LONDON, December 22. /TASS/. The US considers the Lakenheath military base in Suffolk, eastern England, unsuitable for the deployment of tactical nuclear weapons, partly due to the poor condition of the facility’s equipment, The Daily Mail reported after reviewing relevant Pentagon documents.

According to the newspaper, the building intended to serve as the main command post is in an "adequate condition but beyond its useful life." Meanwhile, the "cooling and air filtration" systems are insufficient to support a classified information center.

The authors of the document also noted that one reason Lakenheath cannot host nuclear weapons is that "some of those involved in the US nuclear operation would not have quick access to a toilet during an Armageddon-style scenario."

Under the Pentagon’s $264 million plan to modernize the British base, scheduled for completion by 2031, at least half a dozen buildings and structures are to be demolished, secure intelligence facilities constructed, and the surrounding area protected against enemy electromagnetic pulse attacks.

Nuclear weapons were previously stored at Lakenheath from 1949 but were withdrawn 18 years ago. Currently, the United Kingdom’s nuclear stockpile is deployed on four Vanguard-class submarines carrying US Trident II (D5) ballistic missiles.

The UK Defence Journal website called reports of a possible return of such weapons to England a significant shift in NATO’s nuclear strategy in Europe, amid deteriorating relations with Russia and an increasing emphasis on deterrence.