Latest news with #F35A
LBCI
2 hours ago
- Politics
- LBCI
UK to reintroduce nuclear weapon-capable aircraft under NATO
Britain will reintroduce fighter jets capable of carrying atomic weapons to support NATO's nuclear mission, expanding the country's deterrence arsenal, which is currently limited to submarine-launched missiles, Prime Minister Keir Starmer's office said Tuesday. The country will purchase 12 nuclear weapon-capable F-35A fighters in the "biggest strengthening of the UK's nuclear posture in a generation", Downing Street said in a statement, adding Starmer would announce the plan at a NATO summit Wednesday. AFP
The Independent
3 hours ago
- Business
- The Independent
UK set to purchase new fighter jets that can carry nuclear warheads
Britain will purchase at least a dozen new F35A fighter jets, reintroducing a nuclear role for the Royal Air Force for the first time since the Cold War. Ministers have hailed the decision as the biggest strengthening of the UK's nuclear posture in a generation, with the UK joining Nato's dual-capable aircraft nuclear mission. Sir Keir Starmer is set to announce the purchase at the Nato summit, emphasizing that Britain can no longer take peace for granted in an era of radical uncertainty. The F35A jets, capable of carrying both nuclear and conventional weapons, will be based at RAF Marham and are projected to support 20,000 jobs across the country. This significant defence investment follows a government review warning of a potential wartime scenario and comes amid questions regarding the funding for Sir Keir's pledge to increase defence spending to 5% of GDP.
Powys County Times
6 hours ago
- Business
- Powys County Times
Britain to expand nuclear deterrent fleet of new fighter jets
The UK is set to buy a fleet of new fighter jets capable of carrying nuclear weapons, in what Downing Street has called the 'biggest strengthening' of Britain's posture 'in a generation'. Britain will buy 12 F35A jets and join Nato's airborne nuclear mission in the move, which was confirmed while Sir Keir Starmer is at the alliance's summit in The Hague. The jets, a variant of the F35Bs the UK already uses, can carry conventional weapons, but can also be equipped with nuclear bombs. The Prime Minister has said that the UK 'can no longer take peace for granted' and that the move shows ministers are 'investing in our national security'. Sir Keir is gathered with leaders of other Nato nations – including Donald Trump – in the Hague, where they are expected to formally agree a 5% of GDP defence and security spending pledge. The Prime Minister 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, ensuring our armed forces have the equipment they need and communities up and down the country reap the benefits from our defence dividend.' The decision on the jets represents a victory for the Royal Air Force, which has long pushed for a return of its nuclear capabilities since the last British air-dropped nuclear weapon was withdrawn from service after the end of the Cold War. Since then, the UK's nuclear deterrent has been carried exclusively by the Royal Navy's submarines, which the Government has also promised to invest in renewing with four new vessels. Nato's nuclear mission involves allied aircraft being equipped with American B61 bombs stockpiled in Europe. Seven nations currently contribute so-called 'dual capability aircraft' to Nato's nuclear mission, but the use of nuclear weapons would require the authorisation of the alliance's nuclear planning group as well as the US president and British prime minister. Alongside the nuclear announcement, the UK is set to provide 350 air defence missiles to Ukraine as Sir Keir and Defence Secretary John Healey push for Nato to provide Kyiv with further support. The delivery will be funded by £70 million raised from the interest on seized Russian assets. Sir Keir said: 'Russia, not Ukraine, should pay the price for Putin's barbaric and illegal war, so it is only right we use the proceeds from seized Russian assets to ensure Ukraine has the air defence it needs.' Mr Trump is also among the world leaders at the summit, and told reporters on the way to the Netherlands that it would depend 'on your definition' when asked if he would commit to Nato's Article 5, which requires members to defend each other from attack. Wednesday is expected to see Nato allies formally sign up to the target of spending 5% of the GDP on defence. It is a significant jump from the current 2% Nato target, and details of what counts towards it are due to be set out during this week's summit, but it is likely to include spending on energy and border security as well as intelligence agencies. On Tuesday, Sir Keir said that the UK would stick to its commitment not to raise taxes to reach the new target. 'Clearly we've got commitments in our manifesto about not making tax rises on working people and we will stick to our manifesto commitments,' the Prime Minister told reporters in the Netherlands.
