Britain is to buy a fleet of 12 stealth fighter jets which will allow the RAF to carry tactical nuclear weapons for the first time since the end of the Cold War, Sir Keir Starmer has announced.
Announcing the deal during the Nato summit in the Netherlands, the Prime Minister said the move would “herald a new era” for the RAF while deterring “hostile threats”.
Under the plans, Britain will initially buy 12 F-35A stealth fighter jets from the US, capable of carrying both nuclear and conventional weapons.
No 10 refused to say how much the deal would cost, citing commercial sensitivity – but estimates are they are £70-80m per jet, including lifetime maintenance costs.
The announcement comes on the same day the National Security Strategy was published. It warns “the threat to the UK and our allies from nuclear weapons is once again growing”.
It added: “Tackling this challenge is likely to be more complex than it was even in the Cold War, with more states with more nuclear weapons, the further proliferation of nuclear and disruptive technology, and the failure of international arms control arrangements to keep pace.”
US nuclear warheads
The jets will be equipped with US-owned nuclear warheads, with the UK joining Nato’s “dual capable aircraft mission” (able to carry both conventional and nuclear weapons) to wield them.
Under the mission, a small group of members in the alliance make their jets available for nuclear roles on behalf of Nato at times of increased tension, and playing a key role in deterring nuclear-equipped adversaries like Russia.
The decision to purchase the F-35As from America reintroduces a nuclear role for the RAF for the first time since 1998, when the UK retired its sovereign air-launched nuclear weapons.
It means that with the Trident submarine fleet, the UK will once again have two means of deploying nuclear weapons.
Starmer visits the Netherlands marines training base, as part of the UK-Netherland Joint Amphibious Force, in Rotterdam on Tuesday (Photo:Kin Cheung/Reuters)Trident will continue to be the Britain’s ultimate nuclear deterrent because unlike the Nato dual capable aircraft mission – where the US would be involved in any decision-making on use – decisions about Trident lie solely with the UK.
The Government said the new deal would support 20,000 jobs in the F-35 programme, with the fast jets to be based at RAF Marham.
Announcing the move at the Nato summit in The Hague, Starmer said: “In an era of radical uncertainty we can no longer take peace for granted.
First nuclear air capability in 30 years
The decision to procure 12 F-35As capable of carrying nuclear weapons marks a historic moment for the UK.
While other nuclear powers such as France have long had two mechanisms for launching warheads – jets and submarines – for nearly three decades Britain has relied purely on its Trident submarines.
The i Paper understands that the deal to buy the F-35As and to join the Nato mission was clinched following talks between Defence Secretary John Healey and his US counterpart, Pete Hegseth.
The move reflects the deteriorating international security environment and a key decision which Labour made in its Strategic Defence Review to have a “Nato-first” defence policy.
The acquisition of the 12 F-35As is part of a broader Ministry of Defence (MoD) programme to procure 138 F-35s in total, with the remaining aircraft being the F-35B model which is capable of taking off from Britain’s aircraft carriers.
The MoD does not disclose the cost of individual aircraft citing commercial confidentiality, but the department has estimated that the fleet will cost more than £18bn over its life.
The Government has said that the procurement of 12 F-35A rather than 112 F-35B as part of the next procurement package will deliver a saving of up to 25 per cent per aircraft for the taxpayer.
The F-35 Lightning is made by Lockheed Martin in Texas, but with contributions from other countries, including the UK. BAE Systems manufactures the fuselage and electronic systems.
“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.”
The Defence Secretary, John Healey, said: “The Strategic Defence Review confirmed we face new nuclear risks, with other states increasing, modernising and diversifying their nuclear arsenals. And it recommended a new UK role in our collective defence and deterrence through a Nato-first approach.”
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The commitment came amid continuing questions about how the UK will meet a new Nato commitment to spend 3.5 per cent of gross domestic product on defence by 2035, along with a further 1.5 per cent on “wider homeland security and national resilience”.
The National Security Strategy published on Tuesday warned that there could be cuts to other areas of spending to fund future defence increases.
On Tuesday, Starmer told journalists that he had been able to increase defence spending to date without putting up taxes.
“When we went to 2.5 per cent in 2027-28, we set out precisely how we would pay for it – that didn’t involve tax rises,” he said.
“Clearly we’ve got our commitments in our manifesto about not making tax rises on working people and we will stick to our manifesto commitments.”
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