In dramatic move, UK to buy F-35 stealth jets that can carry US nuclear warheads
The UK will buy at least 12 F-35 stealth jets that can carry nuclear warheads in the most significant strengthening of its nuclear capability in a generation, the government has said.
Today, Sir Keir Starmer will tell a summit of NATO allies in The Hague that the new squadron will join an alliance mission that can be armed with US nuclear weapons.
The dramatic move will doubtless draw condemnation and concern from Russia and China.
But it comes at a time of growing global insecurity - and as the prime minister and his European and Canadian counterparts scramble to convince Donald Trump they are serious about bolstering their ability to defend Europe, instead of overly relying on the United States.
The US president, a long-standing NATO sceptic, raised questions about whether he would uphold the alliance's founding Article 5 principle - that an attack on one is an attack on all - before he even arrived in the Dutch city last night.
0:36
An urgent need to keep Mr Trump on side has prompted NATO allies to agree to increase spending on defence and national resilience to a new target of 5% of GDP by 2035.
As part of this push to rearm, Sir Keir will give the Royal Air Force the ability to carry airborne nuclear warheads for the first time since the 1990s.
"In an era of radical uncertainty we can no longer take peace for granted," he said.
"These F-35 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.
"The UK's commitment to NATO is unquestionable, as is the alliance's contribution to keeping the UK safe and secure, but we must all step up to protect the Euro-Atlantic area for generations to come."
1:05
It was not immediately clear when the F-35 jets would be bought or how much they will cost, but the new squadron will be part of a NATO-led nuclear deterrence mission.
That is in contrast to the UK's national nuclear deterrence, based on a fleet of four nuclear-armed submarines, though they too are used to defend the whole of the alliance.
Mark Rutte, the head of NATO, applauded the plan - saying: "The UK has declared its nuclear deterrent to NATO for many decades, and I strongly welcome today's announcement that the UK will now also join NATO's nuclear mission and procure the F-35A.
"This is yet another robust British contribution to NATO."
Aircraft operated by a small number of NATO countries, including Belgium, Germany and the Netherlands, are cleared to carry US-provided nuclear weapons in a war.
The RAF and the Royal Navy already operate F-35B jets that can fly off Britain's two aircraft carriers, but they are not equipped to drop nuclear warheads.
The new planes will be the F-35A variant, operated by the air force, that take off from land but can fly further and be armed with nuclear or conventional weapons.
The government said they would all be based together at RAF Marham in Norfolk.
The government has long planned to purchase a total of 138 F-35 aircraft, but has so far only acquired around three dozen - seven years since the first jets entered service.
The decision to purchase 12 of the A-variant does not mean extra aircraft.
It just means a diversification in the fleet - something the RAF has long been pushing for - though it's a decision some in the Royal Navy have long pushed back against, believing it would reduce even further the number of the B-version that operate from their carriers.
2:38
The government described the plan to purchase nuclear-capable aircraft as the "biggest strengthening of the UK's nuclear posture in a generation".
Defence Secretary John Healey said a major defence review published earlier in the month highlighted new nuclear risks.
"It recommended a new UK role in our collective defence and deterrence through a NATO-first approach," he said.
However, the public version of the Strategic Defence Review stopped short of making any specific recommendation.
It merely said "the UK must explore how to support the US and its NATO allies in strengthening extended deterrence across the Euro-Atlantic".
