British Prime Minister Keir Starmer's office confirmed on June 25 that the country will purchase 12 F-35A fighter jets capable of carrying nuclear weapons to support the nuclear deterrence mission of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization ( NATO).
This is the first time since the Cold War that the UK has returned to the air force into the nuclear deterrent mechanism, which was previously only manned by naval subscribers.
The F-35A is a variation of the F-35B model currently used by the Royal Air Force (RAF), but is designed to carry both conventional weapons and nuclear warheads. The aircraft will be deployed at the Marham air base in eastern England. The purchase of the F-35A has long been a request of the RAF in an effort to increase the overall deterrent strength of the UK within the NATO framework.
Prime Minister Starmer said: "These multi-purpose F-35s will open a new era for the Royal Air Force and help deter threats to the UK and its allies." NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte expressed strong support, saying this was a "solid" contribution of the UK to the alliance.
The UK government called the move the biggest nuclear possession increase in a generation. Along with the redeployment of the plane, the UK also confirmed it will invest £15 billion in a national nuclear warhead program.
Heloise Fayet, a nuclear expert at the French Institute of International Relations (Ifri), said this was a sign of "nuclear reorganization in Europe" and showed the need to strengthen NATO's deterrence against opponents like Russia.
British Defense Minister John Healey warned that the country is facing new nuclear risks as other countries are expanding and modernizing their nuclear arsenal. The UK has previously announced plans to build 12 new nuclear-powered attack subscribers with conventional weapons and build six ammunition plants, in an effort to strengthen defenses against existing threats.
Currently, seven NATO member states, including the US, Germany and Italy, are deploying aircraft capable of carrying the US B61 nuclear warhead over European territory. He also plans to use this type of warhead for his new F-35A squad.
At the NATO summit in the Netherlands, leaders are expected to commit to raising defense spending to 5% of GDP by 2035. He has pledged to reach 2.5% in 2027 and 3% after 2029.
