsky.social

Are we sure the US isn't ramping up its airbases in the UK... so it can attack the UK?

23h ago
Davey / Lexyn
@nerdlegend.bsky.social

@phillipspobrien.bsky.social I'm sure this going hit your radar at some point. www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2026... seems rather curious is a response to EU talk about nuclear umbrella or US understanding it alliance?

2h ago
Paulb
@paulb3964.bsky.social

Why would the US have investigative primacy for an offence that occurred on UK soil? Is whether the offender was on or off duty or on or off the airbase relevant. US Airbases in UK are surely UK territory. It *is* **RAF** Lakenheath & not USAF Lakenheath? www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2026...

Screen shot of Guardian article with photo showing the name of the airbase as RAF Lakenheath.
Yesterday
🌹ᴀʟᴀɴ ᴇ ʜɪʟʟ🌹
@alanehill.com

$4b "Boost" includes $163m for undisclosed reasons at Menwith Hill, and storage facilities for nuclear arsenal... www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2026...

1h ago
simongood.bsky.social
@simongood.bsky.social

This is about data centres. Palantir. Trump. “The release also states that Ontario has expertise in clean, affordable nuclear energy, including large-scale reactors, small modular reactors and energy storage.” www.cbc.ca/news/canada/...

14h ago
John Paul iGhetti Jr
@dannybirchall.bsky.social

Love to live a Big Yellow for America's spare nukes. www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2026...

3h ago
Andy Scollick
@andyscollick.bsky.social

With the immaculate good timing of a follow-through, this news on the back of the #DIP shit underspending plan announcement is turning the UK into a pariah-laughing stock hybrid.

2h ago
1 source
theguardian.comNuclear weapons storage in spotlight as US plans $4bn boost for its UK airbases

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