UK to buy 12 F-35A fighter jets capable of carrying nuclear weapons

According to Prime Minister Keir Starmer’s office, the United Kingdom plans to purchase at least a dozen F-35A fighter jets that can carry tactical nuclear weapons. This will be the “biggest strengthening of the UK’s nuclear posture in a generation.”

At the NATO summit in The Hague on Wednesday, where NATO leaders are expected to approve a significant increase in their defense spending, Starmer will make an announcement about the purchase, which will allow the UK’s air force to carry nuclear weapons for the first time since the end of the Cold War.

The UK’s current nuclear deterrence arsenal is limited to submarine-launched missiles.

We can no longer take peace for granted in a time of extreme uncertainty, which is why my government is supporting our national security, Starmer said in a statement.

The F35 dual-capable aircraft will “herald a new era for our world-leading Royal Air Force” and deter hostile threats to the UK and our allies.

Mark Rutte, the secretary-general of NATO, expressed his gratitude for the announcement in a statement, calling it “another significant British contribution to NATO.”

Dual-capable fighter jets

The UK air force currently uses the F-35B, but the F-35A can carry nuclear weapons in addition to conventional weapons, similar to the F-35B produced by Lockheed Martin.

According to the AFP news agency, seven NATO members, including the US, Germany, and Italy, already have dual-capable planes on European soil that are capable of carrying the same US B61 nuclear warheads that the UK will likely carry.

According to Downing Street, the aircraft would serve as NATO’s nuclear dual-capable aircraft mission, strengthening the alliance’s nuclear deterrence posture.

The Marham airbase will house the new jets, and the company’s acquisition of the planes is anticipated to create 20, 000 jobs there, according to the statement, adding that the UK will house a portion of the world’s jet supply chain, which is located there.

Europe re-arms

At the summit in The Hague, the 32 NATO members are expected to approve a significant increase in defense spending targets, moving from 2 percent to 5 percent of GDP.

The UK has already made significant investments in building new attack submarines and munitions factories, as well as a pledge to meet the spending goal.

The Trump administration, which claims that the US bears too much of the financial burden of the alliance, has been critical of the increase in defense budgets. Donald Trump, the head of the US, has threatened to leave the alliance and has questioned whether it should support nations that don’t meet the spending goals.