The UK purchases nuclear carrying F-35. This action represents a significant shift in UK nuclear posture, raising considerable international alarm. The UK wants to procure twelve F-35A fighter jets, explicitly capable of delivering nuclear weapons. This represents the most significant improvement in Britain’s nuclear capabilities in decades. Britain’s nuclear deterrent has relied solely on submarine-launched missiles for now. The introduction of dual-capable aircraft represents a significant improvement in their strategic military capabilities. The UK insists its plan to add dual-role fighter jets to the arsenal is about one thing: keeping Britain safer and shoring up NATO’s collective muscle. Ministers argue that a modern air-delivered option complements the country’s submarine-launched missiles, giving allies a more flexible deterrent.
Not everyone is convinced. Detractors say turning warplanes into nuclear platforms may solve one security problem, only to create several new ones.
The decision to buy nuclear-ready F-35s
Britain plans to buy a dozen F-35A jets capable of carrying nuclear weapons. It’s more than a routine defense purchase; it signals a major rethink of the country’s deterrence strategy. For the first time since the Cold War era, when the Royal Air Force (RAF) mothballed its last air-launched nukes, British pilots will once again have a nuclear mission. Adding these aircraft is the biggest single boost to the UK’s nuclear toolkit in a generation.
The decision will support 20,000 jobs in the F35 programme in Britain, with 15% of the global supply chain for the jets based in the UK. The decision will support highly skilled jobs and opportunities for working people and delivering a defence dividend across the country.
The new fast jets will be based at RAF Marham, with the Government expected to procure 138 F35s over the lifetime of the programme. The procurement of 12 F-35A rather than 12 F-35B as part of the next procurement package will deliver a saving of up to 25% per aircraft for the taxpayer.
The new fast jets will be based at RAF Marham. Moreover, the Government is expected to procure 138 F35s over the lifetime of the programme. The procurement of 12 F-35A rather than 12 F-35B as part of the next procurement package will save up to 25% per aircraft for the taxpayer.
Britain’s existing nuclear deterrent
The use of nuclear weapons would require the authorisation of NATO’s nuclear planning group as well as the US president and British prime minister.
The US has already positioned stocks of B61 bombs in Europe. Justin Bronk of the defence think tank Royal United Services Institute (RUSI) said the US would still control the release and use of the bombs in the event of a war. That may prove contentious with the UK being reliant on the US.
Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer said: “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.”
For the past quarter-century, Britain’s entire nuclear punch has ridden quietly beneath the waves. Four Vanguard-class submarines, each armed with Trident ballistic missiles, stay on patrol so there’s always at least one boat at sea, hidden and ready. Ever since the RAF’s last WE-177 free-fall bombs were retired in 1998, this stealthy, hard-to-pre-empt submarine force has been London’s only nuclear insurance policy.
Now, though, the picture is about to change.
Putting warheads back in the air raises big questions. The UK purchases nuclear carrying F-35; How will this reshape Britain’s own defense plans? What does it mean for NATO strategy and for adversaries sizing up the alliance? And could a broader, more flexible arsenal steady the global balance—or make it shakier? One thing’s clear: the UK’s nuclear posture is no longer just a silent force beneath the sea; it’s becoming a multi-platform system that reaches into the skies as well.
UK purchases nuclear carrying F-35: What does that really mean?
The UK purchases nuclear carrying F-35. Until now, every British warhead has stayed hidden aboard Vanguard-class submarines, cruising somewhere beneath the Atlantic. With this deal, the RAF gets its first nuclear-capable aircraft since the Cold War, giving London a second, faster way to deliver a strike.
Sir Keir has pledged to meet a new NATO target to spend 5% of the UK’s GDP on national security by 2035.
At the NATO summit, 32 member countries are expected to agree on the goal. This sees 3.5% going to core defence, with the rest on defence-related areas.
But there are growing questions over how such a pledge will be funded. Experts estimate it will cost more than £30bn.
Paul Johnson, director of the influential Institute of Fiscal Studies, warned that the UK purchases nuclear carrying F-35. He said the money could only come from tax increases.
Why the Government says it matters
Prime Minister Keir Starmer calls the move a must-have in a world that feels more volatile by the day. Sir Keir Starmer said at the NATO summit in The Hague that the new US-made F-35A jets would join NATO’s airborne nuclear mission.
“We will procure at least 12 and we will make these aircraft able to bear nuclear weapons if necessary,” said the prime minister, adding the procurement was in “response to a growing nuclear threat”.
Why critics are concerned
Defense Secretary John Healey told The Sunday Times, “The world is becoming more dangerous. Nuclear risks are rising. For the first time since the end of the Cold War, we face seriously increasing risks of state-on-state conflict.”
Above all, Britain’s plan to fly nuclear-ready F-35s isn’t just another gear upgrade; it reshapes how, where, and how quickly the UK could bring nuclear force into play. That tweak alone calls for frank, immediate conversation before fresh misunderstandings harden into real crises.
Parliaments and pundits can debate, but the real ballast will come from diplomacy. The UN, NATO, and regional forums should press for detailed briefings and confidence-building measures so no capital has to guess what London means or when it might act. Open lines of communication are much cheaper—and safer—than a new round of weapon builds.
