UK Had No Jets To Drop Nukes For Almost 20 Years, 12 F-35As From US Will Change That

Last Updated:June 25, 2025, 23:09 IST

The UK's RAF hasn’t had nuclear delivery capability since retiring its Tornado fleet in the ’90s.

Two US Air Force F-35A Lightning II fighter aircraft fly over the Alaska-Canada Highway en route to their new home at the 354th Fighter Wing, Eielson Air Force Base, Alaska. (IMAGE: REUTERS)

The United Kingdom has announced plans to acquire a fleet of US-made fighter jets capable of carrying tactical nuclear weapons, amid rising tensions with Russia, the Wall Street Journal said in a report.

The UK government confirmed it will purchase 12 F-35A Lightning II jets from the United States. Unlike the F-35B variant currently operated by the Royal Air Force and Royal Navy, the F-35A can carry US-designed B61 nuclear bombs, in addition to conventional weapons.

This move marks a significant change in the UK’s nuclear capabilities. For over two decades, the country’s nuclear deterrent has been delivered solely by its four Vanguard-class submarines, which carry Trident missiles. The new jets would give Britain an air-based nuclear option for the first time since the late 1990s, when the RAF retired its last nuclear-capable aircraft following the end of the Cold War era.

Britain’s shift in nuclear strategy points to growing concerns over Russia and Europe’s continued dependence on US weapons to keep Moscow in check. With fears of a more inward-looking Trump presidency, some European countries are now rethinking how to strengthen their own nuclear defences.

The UK’s new F-35A fighter jets will be added to NATO’s nuclear mission in Europe. Countries like Germany and the Netherlands already fly jets that can carry US nuclear bombs, but any use of these weapons would need approval from both the US president and NATO. For now, the UK does not plan to build its own air-launched nuclear missiles, officials speaking to the Wall Street Journal said.

“This is a robust British contribution to the alliance," NATO’s secretary-general Mark Rutte was quoted as saying by the newspaper.

The UK’s plan to buy Lockheed Martin’s F-35A fighter jets was announced alongside a pledge to raise defence spending to 5% of GDP by 2035, in coordination with NATO allies. The move is also seen as an attempt to address pressure from former US President Donald Trump, who has long criticised European nations for not doing enough to fund their own security.

Did UK Never Have Jets That Could Launch Nukes

Britain currently doesn’t have any aircraft capable of delivering nuclear weapons, a position it has maintained since the late 1990s. After retiring its nuclear-capable Tornado bombers, the UK shifted fully to submarine-based deterrence using Trident ballistic missiles launched from its four Vanguard-class submarines. The proposed purchase of 12 F-35A jets, unlike the RAF’s existing vertical-landing F-35Bs, would restore air-based nuclear strike capability for the first time in more than 20 years.

Shankhyaneel Sarkar

Shankhyaneel Sarkar is a senior subeditor at News18. He covers international affairs, where he focuses on breaking news to in-depth analyses. He has over five years of experience during which he has covered sev...Read More

Shankhyaneel Sarkar is a senior subeditor at News18. He covers international affairs, where he focuses on breaking news to in-depth analyses. He has over five years of experience during which he has covered sev...

Read More

Location :

London, United Kingdom (UK)

First Published:

News world UK Had No Jets To Drop Nukes For Almost 20 Years, 12 F-35As From US Will Change That