Downing Street says the purchase will be the ‘biggest strengthening of the UK’s nuclear posture in a generation’.
The United Kingdom plans to buy at least a dozen F-35A fighter jets capable of carrying tactical nuclear weapons, in what will be the “biggest strengthening of the UK’s nuclear posture in a generation”, Prime Minister Keir Starmer’s office says.
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, at the NATO summit in The Hague on Wednesday, where NATO leaders are expected to approve a major boost to their defence spending.
The UK’s nuclear deterrence capability is currently limited to submarine-launched missiles.
“In an era of radical uncertainty we can no longer take peace for granted, which is why my government is investing in our national security,” Starmer said in a statement.
“These F35 dual-capable aircraft will herald a new era for our world-leading Royal Air Force and deter hostile threats that threaten the UK and our Allies.”
NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte said in the statement that he strongly welcomed the announcement, describing it as “yet another robust British contribution to NATO”.
‘Dual-capable’ fighter jets
The F-35A, produced by United States company Lockheed Martin, is similar to the F-35B currently used by the UK air force, but can carry nuclear bombs in addition to conventional weapons.
Seven NATO members, including the US, Germany and Italy, already have dual-capable planes on European territory capable of carrying the same US B61 nuclear warheads that the UK will likely carry, the AFP news agency reported.
The aircraft would be deployed as NATO’s nuclear dual-capable aircraft mission, strengthening the alliance’s nuclear deterrence posture, Downing Street said.
The new jets would be based at the Marham airbase, with the acquisition of the planes expected to support 20,000 jobs in the UK, the statement said, as 15 percent of the global supply chain for the jets is based in the country.
Europe re-arms
NATO’s 32 members are expected to approve a major hike in targets for the defence spending, from 2 percent to 5 percent of gross domestic product (GDP), at the summit in The Hague.
The UK has already committed to meeting the spending target, and has announced major investments in building new attack submarines and munitions factories.
The boost in defence budgets follows criticism from the Trump administration, which says the US carries too much of the alliance’s financial burden. US President Donald Trump has questioned whether the alliance should defend countries that fail to meet the spending targets, and has even threatened to leave the bloc.
Other countries have also signalled they are making major investments in their militaries in response to the threat posed by Russia, with German Chancellor Friedrich Merz saying Tuesday that Germany would increase spending to become “Europe’s strongest conventional army”.