The F-35 aircraft is made by the US defence giant Lockheed Martin, but the British defence company BAE Systems is also a key contributor.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
The Independent
19 minutes ago
- The Independent
Ukraine-Russia war latest: Missile attack kills 17 in Dnipro before Zelensky-Trump meeting at Nato summit
A Russian ballistic missile attack on Ukraine 's southeastern city Dnipro hit multiple civilian sites killing 17 people and injuring more than 200 others, officials said. The injured include at least 18 children, with regional mayor Borys Filatov saying the attack caused an "unprecedented amount of destruction" in the city. A barrage of Russian missiles and drones damaged 19 schools, 10 kindergartens, a vocational school, a music school and a social welfare office, as well as eight medical facilities, the mayor said. It came as Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky reached The Hague for a Nato summit aiming to secure additional military support for Ukraine. Mr Zelensky also said he is planning to meet with US president Donald Trump on the sidelines of the two-day talks. Mr Zelensky has urged Kyiv 's 32 allies at the Nato summit to bolster Ukraine's defence industry, after signing a deal with Keir Starmer on Monday which they said would strengthen both countries. Talking to reporters aboard Air Force One, Mr Trump has said he will 'probably' meet with the war-time president tomorrow at the Nato summit. Russia is using motorbikes to attack Ukrainian brigades along frontline Russian forces are exploiting a new form of attack using motorcycles in assaults on Ukrainian forces along the war's frontline, a think tank has said. 'Russian forces are expanding their use of motorcycles along the frontline in Ukraine – a tactic that the Russian military may leverage in future wars beyond Ukraine, possibly including operations against Nato states,' the Institute for the Study of War said, citing a Ukrainian servicemember who confirmed a rise in this assault method. 'The servicemember stated that Russian motorcycle forces are no longer attacking along roads but mainly attacking through open fields and trying to bypass Ukrainian engineering barriers along the frontline,' the ISW said. The think tank cited a Frontelligence Insight report that 'Russian forces are mainly using motorcycles as a form of transport for attacking infantry to support diversion, reconnaissance, infiltration, and flanking support missions.' It added that these motorcycles have been given to Russian forces by foreign allies like China. 'Frontelligence Insight reported that Russian forces are mainly using foreign-made motorcycles, primarily those manufactured in the People's Republic of China (PRC), and that volunteer organisations in Russia provide most of the motorcycles for frontline Russian units,' the ISW said. Arpan Rai25 June 2025 06:46 Rutte says Russia could attack Nato within three to seven years Russia could attack a Nato member state within three to seven years and is currently more prepared for a war than the alliance, the bloc's secretary general Mark Rutte said. 'When you look at the latest opinion polling done in Nato, you see that many, many people, and it is getting to really high numbers, are supporting the fact that, yes, there is a direct threat from Russia,' Mr Rutte said at the Nato public forum at The Hague yesterday. 'That yes, if we do not invest now, we are really at risk that the Russians might try something against Nato territory in three, five or seven years. And therefore there is large scale support. I see it in my own country,' he said. The Nato official warned that the alliance is 'living in much more dangerous times, and there are enemies, adversaries who might want to attack us'. Arpan Rai25 June 2025 06:32 Russian blasts blow out Ukrainian train's windows in Dnipro One of the blasts from the Russian attack yesterday blew out the windows of a passenger train in regional capital Dnipro, which was carrying about 500 people. Russia used ballistic missiles and drones to target multiple civilian sites in the central Ukrainian city. The total death toll from yesterday's attack rose to 26 and hundreds were injured. The barrage damaged 19 schools, 10 kindergartens, a vocational school, a music school and a social welfare office, as well as eight medical facilities, according to Dnipro mayor Borys Filatov. Schools are closed for the summer break. Mr Filatov declared Wednesday to be an official day of mourning. Arpan Rai25 June 2025 06:23 Trump's nominee for top US general in Europe 'thinks Ukraine can win' President Donald Trump's nominee to become the top US general in Europe said he believed Ukraine could prevail against Russia's more than three-year-old invasion. "I