 In 1958 , the Singapore strategy was revived in the form of Operation Mastodon , a plan to deploy V bombers of RAF Bomber Command equipped with nuclear weapons to Singapore as part of Britain 's contribution to the defence of the region under Southeast Asia Treaty Organization ( SEATO ) . Once again , there were formidable logistical problems . As the V bombers could not fly all the way to Singapore , a new staging base was developed at RAF Gan in the Maldives . RAF Tengah 's runway was too short for V bombers , so RAF Butterworth had to be used until it could be lengthened . The basing of nuclear armed aircraft , and the stockpiling of nuclear weapons without consultation with the local authorities soon ran into political complications . 
