A British air force F-35B Lightning receives fuel from a tanker aircraft over Alaska in May 2023. Prime Minister Keir Starmer said Wednesday that the U.K. is going to purchase 12 F-35As, which can be equipped with nuclear bombs, and join NATO's nuclear mission. (William Rodriguez/U.S. Air Force)
The United Kingdom will purchase a dozen fifth-generation American fighter jets capable of deploying tactical nuclear weapons and join NATO’s airborne nuclear mission, the country’s prime minister said Wednesday.
The fleet of F-35A Lightning II aircraft will restore the U.K.’s ability to deliver nuclear weapons by air, a capability it phased out after the Cold War.
“In an era of radical uncertainty, we can no longer take peace for granted,” Prime Minister Keir Starmer said at NATO’s summit in the Netherlands.
The jets will support NATO’s dual-capable aircraft mission, Starmer said. Several NATO allies contribute to the mission, which includes hosting U.S. nuclear bombs and operating aircraft capable of delivering both nuclear and conventional weapons.
The announcement comes amid heightened concern among NATO allies over Russian aggression and China’s growing strategic capabilities.
The British government described the purchase in a statement Tuesday as “the biggest strengthening of the U.K.’s nuclear posture in a generation.”
A U.S. Air Force F-35A Lightning II performs during the Paris Air Show at Le Bourget Airport in France on June 19, 2025. The United Kingdom will purchase 12 of the jets, which can be equipped with nuclear bombs. (Brieana Bolfing/U.S. Air Force)
The U.S. Air Force uses its F-35s primarily as a replacement for the F-16, and the nuclear mission is secondary with that airframe.
American nuclear weapons have not been stored in the U.K. since the last B61 bombs were removed from RAF Lakenheath in 2008.
However, recent infrastructure upgrades at the base, including enhancements to nuclear vaults and security systems, have fueled speculation that U.S. nukes may soon return to British soil. Several thousand American service members are currently stationed at the base.
The new F-35s will be based at RAF Marham, which is about 25 miles by road from Lakenheath.
Besides the U.S., the U.K. and France are the only NATO members with their own nuclear weapons. France maintains its arsenal independently and does not participate in NATO’s nuclear-sharing arrangements.
The U.K., by contrast, pledges its nuclear deterrent to the alliance, though its warheads are currently limited to submarine-launched ballistic missiles.
Starmer’s announcement comes as the U.K. and other European NATO members pledge to increase defense spending to 5% of gross domestic product by 2035, following calls by President Donald Trump to do so.
Britain currently spends 2.3% of GDP on defense and says that will rise to 2.6% by 2027.
“The U.K.’s commitment to NATO is unquestionable,” Starmer said Wednesday. “We must all step up to protect the Euro-Atlantic area for generations to come.”