think Ukraine can win," Air Force Lieutenant General Alexus Grynkewich said in testimony at his Senate confirmation hearing. "I think any time your own homeland is threatened, you fight with a tenacity that's difficult for us to conceive of. "Grynkewich has been nominated by the Trump administration to serve as the next Supreme Allied Commander Europe within Nato, as well as commander of US European Command. He currently serves as Director of Operations (J-3) for the Joint Staff at the Pentagon in Washington, DC. Arpan Rai25 June 2025 05:56 Ukrainian lawmaker who nominated Trump for Nobel Peace Prize withdraws support A Ukrainian lawmaker who pushed for President Donald Trump to receive the Nobel Peace Prize has withdrawn his nomination after Russia - Ukraine ceasefire talks stalled. It's been more than three years since Russian President Vladimir Putin launched a full-scale invasion of Ukraine. Trump had promised to end the war within 24 hours of taking office, but it's been five months, and the two eastern European countries have not agreed to a peace deal. Oleksandr Merezhko, the head of Ukraine's parliamentary foreign committee, nominated Trump for the Nobel Peace Prize last November, but told Newsweek Tuesday that he withdrew his nomination. Merezhko had "lost any sort of faith and belief" in Trump and his ability to get a ceasefire deal between Russia and Ukraine. Ukrainian lawmaker withdraws nomination for Trump to receive Nobel Peace Prize Oleksandr Merezhko, the head of Ukraine's parliamentary foreign committee, said he had "lost any sort of faith and belief" in Trump and his ability to get a ceasefire deal between Russia and Ukraine Arpan Rai25 June 2025 05:14 Nato chief praises Trump for making Europe 'pay in a BIG way' Nato secretary-general Mark Rutte praised US president Donald Trump for making Europe "pay in a BIG way". Mr Trump while flying aboard Air Force One en route to The Hague, published a screenshot of a private message from Mr Rutte saying: "Donald, you have driven us to a really, really important moment for America and Europe and the world. You will achieve something NO American president in decades could get done." "Europe is going to pay in a BIG way, as they should, and it will be your win," Mr Rutte wrote. Officials at Nato confirmed that he sent the message. The allies are likely to endorse a goal of spending 5 per cent of their gross domestic product on their security, to be able to fulfil the alliance's plans for defending against outside attack. Arpan Rai25 June 2025 05:11 Zelensky warns Russia could attack Nato country within next five years Volodymyr Zelensky has warned Russia could attack a Nato country within the next five years. The Ukrainian leader said Vladimir Putin could carry out an attack on another Nato country to test the alliance. Mr Zelensky issued his warning during an interview with Sky News on Monday (23 June). The Ukrainian president also said plans for Nato members to increase defence spending to five per cent of GDP by 2035 are 'very slow', stating Putin could have 'significantly greater capabilities' by 2030. Watch the video here: Zelensky warns Russia could attack Nato country within next five years Volodymyr Zelensky has warned Russia could attack a Nato country within the next five years. The Ukrainian leader said Vladimir Putin could carry out an attack on another Nato country to test the alliance. Mr Zelensky issued his warning during an interview with Sky News on Monday (23 June). The Ukrainian president also said plans for Nato members to increase defence spending to five per cent of GDP by 2035 are 'very slow', stating Putin could have 'significantly greater capabilities' by 2030. Arpan Rai25 June 2025 04:49 Russian missile attack kills 17 in Dnipro and injures more than 200 A Russian missile attack in southeastern Ukraine yesterday killed at least 17 people, injured hundreds and caused sweeping damage, officials said, ahead of president Volodymyr Zelensky's participation at Nato summit with Kyiv's allies. A Russian ballistic missile attack on Dnipro hit multiple civilian sites in the central Ukrainian city around midday, killing 17 people and injuring more than 200 others, officials said. 'The number of casualties is constantly being updated,' Dnipro's regional administration head Serhii Lysak wrote on Telegram. Among the wounded were at least 18 children, he added. Two people were also killed in the town of Samar, around 10 km (six miles) from Dnipro, Mr Lysak said, adding that an infrastructure facility was damaged. The rare daytime strike also damaged dozens of apartment buildings and educational facilities among other sites, according to Mayor Borys Filatov, who said the attack caused an "unprecedented amount of destruction" in the city.
