Claims circulating in recent days that 56 nuclear weapons are stored at RAF Akrotiri are not supported by available evidence, according to a detailed fact-check by Fact Check Cyprus based on satellite imagery, international security protocols and the United Kingdom’s current nuclear doctrine.
The claim had been raised publicly by journalist Andreas Paraschos, who argued that the website Offsite withdrew an earlier report about the alleged presence of nuclear weapons at the British Bases due to a lack of documentation. Paraschos cited journalistic confidentiality regarding his source and said his years of experience supported the credibility of the information.
He also linked the alleged weapons to NATO’s recent military mobilisation in the Eastern Mediterranean and to a US advisory urging its citizens to leave Cyprus, suggesting these developments pointed to a heightened nuclear risk. However, the fact-check report concludes that the available evidence does not support these claims.
Historical infrastructure at Akrotiri
Archival material from RAF Akrotiri dating back to April 1960 confirms that the base was originally developed to host Britain’s V-Bomber force, which served as the country’s main nuclear strike capability during the Cold War.
This means the base’s runways, hangars and security systems were designed for aircraft capable of carrying nuclear weapons.
However, the fact-check notes that the existence of such infrastructure does not prove that nuclear warheads are stored there today, as the deployment of nuclear weapons requires specialised personnel, operational protocols and dedicated storage systems.
Britain no longer deploys air-delivered nuclear weapons
Since 1998, when the United Kingdom withdrew its WE.177 air-delivered nuclear bombs, the country has eliminated airborne nuclear weapons entirely.
Britain’s nuclear deterrent now relies exclusively on the Trident missile system, which is deployed aboard Vanguard-class submarines.
As a result, the Royal Air Force no longer has operational certification to carry nuclear warheads, meaning RAF bases are not currently used for nuclear weapon deployment.
Where nuclear weapons are stored in Europe
The fact-check also notes that US nuclear weapons in Europe are stored at six air bases across five NATO countries: Belgium (Kleine Brogel), Germany (Büchel), Italy (Aviano and Ghedi), the Netherlands (Volkel) and Turkey (Incirlik).
At these bases, nuclear weapons are stored inside underground WS3 vaults located in reinforced aircraft shelters, which are surrounded by double security fences, exclusion zones, guard towers and surveillance systems. These security zones create a clearly visible high-security enclave within the base.
Satellite imagery of Akrotiri
According to Fact Check Cyprus, satellite imagery of Flamingo Way and Phantom Way at RAF Akrotiri shows aircraft hangars directly accessible from the base’s internal road network.
However, the imagery does not show the type of nuclear security enclave required by NATO protocols, which would normally include a separate perimeter surrounding specific shelters. At bases known to host nuclear weapons, this distinctive security perimeter is clearly visible.
Comparison with Incirlik
The report also compares the claim with Incirlik Air Base in Turkey, widely considered the main US nuclear storage site in the region. According to the Federation of American Scientists, Incirlik hosts around 50 B61 nuclear bombs, stored in 25 underground WS3 vaults protected by a heavily fortified security perimeter.
The fact-check concludes that it would be practically impossible for Akrotiri to host more nuclear weapons than Incirlik while lacking the specialised storage infrastructure required for such weapons.
The report concludes that RAF Akrotiri retains Cold War-era infrastructure designed to host aircraft capable of carrying nuclear weapons, but that modern satellite imagery, NATO security protocols and Britain’s current nuclear doctrine do not support the existence of an active nuclear arsenal in Cyprus today.
It adds that the figure “56 nuclear weapons” appears to be an outdated reference to historical military infrastructure rather than evidence of a current nuclear deployment.