UK Buys A Series Of F-35A Fighter Jets With Nuclear Armed

JAKARTA - The British government will buy a dozen F-35A fighter jets capable of firing tactical nuclear weapons.

Purchase of Lockheed Martin jets will allow the British air force to carry nuclear weapons for the first time since the end of the Cold War, Downing Street said.

"In an era of radical uncertainty, we can no longer consider peace a definite thing, which is why my government invests in our national security," Prime Minister Keir Starmer said.

Britain is increasing its defense budget and increasing its military power, including its submarine fleet, as it faces growing hostilities from Russia and as the United States withdraws from its traditional role as European security defenders.

The British government said the purchase of the jet would allow it to donate so-called dual-capable aircraft to NATO to carry nuclear weapons in the event of a conflict.

NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte said the purchase was another UK's strong contribution to NATO.

Britain's current nuclear counters rely solely on Trident submarine-based systems, which failed last year's test, a second consecutive test failure after one deviated from the track in 2016.

The last time the UK has the nuclear capability to be launched from the air independently was in 1998, according to the British parliament.

tactical nuclear weapons are aimed at using on the battlefield, in contrast to strategic weapons designed to be fired remotely.

By purchasing F-35A fighter jets, Britain will be able to diversify its military options and be closer to NATO allies such as France and the United States, which maintain ground, sea and air-based nuclear capabilities.

The F-35A fighter jet is capable of carrying US B61 tactical nuclear weapons. Britain will likely need the United States to supply the weapons for use on aircraft, said a British official who declined to be named.

The United States withdrew its last nuclear weapon from Britain in 2008, in a sign at the time that the threat of conflict after the end of the Cold War had receded.

Downing Street said the purchase of the new jet would support some 20,000 jobs in the UK and underscore its commitment to NATO.

The government has pledged to increase overall defense and security spending by up to 5% of economic output by 2035 to meet UK NATO targets insisting it must "actively prepare" for war at home for the first time in years.