Shipbucket

^ This ^

Dependent on when the specification is laid down there's a few ways it could go I guess. I'll toss some ideas around and see what happens.

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You can also use a tanker aircraft to increase range (at least in the 70s)

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Here is an idea:

http://thempirestwilight.wikia.com/wiki ... Blackbeard

This could be something like the Soviet Tu-22M Backfire, with British technology and 2 RR Olympus 593 (from Concord). If the TSR.2 was in service, advanced electronics would be integrated to her.

@ Shippy... I'm not forgetting basing options, but I'm assuming these aircraft would be stationed in the UK, for security of both aircraft and weaponry. Also, the use of European Airspace isn't always guaranteed.

Safe options are available, Australia, New Zealand, Canada, Diego Garcia.... I'm not sure I can think of anywhere else of the top of my head I would feel safe basing my nukes and nasty stuff.... So include in that list the UK, that’s 5 places to plonk your planes. If secrecy/surprise is the aim, then you wouldn’t want to stop anywhere to refuel.... or that's my current line of thinking anyway. But Im happy to be persuaded otherwise

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Yes. So mid-air refuelling is a must

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Just buy a squadron of surplus B-52 and re-engineer them with RR RB-211

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Morten812

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I don't see the issue. At the time there's only one target that warrants a nuke is the Soviet Union so the nuke carriers would realistically only be based in the UK and possibly RAF Akrotiri on Cyprus. Any other areas would be strictly conventional so the security issues becomes much smaller.
Edit: Depending on the exact timeline RAF Luqa on Malta might also be an option.

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Hi Thiel ,

"...there's only one target that warrants a nuke is the Soviet Union..." Agreed. I can't think of any other reason why the UK would want to Nuke anybody else, except in response to a Soviet 1st Strike. But there's all the other "nasties" in the British armoury... Anthrax, Agent Orange, Blister Agents, Rabies, Ebola, Avian Flu, Mustard Gas, Chlorine, and all the other Chemical and Biological Agents Britain "didn't have" and that "weren't" stored at Burlington or Portland Down (amongst other places?)...

And Luqa, yes, my apologies, I forgot Malta.

Not sure about Akrotiri. Things were a little dicey there around Independence and the Turkish Invasion. I'm not sure how secure that was in the 50's and 60's. Of course, things are much better now, even if some Greek Cypriots are calling for the withdrawal of British forces again, after the use of the airbase to fly bombing recon over Syria for the US.

And Time line, is from the retirement of the V Bomber Force to the present day and beyond

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[quote="Morten812"]Just buy a squadron of surplus B-52 and re-engineer them with RR RB-211


That could be one option and, if you'd like to have a go at designing/drawing that option, then please, be my guest. But this was an aircraft design challenge, and I just thought it would be interesting to see what the good people of this forum could come up with. and thus far, I havent been disappointed by the ideas/conversations this has thrown up. There's certainly some stuff I've learnt and hadnt thought of

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RAF Akrotiri was home to nuclear capable bombers (Canberras and Vulcans) from 1957 to 1975 and stored nuclear weapons from 1961 to 1969.

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“Close” only counts with horseshoes, hand grenades, and tactical nuclear weapons.
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