In a significant shift to its nuclear defense strategy, the United Kingdom has announced the acquisition of 12 U.S.-made F-35A fighter jets capable of carrying nuclear weapons. This move marks the country’s return to airborne nuclear capability and signals its intent to participate directly in NATO’s shared nuclear deterrence mission.
The announcement was made during a high-level NATO summit in The Hague, where the British Prime Minister confirmed what the government is calling “the biggest strengthening of the U.K.’s nuclear posture in a generation.” The F-35A aircraft, unlike previous UK models, are designed to be compatible with American B61 nuclear bombs stored across Europe as part of NATO’s deterrence infrastructure.
This decision means that for the first time since the 1990s, Britain will once again have the means to deploy nuclear weapons by air. Previously, the UK had retired its air-dropped nuclear arsenal in favor of submarine-launched Trident missiles, which remain its core nuclear deterrent.
The move brings the UK into closer alignment with seven other NATO member states that support the alliance’s nuclear mission by providing aircraft capable of delivering U.S.-owned nuclear weapons. While only three NATO countries—the U.S., UK, and France—possess nuclear arsenals of their own, participation in the alliance’s nuclear sharing program allows for a broader collective deterrent posture.
British participation, however, comes with a key limitation: the F-35s will not carry British nuclear weapons, as the UK has none suitable for aerial deployment. Any nuclear armaments used in the mission would remain under exclusive U.S. control. The actual deployment of these weapons would require joint authorization from NATO’s nuclear planning group, the U.S. president, and the British prime minister.
While welcomed by NATO leadership as a strong gesture of alliance solidarity, the announcement raised questions among defense analysts. Experts point out that the UK government has not clarified whether these U.S. nuclear weapons would be physically stationed on British soil, a sensitive issue that could provoke political and public opposition.