Yahoo
6 hours ago
- Politics
- Yahoo
The UK is bringing nuclear bombs back to its air force, a Cold War-era practice that it shut down in the 1990s
The UK said on Tuesday that it's buying 12 F-35As to carry nuclear weapons. It would be the first time in nearly three decades that the Royal Air Force could conduct nuclear strikes. The push comes after the F-35A was certified in March 2024 to carry the American B61-12 nuclear bomb. The UK is buying 12 F-35As that can carry nuclear weapons, and it's making it clear that it's buying the American aircraft for that capability. "The purchase represents the biggest strengthening of the UK's nuclear posture in a generation," UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer's office wrote in a statement on Tuesday evening. The move will bring back the Royal Air Force's ability to conduct nuclear strikes, a capability that the UK decommissioned in 1998 when it withdrew its own air-dropped nuclear bomb from service. Since then, the UK's only official method of launching a nuclear attack has been from its Vanguard-class submarines. Every other nuclear-armed nation has at least two of the three typical methods of launching an attack: by air, land, or sea. The US, Russia, and China are known to possess all three, what's known as the nuclear triad. In his office's statement, Starmer said his government was re-establishing the air-based leg of its nuclear forces amid an "era of radical uncertainty." "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," he said. Starmer's office said the new fighters will be stationed at RAF Marham in eastern England. The UK is already on schedule to receive 138 Lockheed Martin F-35 Lightning II Joint Strike Fighters, and the F-35As announced on Tuesday are coming from the next batch of this order. British forces already have roughly three dozen of the fighter jets, though these are the F-35B, a variant that can land vertically and take off with an extremely short runway. The F-35A, the baseline version of the aircraft, was the only variant to be certified to carry nuclear weapons. In March 2024, the stealth fighter was certified to carry the B61-12, an American 800-pound nuclear bomb. The B61-12 is a gravity weapon, meaning it's dropped from above and has no propulsion system. Starmer's office said it made its decision to purchase the F-35As after a review of UK defenses urged it to boost its deterrence posture. "The Strategic Defence Review recognised that the UK is confronting a new era of threat, including rising nuclear risk," the statement reads. While the UK and France have their own nuclear programs, Western European nuclear deterrence relies heavily on the US through American missiles stationed on the continent. NATO, which is gathering its leaders at a summit in the Hague on Tuesday and Wednesday, has also been pushing member states to build up the alliance's fleet of dual-capable aircraft, or warplanes that can drop both conventional and nuclear bombs. The UK's decision comes amid fears of a full-blown nuclear arms race between the three largest nuclear powers, and as tensions among them continue to worsen. The US and Russia, which own close to an estimated 83% of the world's nuclear warheads, are both undertaking wide-scale modernizations of their nuclear weapons and launch systems. China has not publicly admitted to an expansion, but international observers say that it's rapidly building up its arsenal by at least 100 warheads a year from 2023 to 2025. By that rate, it could reach 1,550 warheads — the deployment limit kept by the US and Russia — by 2035. The UK has an estimated 225 nuclear warheads, but has said it intends to increase its stockpile to 260. It's also developing a new submarine, the Dreadnought, to replace its four Vanguard-class nuclear submarines. Read the original article on Business Insider
ITV News
8 hours ago
- Business
- ITV News
Britain to expand nuclear deterrent fleet of new fighter jets
The UK is set to buy a fleet of new fighter jets capable of carrying nuclear weapons, in what Downing Street has called the 'biggest strengthening' of Britain's posture 'in a generation'. Britain will buy 12 F35A jets and join Nato's airborne nuclear mission in the move, which was confirmed while Sir Keir Starmer is at the alliance's summit in The Hague. The jets, a variant of the F35Bs the UK already uses, can carry conventional weapons, but can also be equipped with nuclear bombs. The Prime Minister has said that the UK 'can no longer take peace for granted' and that the move shows ministers are 'investing in our national security'. Sir Keir is gathered with leaders of other Nato nations – including Donald Trump – in the Hague, where they are expected to formally agree a 5% of GDP defence and security spending pledge. The Prime Minister 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, ensuring our armed forces have the equipment they need and communities up and down the country reap the benefits from our defence dividend.' The decision on the jets represents a victory for the Royal Air Force, which has long pushed for a return of its nuclear capabilities since the last British air-dropped nuclear weapon was withdrawn from service after the end of the Cold War. Since then, the UK's nuclear deterrent has been carried exclusively by the Royal Navy's submarines, which the Government has also promised to invest in renewing with four new vessels. Nato's nuclear mission involves allied aircraft being equipped with American B61 bombs stockpiled in Europe. Seven nations currently contribute so-called 'dual capability aircraft' to Nato's nuclear mission, but the use of nuclear weapons would require the authorisation of the alliance's nuclear planning group as well as the US president and British prime minister. Alongside the nuclear announcement, the UK is set to provide 350 air defence missiles to Ukraine as Sir Keir and Defence Secretary John Healey push for Nato to provide Kyiv with further support. The delivery will be funded by £70 million raised from the interest on seized Russian assets. Sir Keir said: 'Russia, not Ukraine, should pay the price for Putin's barbaric and illegal war, so it is only right we use the proceeds from seized Russian assets to ensure Ukraine has the air defence it needs.' Mr Trump is also among the world leaders at the summit, and told reporters on the way to the Netherlands that it would depend 'on your definition' when asked if he would commit to Nato's Article 5, which requires members to defend each other from attack. Wednesday is expected to see Nato allies formally sign up to the target of spending 5% of the GDP on defence. It is a significant jump from the current 2% Nato target, and details of what counts towards it are due to be set out during this week's summit, but it is likely to include spending on energy and border security as well as intelligence agencies. On Tuesday, Sir Keir said that the UK would stick to its commitment not to raise taxes to reach the new target. 'Clearly we've got commitments in our manifesto about not making tax rises on working people and we will stick to our manifesto commitments,' the Prime Minister told reporters in the Netherlands.
