UK to Buy 12 US Fighter Jets and Join NATO’s Nuclear Mission in Major Deterrence Boost

The United Kingdom announced on Wednesday that it will purchase 12 US-made F-35 fighter jets capable of carrying nuclear weapons and will participate in NATO’s shared airborne nuclear mission. Prime Minister Keir Starmer described this move as “the biggest strengthening of the UK’s nuclear posture in a generation.”

Starmer made the announcement during a NATO summit in the Netherlands, with NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte welcoming the decision. Rutte called it “yet another robust British contribution to NATO.”

The UK phased out its air-dropped atomic weapons in the 1990s following the Cold War, and its current nuclear arsenal relies solely on submarine-based missiles. Only three NATO members the US, Britain, and France are nuclear powers. Other NATO countries contribute aircraft capable of carrying conventional or nuclear weapons, including the US B61 bombs stored in Europe.

Any use of UK nuclear weapons within the alliance’s mission would require approval from NATO’s nuclear planning group, the US president, and the British prime minister.

In addition to the nuclear announcement, Starmer revealed that the UK will supply 350 air defense missiles to Ukraine, funded by 70 million pounds ($95 million) raised from interest on seized Russian assets.

These moves come amid commitments by the UK and other NATO members to increase military spending to five percent of gross domestic product by 2035. Currently, the UK spends 2.3 percent of its national income on defense, with plans to raise it to 2.6 percent by 2027, including additional investment in broader security and resilience efforts.