The United Kingdom is considering strengthening its nuclear deterrent by acquiring fighter jets capable of delivering tactical nuclear weapons, The Sunday Times reports, citing its own sources.
The leading candidate for procurement is the American stealth fighter F-35A Lightning, developed by Lockheed Martin. This variant has an extended range of approximately 1,400 km and is capable of carrying the B61 thermonuclear gravity bomb, which London is expected to deploy as part of NATO’s nuclear deterrence strategy.
The F-35A could become the second key component of the UK’s nuclear deterrent alongside its submarine fleet, allowing for the use of nuclear weapons in limited conflict scenarios without escalating to full-scale nuclear war.
Further details are expected to be outlined in the UK’s upcoming Strategic Defence Review, set to be published on Monday.
According to the report, London is engaged in “extremely delicate” negotiations with the United States over the acquisition of such aircraft. Sources say Defence Secretary John Healey and Chief of the Defence Staff Admiral Sir Tony Radakin are in talks to purchase jets capable of deploying lower-yield nuclear bombs. The move has already received preliminary approval from Prime Minister Keir Starmer.
