Prime Minister Keir Starmer announced today that the United Kingdom will procure 12 U.S.-manufactured F‑35A fighter jets licensed to carry tactical nuclear weapons—the first time since 1998 that Britain will restore air-delivered nuclear capability.
Stationed at RAF Marham, these aircraft are part of NATO’s shared airborne nuclear mission and mark the most significant expansion of the UK’s nuclear posture in decades .
In a statement, Starmer said:
“In an era of radical uncertainty, we can no longer take peace for granted,” emphasizing the move is a strategic response to global instability.
He also highlighted the government’s broader defense upgrade, which includes increasing defense spending and reinforcing the submarine-based Trident system.
NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte welcomed the decision as a decisive contribution to collective deterrence. According to reports, the deal may include permiting U.S.-owned B61 nuclear bombs to be stationed on UK soil once more, requiring coordination with NATO’s Nuclear Planning Group and approval from both British and U.S. leadership .
The F‑35A jets can deploy both conventional and nuclear weapons. They join the UK’s existing fleet of F‑35B carrier-based aircraft—previously incapable of carrying nuclear payloads—and will be based on land to strengthen airborne deterrence. Britain also plans to invest in 138 total F‑35s, with the nuclear-capable batch providing a new strategic dimension.
As part of the defense review unveiled this month, the government also announced an upward revision in nuclear warhead stockpile limits—from 180 to 260—and reaffirmed commitments to NATO architecture, including conventional force readiness and cyber-infrastructure investment.
With input from Al Jazeera
