UK to reinforce nuclear deterrent with US-made warhead-capable jets

In a major shift in Britain’s nuclear policy, Prime Minister Keir Starmer has announced that the United Kingdom will purchase a squadron of American-made F-35A fighter jets capable of carrying US tactical nuclear warheads — a move that signals the return of US nuclear weapons to British soil for the first time in over 15 years.

According to The Guardian, the announcement, made during the NATO summit in The Hague, marks the most significant change in Britain’s nuclear posture since the Cold War and is expected to provoke strong reactions from arms control advocates. The move aligns the UK with NATO’s “dual-capable aircraft” (DCA) strategy, which integrates US-owned nuclear weapons into allied defence plans.

“These aircraft will strengthen our armed forces and support communities across the country through our defence industry,” Starmer is expected to say. “In an era of radical uncertainty, we can no longer take peace for granted.”

Under the plan, the UK will acquire 12 F-35A jets — a variant distinct from the UK’s current fleet of vertical takeoff-capable F-35Bs. The new jets can carry the B61-12 gravity bomb, a US nuclear weapon with a selectable yield ranging from 0.3 to 50 kilotons. By comparison, the atomic bomb dropped on Hiroshima had a yield of 15 kilotons.

Though the UK has not stored US nuclear weapons since they were withdrawn from RAF Lakenheath in 2008, and Britain’s own air-launched nuclear capability was retired in 1998, officials confirmed that the UK would remain compliant with the Non-Proliferation Treaty. The nuclear weapons would remain under US control, even if deployed on UK territory.

The F-35As will be based at RAF Marham in Norfolk. The site already houses infrastructure and underground vaults previously used for Britain’s own tactical nuclear weapons. Nearby RAF Lakenheath — now operated by the US Air Force — is also undergoing upgrades to its nuclear storage facilities, reportedly funded by Washington.

Military planners have argued for the reintroduction of a “substrategic” deterrent capability alongside the UK’s submarine-based Trident force. While Trident provides a high-yield, strategic deterrent, the addition of aircraft capable of carrying tactical nuclear weapons is seen as a flexible, battlefield-level deterrence option, particularly in the face of renewed threats from Russia.

The decision follows stark warnings in the UK’s new strategic defence and security review, which emphasises the growing risk of a direct threat to the British homeland. “For the first time in many years, we have to actively prepare for the possibility of the UK homeland coming under direct threat, potentially in a wartime scenario,” the review states, citing Russia’s military expansion and Iran’s growing aggression abroad.

NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte welcomed the UK’s move as “a robust British contribution to the alliance,” while Defence Secretary John Healey called it an embodiment of Britain’s “NATO-first” strategy and a sign that defence could act as a “growth engine” for the UK economy.

In economic terms, ministers highlighted the cost-effectiveness of the switch from F-35Bs to F-35As, with each aircraft expected to cost around 25% less. The acquisition is part of the UK’s broader ambition to eventually purchase up to 138 F-35s.

Starmer also emphasised the domestic impact, noting the jets would support over 20,000 jobs and benefit more than 100 UK suppliers, even though the planes are manufactured by US defence giant Lockheed Martin.

“Supporting 100 businesses across the country and more than 20,000 jobs, these F-35 dual-capable aircraft will herald a new era for our world-leading Royal Air Force and deter hostile threats that threaten the UK and our allies,” Starmer said.

The decision also comes amid rising NATO concern over defence spending. Starmer has pledged to meet NATO’s target of spending 5% of GDP on defence by 2035. That goal was reinforced by Secretary General Rutte’s stark warning earlier this year: “Without a significant increase in defence spending, British citizens had better start learning Russian.”

By Tamilla Hasanova