Telegraph
21 minutes ago
- Telegraph
Javid: Immigration failures have made Britain a tinderbox
Failure to tackle the migrant crisis has played a part in Britain becoming a 'tinderbox of division', Sir Sajid Javid has said. In his first major intervention since standing down from the Commons last month, the former chancellor warned communal life was now 'under threat like never before'. Sir Sajid and Jon Cruddas, the former Labour MP, will co-chair a new Independent Commission on Community and Cohesion that meets for the first time on Wednesday. The commission, launched in response to the riots that followed the Southport attacks last summer, will make policy recommendations which aim to strengthen communities. Sir Sajid told The Telegraph: 'Communal life in Britain is under threat like never before and intervention is urgently needed. 'There have been long-term, chronic issues undermining connections within our communities for several decades now, such as the degradation of local infrastructure from the local pub to churches, the weakening of family units, growing inequality, declining trust in institutions and persistent neglect from policy-makers. 'In more recent years, new threats like the mismanagement of immigration, cost of living pressures and social media driven extremism, have begun to turn this crisis of social disconnection into an acute threat of social division.' Sir Sajid went on to warn that those issues were now 'converging into something dangerous', adding: 'The country is now sitting on a tinderbox of disconnection and division.' Net migration reached almost 906,000 people in June 2023, while small boat Channel crossings this year are currently at a record high. During his tenure as secretary of state for communities, Sir Sajid said in 2016 that too many people in the UK were living 'parallel lives'. Asked if he still believed this was the case almost a decade on, he replied: 'Yes. I am worried that we are more disconnected as a country than at any other point in our modern history, and that we are far more divided than any of us wants to be... 'As a nation, we have struggled to maintain the connections we once had. There is a pandemic of loneliness that has spread across the country, driving disconnection and that has been put on steroids by social media.' Sir Sajid added issues of integration had not been dealt with fully by 'successive governments' and said political correctness was partly to blame. 'Certainly that is partly due to political correctness and anxieties around being seen to cause offence,' he said. 'But it's also due to a lack of clear policy options – which this commission intends to address – and because this has been a slow creeping crisis that has not received the focus or attention that it should have done. 'Short-term crises, such as the findings of the grooming gangs inquiry, or the riots last summer and those in recent weeks in Northern Ireland, have all laid bare the fragility of community cohesion in this country today. 'All offer a stark warning of what happens when these questions go unaddressed.' Striking a more optimistic note about Britain's future, Sir Sajid said Britain had the 'phenomenal attributes' that it needs to rise to its social challenges. He concluded that the work of the commission will seek to 'build a vision for communities across the nation that all British citizens can buy into.' Sir Sajid and Mr Cruddas will join 19 commissioners from across the political spectrum, spanning academia, business, civil society, the media and religious groups. Prominent members include Lord Bilimoria, a cross-bench peer and former president of the Confederation of British Industry (CBI), and Dame Sara Khan, the former counter-extremism commissioner.
Telegraph
36 minutes ago
- Telegraph
How Nationwide's £7m boss became Britain's most controversial banker
The great and the good of Britain's co-operative and mutual sector were at No 10 earlier this month for a summer garden party hosted by Business Secretary Jonathan Reynolds. The soiree to celebrate the sector attracted executives from the likes of John Lewis and the Co-op, but arguably the biggest hitter represented was Nationwide, the 140-year-old behemoth that counts one in every two adults in Britain as a customer. As the UK's largest mutual society, it has long been the poster-child for the sector and prides itself on being run for the benefit of its 17m members rather than profit-hungry shareholders in the City. Yet to some, Nationwide's mutual ethos is now under threat from Dame Debbie Crosbie, its chief executive. The 55-year-old banker has courted controversy through aggressive dealmaking that some say is at odds with the purpose of a mutual. Nationwide's £2.9bn acquisition of challenger bank Virgin Money triggered protests last year. Concerns were heightened last week when it emerged that Nationwide was preparing to hand Dame Debbie a generous new pay package that could earn her a maximum payout of nearly £7m. Critics say the arrangement mirrors the worst of bonus culture at big banks. 'It's like Nationwide is saying we've made the society far bigger by buying a bank [Virgin Money], and now because it's bigger, we have to pay our people even more,' says James Sherwin-Smith, a Nationwide customer who has launched a campaign to join the board to provide a voice for members. 