United Kingdom nuclear weapons, 2024

For decades, the United Kingdom has maintained a stockpile of approximately 225 nuclear warheads-up to 120 of which are available for delivery by four Vanguard-class nuclear-powered ballistic missile submarines. The stockpile is now increasing. The United Kingdom is currently building a new class of Dreadnaught-class submarines and developing a new nuclear warhead. In addition, it is expected that the United Kingdom will eventually increase the size of its arsenal and that Royal Air Force (RAF) Lakenheath will regain a United States Air Force nuclear mission in the coming years. The Nuclear Notebook is researched and written by the staff of the Federation of American Scientists' Nuclear Information Project: director Hans M. Kristensen, associate director Matt Korda, and senior research associates Eliana Johns and Mackenzie Knight. To see all previous Nuclear Notebook columns in the Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists dating back to 1987, go to https://thebulletin.org/nuclear-notebook/.