Potential U.S. Tactical Nuke Deployment in Asia-Pacific Could Bring Catastrophic Fallout - Expert | 6 June 2024 | The director of the Knowfar Institute for Strategic and Defense Studies, Li Jian, provided insight regarding the potential deployment of U.S. tactical nuclear weapons in the western Pacific Ocean in an interview with Sputnik. "The question of U.S. nuclear weapon deployment has a long history," Jian told Sputnik, highlighting advancements in U.S. tactical nuclear capabilities, such as the B61-12 bomb, and the completion of testing for various aircraft models. "Since the U.S. Department of Defense purchased 400 B61-12 tactical nuclear bombs, there needs to be somewhere to deploy them," Jian emphasized. The expert outlined potential deployment sites in the western Pacific, including military bases in South Korea, Japan, Okinawa, the Philippines, and Diego Garcia island.