'The society is being led towards becoming a bank in everything it does.' Nationwide's members will be given a chance to vote on Dame Debbie's pay at a crunch annual meeting on July 25. Mr Sherwin-Smith, who plans to vote against, notes that the deal would make Dame Debbie 'the most highly paid building society CEO ever'. The vote could be seen as a referendum on the chief executive's leadership, though it is non-binding. How has the Glaswegian executive managed to become Britain's most controversial banker? Egalitarian spirit To understand why Dame Debbie's leadership has riled some people up, it's important to understand the position Nationwide plays in British life. It is second only to Lloyds Bank as Britain's largest mortgage lender, providing nearly £16bn of loans to new homeowners alone. At the same time, it is a flag-bearer for the UK's historic mutual sector, meaning it is owned by members rather than shareholders. Nationwide was established in the 1880s in south London as the Southern Co-operative Permanent Building Society – it became Nationwide in 1970 – to help people buy a home. It has an egalitarian spirit at its core that sees members prioritised. The mutual has for decades been a counterpoint to the banks. Historically it has swept up small building societies when they go bust – like Portman, Cheshire, Derbyshire and Dunfermline – and offered lower-cost mortgages over generations rather than competing with banks for market share. Nationwide survived the financial crisis unscathed and even outright rejected the banking model, with members defeating a vote to convert into a bank in 1997. Dame Debbie was hired to run the mutual in 2021, replacing Joe Garner who had been at the helm for six years. The daughter of an engineer and social care worker, Dame Debbie had previously run TSB and was widely credited with helping stabilise the institution that had been battered by an IT meltdown leading to a £49m fine. The new chief executive backed the society's mutual model upon joining saying it makes it 'a purposeful and unique force for good.' Yet some say Dame Debbie's new pay deal contradicts that spirit. Under the terms of the new deal, her maximum windfall will rise by 43pc from £4.8m to £6.9m if she hits all of her financial targets – making her the best paid boss in the mutual's history. The plan puts her well beyond her building society peers. Susan Allen, chief executive at Yorkshire Building Society, earns around £1.6m a year, while Steve Hughes, the boss of Coventry Building Society, was paid £1.2m last year. The change in policy has been spearheaded by Tracey Graham, the chair of the Nationwide pay committee, who said Dame Debbie could be rewarded with even larger pay rises in future in order to better compete with banks. 'We remain materially behind some of our UK banking peers, and the committee recognises that future policy changes among other firms may further increase the existing gap,' she said in a pay report. John Cronin, from SeaPoint Insights, says Nationwide needs to pay well to attract the best: 'She is in the top tier of bank leaders. The time will come where she could easily be courted by the likes of Natwest and Lloyds.' The Nationwide Group Staff Union has cautiously backed the plan, saying the deal must be 'justifiable and proportionate'. It said: 'Debbie Crosbie's leadership as one of the few women heading a major financial institution is significant, and we support progress toward greater diversity at the highest levels of the industry.' 'Pretty hypocritical' But not everyone is satisfied. Baroness Sharon Bowles, a Nationwide member, says: 'I am unhappy about it because I'd like to see that they were giving more back to their members. If they want to wear the community bank label in some way, then they should be a bit more like their customers.' Lady Bowles says she understands the issue of having to pay well for top talent but plans to vote against the package in an effort to rein in excessive pay across finance. 'It's unpalatable, but it's the reality of the situation.' Luke Hildyard, head of the High Pay Centre, says it is 'hypocritical' for Nationwide to set pay like a bank while also promoting itself as an alternative to profit-maximising lenders. Nationwide has spent large sums running adverts featuring actor Dominic West as a stereotypical 'fat cat' claiming Nationwide is not like a banks, a move that has riled competitors. Santander filed a complaint with the advertising watchdog last year and one ad was banned for misleading customers over branch closures. Hildyard says: 'One of the most egregious business practices people associate with the big banks is the high pay and bonus culture. For Nationwide to say we need to ape those pay practices is pretty hypocritical. It contradicts the purpose of mutuals, which is to ensure that everybody prospers together.' Lord Sikka, emeritus professor at Essex Business School and a Labour peer, is urging Nationwide members to vote against Dame Debbie's pay and not to 're-elect any director as they all have their snouts in the trough'. Nationwide has stressed that the payout would only be triggered if there was outstanding performance at the lender. However, the group has not specified its chosen performance measures and targets yet, saying only that they will provide a 'clear link with customers' interests and our short and long-term financial and strategic aims'. A spokesman said the society had become the second-largest provider of mortgages in the UK only because it can 'attract, retain and motivate talented leaders to run a business of this scale and prioritise member value'. 