The UK will reintroduce nuclear-capable fighter jets to support NATO’s nuclear deterrence strategy, expanding its current arsenal, which is solely based on submarine-launched missiles, Prime Minister Keir Starmer’s office confirmed on Tuesday.
As part of this shift, Britain will procure 12 F-35A fighter jets capable of delivering nuclear weapons, in what Downing Street described as “the most significant upgrade to the UK’s nuclear posture in decades.” Starmer is expected to formally announce the decision at the NATO summit on Wednesday.
Historically, the UK’s nuclear deterrence within the alliance has been confined to submarine-based systems since the Cold War, when tactical nuclear weapons were largely phased out due to a reduced threat in Europe, according to Heloise Fayet, a nuclear analyst at the French Institute of International Relations (Ifri).
Fayet noted that this decision signals “Europe’s ongoing re-nuclearization, an increased reliance on nuclear deterrence, and NATO’s strategic adjustment in response to Russia,” which remains engaged in its war against Ukraine.
The F-35A, developed by Lockheed Martin, differs from the F-35B currently operated by the UK as it can be equipped with nuclear warheads. The Royal Air Force has long sought this capability, with the new jets expected to be based at Marham Air Force Base in eastern England.
