{
  "id": "us-nonstrategic-nuclear",
  "name": "U.S. nonstrategic nuclear weapons in Europe",
  "aliases": [
    "NATO nuclear sharing",
    "B61 in Europe"
  ],
  "domain": "nuclear",
  "country": "USA",
  "category": "Nuclear force component",
  "status": "active",
  "fielded": null,
  "operators": [
    "USA"
  ],
  "summary": "U.S. B61 bombs held at six bases in five NATO countries for delivery by U.S. and allied dual-capable aircraft.",
  "specs": [
    {
      "k": "wh_assigned",
      "v": 200,
      "src": [
        "fas-nn-us-2026"
      ],
      "conf": "medium",
      "note": "About 200 B61-12 nonstrategic bombs stockpiled"
    },
    {
      "k": "wh_deployed",
      "v": 100,
      "src": [
        "fas-nn-us-2026"
      ],
      "conf": "medium",
      "note": "About 100 in Europe; about 120 if Lakenheath (UK) storage is already in use"
    },
    {
      "k": "warhead_type",
      "v": "B61-12 (up to 50 kt); legacy B61-3/-4 replaced",
      "src": [
        "fas-nn-us-2026"
      ],
      "conf": "medium"
    },
    {
      "k": "bases",
      "v": "Aviano and Ghedi (Italy), Büchel (Germany), Incirlik (Türkiye), Kleine Brogel (Belgium), Volkel (Netherlands); possible RAF Lakenheath (UK)",
      "src": [
        "fas-nn-us-2026"
      ],
      "conf": "medium"
    },
    {
      "k": "delivery",
      "v": "F-35A, F-15E, F-16C/D, F-16MLU, PA-200 Tornado",
      "src": [
        "fas-nn-us-2026"
      ],
      "conf": "medium",
      "note": "Integration with these aircraft per FAS"
    }
  ],
  "payloads": [],
  "variants": [],
  "art": "nuclear",
  "image": {
    "file": "us-nonstrategic-nuclear.jpg",
    "thumb": "us-nonstrategic-nuclear-thumb.jpg",
    "credit": "Airman 1st Class Zachary Rufus, U.S. Air Force / DVIDS",
    "license": "Public domain",
    "url": "https://www.dvidshub.net/image/6871837",
    "title": "F-35A completes milestone 5th Gen fighter test with refurbished B61-12 nuclear gravity bombs",
    "source": "DVIDS",
    "dvids_id": 6871837,
    "unit": "Nellis Air Force Base"
  },
  "verified": null,
  "changelog": [
    {
      "date": "2026-11-08",
      "change": "Entry created from United States nuclear weapons, 2026 (FAS Nuclear Notebook)"
    }
  ],
  "url": "https://www.defensepedia.com/systems/us-nonstrategic-nuclear.html",
  "sources": {
    "fas-nn-us-2026": {
      "title": "United States nuclear weapons, 2026",
      "publisher": "Federation of American Scientists Nuclear Notebook, Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists",
      "url": "https://thebulletin.org/premium/2026-03/united-states-nuclear-weapons-2026/",
      "published": "2026-03-01",
      "tier": 2,
      "checked": "2026-11-08"
    }
  }
}