'Autocratic' shift The pay controversy is not the first time Dame Debbie has put noses out of joint during her four-year tenure of Nationwide. The Virgin Money deal, the biggest bank takeover since the financial crisis, also made her a target for criticism. At the time, Dame Debbie said the move was a major boost for the mutual sector because 'more people will experience the benefits of mutual ownership and the customer-focused approach of a building society.'. Yet the takeover faced stern opposition from some Virgin shareholders, who complained the price was too low, and some Nationwide members after they were denied a vote on the deal. While Virgin shareholders were permitted a say, mutual members were told they would be given no such chance because the lender did not need to seek permission. Fitch, the ratings agency, has warned that the Virgin deal will weigh on profitability for the next three years. For some, the Virgin Money controversy was symptomatic of a wider shift that has seen the mutual become less democratic. Sherwin-Smith, a former payments executive, claims the society's 'autocratic' management style is at odds with the mutual concept. Before the pandemic, annual meetings were held every year in-person, something Sherwin-Smith says helped hold management to account and provide members with a sense of solidarity. But Nationwide now holds them online every year. 'It's a lot harder for members to express their views,' Sherwin-Smith says. 'There are fewer opportunities to do so, and increasingly the members are being treated with contempt. 'They want to run the show and the members are members in name only. That concerns me because if no one is holding management or the board to account, then they can just do whatever they want.' Edwin Fisher, who represents the Building Societies Members Association, is also concerned about Nationwide's harder driving culture under Dame Debbie. 'Nationwide now state 'Our purpose is Banking' whereas the stated purpose and principal purpose is the provision of loans on residential property,' he says. 'Any attempt to apply accountability in some form or another is strongly resisted and suppressed by the board.' Nationwide, which is chaired by former Schroders finance boss Kevin Parry, has rebutted the accusation, saying that since moving the AGM online there has been higher attendance from members. It also said its board had the appropriate skills and experience to hold management to account. The mutual said it consulted members frequently through its Member Voice panel, which has about 6,500 members. It canvassed the views of more than 100,000 of its members on their attitude to its acquisition of Virgin Money, with 92pc positive or neutral. It also said more than 645,000 votes were cast in the last election of directors and more votes were cast in favour of directors than at any point in the past seven years. All's fair One of the most eye-catching innovations under Dame Debbie has been the payment of bonuses every year to some of its members. A so-called 'Fairer Share Payment' of £100 was made this year, alongside a 'Big Nationwide Thank You' of £50 tied to the Virgin takeover. While warmly welcomed by those who receive the payments, Sherwin-Smith questions whether it is a good use of funds. He says the Fairer Share bonus, as well as the £2.9bn spent on Virgin, could have been recycled into better mortgage and savings rates for members. Meanwhile, only 4m members out of Nationwide's 17m customers receive the cash, as they must have a mortgage and current account to qualify rather than just a mortgage. The adventurous corporate actions of Dame Debbie contrast with her quiet home life. She lives in Falkirk with her husband, an automotive entrepreneur, and is said to enjoy Hello! magazine and the occasional romantic novel. Dame Debbie, who was comprehensive school-educated and went to her local University of Strathclyde, has defended her record at Nationwide by arguing that she is creating a 'modern mutual' fit for the future. 'It's no longer enough to simply look better than a bank,' she said in 2023. 'Mutuals need to do more than just deliver a change from banking. They need to inspire a change to banking. Banking can, and should, be fairer. As mutuals we should hold a mirror up to the banks to secure change for society.' Could Dame Debbie be tempted to have another foray into the banking market? With TSB up for sale, there is speculation that she could make another bold bid for a bank, especially given her familiarity with the business. Nationwide has played down this prospect – a spokesman said 'we do not comment on rumour or speculation. Right now, we are focused on making the most of our acquisition of Virgin Money' – but analysts believe she may be tempted. Few if any Labour MPs are willing to criticise Nationwide given mutuals and co-operatives are the flavour of the month for the Government, which is attempting to double the size of the sector during this parliament. Dame Debbie was awarded her title for services to the financial sector in June as part of the King's birthday honours. The board look likely to back her £7m pay deal in an attempt to keep her at the society. Yet if members vote against the package, it will at the very least take the shine of Dame Debbie's swashbuckling run.
