UK To Buy US F-35s As Starmer Signals NATO Commitment

The UK will purchase at least 12 U.S.-made F-35A stealth fighter jets, restoring the Royal Air Force’s nuclear strike capability for the first time since 1998, according to Bloomberg.

Prime Minister Keir Starmer announced the move ahead of the NATO summit in The Hague, in a move widely seen as both a gesture to President Donald Trump and a step to reinforce Europe’s defense amid doubts about long-term American security guarantees.

“You have to get relatively close to targets in order to drop it,” said Justin Bronk, a senior research fellow at RUSI, referring to the B61-12 tactical nuclear bomb the F-35A was certified to carry in 2023. “If the RAF is to be given a free-fall nuclear capability as part of the beefed-up deterrent plans, the F-35A is the only choice.”

Defense Secretary John Healey emphasized that this is not a new weapons program, but a reinforcement of NATO’s nuclear mission. “We’re facing increasing threats, we’re facing rising nuclear risks,” he told Sky News. “This is not the UK taking on a new nuclear weapon, it’s playing a part in the established nuclear mission in NATO.”

Under current arrangements, the U.S. would retain control over the nuclear bombs, and any deployment would require joint authorization by the U.S. and NATO’s top commander.

The £3.2 billion ($4.4 billion) purchase will include 27 aircraft by decade’s end, replacing more costly short-takeoff versions and supporting 20,000 UK jobs. “These planes will save money,” said defense procurement minister Maria Eagle, explaining that the UK will host 15% of the supply chain.

Bloomberg writes that the announcement comes as NATO is expected to adopt a bold new defense spending target of 5% of GDP, aimed at appeasing Trump’s long-standing criticism of European underinvestment in defense.

Starmer’s move reflects broader European anxiety over Trump’s wavering commitment to NATO’s Article 5, the alliance’s mutual defense clause. With Russia’s war in Ukraine ongoing and fears growing about President Vladimir Putin’s intentions, the UK is renewing its broader nuclear deterrent. This includes £15 billion ($20.4 billion) in new nuclear warheads and up to 12 nuclear-powered submarines as part of the AUKUS pact with the U.S. and Australia.

While most MPs backed the move, critics—including former Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn—warned it undermines nuclear non-proliferation commitments. Eagle dismissed the concerns, saying the UK was “establishing a way to use another state’s nuclear weapons to support an existing mission.”

Starmer’s strategy is to present the UK as a serious NATO contributor while courting a U.S. president known to reward big defense deals. However, Trump has so far offered little in return—ignoring EU calls for stronger sanctions on Russia and launching airstrikes on Iran despite European objections.