The United Kingdom has announced plans to purchase 12 F-35A fighter jets capable of carrying nuclear weapons, marking what officials describe as Britain’s most significant defense enhancement in decades.
The decision was confirmed during Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer’s attendance at NATO’s summit in The Hague, where the UK will formally join the alliance’s airborne nuclear mission. The F-35A jets represent a variant of the F-35B aircraft already in British service, with the capability to deploy both conventional and nuclear weapons.
Sir Keir Starmer stated that Britain “can no longer take peace for granted” in justifying the investment. “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 defense dividend,” the Prime Minister said.
The acquisition fulfills a long-standing Royal Air Force objective to restore its nuclear capabilities, which were discontinued following the Cold War when Britain’s last air-dropped nuclear weapon was retired from service. Since that time, the UK’s nuclear deterrent has relied solely on Royal Navy submarines, which the government has committed to updating with four new vessels.
NATO’s nuclear mission operates through allied aircraft equipped with American B61 bombs stored across European locations. Currently, seven nations provide dual-capability aircraft for this mission. Any deployment of nuclear weapons requires authorization from NATO’s nuclear planning group, the US President, and the British Prime Minister.
Concurrent with the nuclear announcement, the UK plans to supply Ukraine with 350 air defense missiles. The delivery will be financed through ยฃ70 million generated from interest on frozen Russian assets. Sir Keir Starmer commented, “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 defense it needs.”
At the summit, world leaders including Donald Trump are expected to formally commit to a 5% GDP defense and security spending target. This represents a substantial increase from NATO’s current 2% requirement. The expanded definition is anticipated to encompass energy security, border protection, and intelligence services alongside traditional military expenditure.
Trump, when questioned about NATO’s Article 5 mutual defense clause, told reporters his commitment would depend “on your definition” of the provision.
Prime Minister Starmer confirmed the UK would maintain its pledge not to raise taxes to meet the new spending 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,” he stated during the Netherlands visit.
The Prime Minister conducted meetings with various international leaders during the summit’s opening day, including Dutch Prime Minister Dick Schoof, French President Emmanuel Macron, and German Chancellor Friedrich Merz.
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