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Downing Street claims that the purchase will be the “greatest strengthening of the United Kingdom’s nuclear posture in a generation”.
The United Kingdom plans to buy at least a dozen F-35A fighter planes capable of transporting tactical nuclear weapons, in what will be the “greatest strengthening of the United Kingdom’s nuclear posture in a generation,” said Prime Minister Keir Starmer’s office.
Starmer will make an announcement on the purchase, which will allow the British Air Force to transport nuclear weapons for the first time since the end of the Cold War, at the top of NATO in The Hague on Wednesday, where NATO leaders should Approve a major boost to their defense expenses.
The nuclear deterrent capacity of the United Kingdom is currently limited to the missiles launched underwater.
“At a time of radical uncertainty, we can no longer take peace for acquired, which is why my government is investing in our national security,” Starmer said in a statement.
“These F35 double compensation planes will announce a new era for our Royal Air Force, world leaders and dissuade hostile threats that threaten the United Kingdom and our allies.”
NATO secretary general Mark Rutte said in the statement that he had greatly praised the announcement, describing it as “another solid British contribution to NATO”.
“Double compatible” hunting jets
The F-35A, produced by the American company Lockheed Martin, is similar to the F-35B currently used by the UK Air Force, but can transport nuclear bombs in addition to conventional weapons.
Seven NATO members, including the United States, Germany and Italy, already have double compensation planes on European territory capable of transporting the same American nuclear warheads that the United Kingdom will probably carry, the AFP news agency reported.
The plane is said to be deployed under the name of NATO -compensation aircraft mission, strengthening the alliance nuclear deterrence posture, Downing Street said.
The new jets would be based at Marham air base, with the acquisition of planes which should support 20,000 jobs in the United Kingdom, according to the press release, because 15% of the world supply chain for jets is based in the country.
Europe’s rearmaments
The 32 NATO members should approve a major increase in targets for defense expenses, from 2% to 5% of the gross domestic product (GDP), at the top in The Hague.
The United Kingdom has already undertaken to achieve the target of expenses and has announced significant investments in the construction of new attack submarines and ammunition factories.
The boost of the defense budgets follows criticism from the Trump administration, which says that the United States has too much of the alliance financial burden. US President Donald Trump wondered if the alliance should defend countries that fail to achieve spending objectives and even have threatened the block.
Other countries have also reported that they were making major investments in their soldiers in response to the threat posed by Russia, the German Chancellor Friedrich Merz saying on Tuesday that Germany would increase spending to become “the strongest conventional army in Europe”.
