You are here:

UNA-UK launches report on Tactical Nuclear Weapons

Published on

Updated:

UNA-UK launches report on Tactical Nuclear Weapons

It is a seldom-remarked fact that, 22 years after the end of the Cold War, the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation (NATO) still deploys scores of nuclear weapons on the territory of five Allied nations in Europe: Belgium, Germany, Italy, the Netherlands, and Turkey. With relatively small-yield warheads and with ranges shorter than both intercontinental-range land-based and submarine-launched weapons, or intermediate-range weapons, these weapons are commonly referred to as tactical or theatre nuclear weapons. Seen by many as obsolete, they remain, however, a central component of NATO’s strategic defence. They also represent a strong point of diplomatic contention between the United States and its NATO Allies, and the Russian Federation.

With the weapons themselves and their transport aircraft reaching the end of their deployment lives, Ted Seay, a respected independent arms control and disarmament consultant with an unrivalled knowledge of the weapons and the politics surrounding them, seeks to address what the future holds for theatre nuclear weapons in Europe and the Alliance that they serve, in this, the  third such Towards Zero nuclear disarmament and non-proliferation briefing paper.    For more information on UNA-UK’s Towards Zero programme, or to learn more about the Towards Zero briefing paper series  contact James Kearney, UNA-UK Peace and Security Programmes Manager, at kearney@una.org.uk or on 020 7766 3446.