UK to reintroduce nuclear-capable fighter jets with F-35A purchase under NATO

Britain will reintroduce fighter jets capable of carrying nuclear weapons to support NATO’s nuclear mission, Prime Minister Keir Starmer’s office said on Tuesday. The move marks a major shift in the UK’s nuclear strategy, which has relied solely on submarine-launched missiles since the Cold War.

The UK will purchase 12 F-35A fighter jets that can carry both conventional and nuclear weapons. Downing Street called it “the biggest strengthening of the UK’s nuclear posture in a generation.” Starmer is expected to announce the plan at the NATO summit on Wednesday.

“These F-35 dual-capable aircraft will mark a new era for our world-leading Royal Air Force and help deter hostile threats to the UK and our allies,” Starmer said.

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NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte welcomed the announcement, calling it “another strong British contribution to NATO.”

Until now, the UK’s nuclear deterrent within NATO was delivered solely by Royal Navy submarines. After the Cold War, tactical nuclear weapons were largely phased out in Europe, as the threat was seen to have diminished.

But Heloise Fayet, a nuclear expert at the French Institute of International Relations (Ifri), said the UK’s move reflects a broader trend. “It shows the re-nuclearisation of Europe and NATO’s renewed focus on deterrence in response to the threat from Russia,” she told AFP.

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The F-35A, made by US firm Lockheed Martin, differs from the F-35B already in UK service because it can carry nuclear weapons. The Royal Air Force has long requested the aircraft, and the new fleet will be based at Marham Air Force Base in eastern England.