Television current affairs show Reporter will claim tonight that the Netherlands agreed with the US in 2010 to station new nuclear weapons at the Volkel airbase in Brabant.

In addition, the show will claim the JSF fighter jets the Netherlands is planning to buy from the US will be equipped to carry the new weapons.

The agreement is discussed in a report to the US government auditors which refers to ‘certain Nato allies’ rather than mentioning the Netherlands by name.

However, experts told the programme’s researchers they are convinced the Netherlands is one of these allies.

The foreign affairs ministry declined to comment on the claims.

Earlier claims

In June, the Telegraaf reported 22 American nuclear bombs are being stored in underground strong-rooms at the Volkel air base. Their presence was confirmed by former prime minister Ruud Lubbers in a National Geographic documentary.

Papers leaked by Wikileaks in 2010 seemed to suggest that US nuclear bombs were kept in the Netherlands as late as 2009. However, the then foreign minister Uri Rosenthal declined to comment.

Opposition MPs have called for an explanation of the latest claims.