U.K. to reintroduce nuclear weapon-capable aircraft under NATO

Japan Times

7 hours ago

Britain will reintroduce fighter jets capable of carrying atomic weapons to support NATO's nuclear mission, Prime Minister Keir Starmer's office said, as he prepares for a NATO summit Wednesday.
The country will purchase 12 nuclear weapon-capable F-35A fighters, expanding the country's deterrence arsenal, which is currently limited to submarine-launched missiles.
"These F35 dual-capable aircraft will herald a new era for our world-leading Royal Air Force and deter hostile threats that threaten the U.K. and our Allies," Starmer said in a statement on Tuesday.
NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte was quoted in the statement as saying: "I strongly welcome today's announcement," calling it "yet another robust British contribution to NATO."
Downing Street described it as the "biggest strengthening of the U.K.'s nuclear posture in a generation", adding that Starmer would announce the plan at the summit on Wednesday.
Since the end of the Cold War, British nuclear deterrence within the Atlantic alliance was provided solely by missiles aboard Royal Navy submarines.
Heloise Fayet, a nuclear specialist at the French Institute of International Relations (IFRI), said the announcement illustrates "the continued re-nuclearization of Europe, the renewed need for nuclear weapons, and the strengthening of NATO's deterrence, in the face of an adversary, Russia."
The F-35A, manufactured by U.S. company Lockheed Martin, is a variant of the F-35B already used by the United Kingdom, but which can carry nuclear warheads in addition to conventional weapons.
The acquisition has been a long-standing request from the Royal Air Force.
The planes are expected to be stationed at Marham Air Force Base in eastern England.
'New risks'
Leaders from NATO countries are gathering in The Hague this week where they are expected to pledge that they will spend 5% of GDP on defense by 2035, under pressure from U.S. President Donald Trump.
The U.K. had already committed on Monday that it would meet the spending target.
London said in February that it would hike its defense budget to 2.5% of GDP by 2027 and 3% after 2029.
British Defense Secretary John Healey warned on Tuesday that the U.K. faced "new nuclear risks, with other states increasing, modernizing and diversifying their nuclear arsenals."
Seven NATO members, including the U.S., Germany and Italy, currently have dual-capable aircraft stored on European soil that can carry American B61 nuclear warheads — the same type that Britain is expected to use.
In June, Britain announced that it would build up to 12 new attack submarines and six munitions factories as part of efforts to rearm the country in the face of "threats," particularly from Russia.
The dozen nuclear-powered subs will be equipped with conventional weapons and form part of the AUKUS military alliance between the U.K., the U.S. and Australia.
Starmer also confirmed that London would spend £15 billion ($20.4 billion) on its nuclear warhead program.