Britain is reportedly negotiating with the United States to acquire fighter jets capable of launching tactical nuclear weapons, marking the most significant shift in its nuclear posture since the Cold War.
According to a new report by The Times, senior officials, including United Kingdom (U.K.) Defence Secretary John Healey and Chief of Defence Staff Admiral Sir Tony Radakin, are leading talks to procure American jets.
The acquisition reportedly centers on the Lockheed Martin F-35A Lightning, a stealth fighter with a 1,400 km range, capable of carrying the B61 thermonuclear gravity bomb, the primary air-dropped weapon in the U.S. arsenal.
The jet purchase is part of a wider strategic overhaul detailed in a 130-page defense review, prepared under former NATO Secretary General George Robertson.
The report warns of a “new era of threat” from Russia and China and proposes a £1.5 billion ($1.8 billion) investment to build six new weapons and explosives factories. Additional funding of £3 billion ($3.6 billion) is allocated for long-range weapons, missile defenses, and improved military housing.
The review also proposes a new cyber and electromagnetic command to counter frequent hostile cyberattacks, many linked to Russia. Other plans include re-establishing a volunteer home guard to protect critical infrastructure and expanding underwater surveillance of subsea assets.
“We are being directly threatened by states with advanced military forces, so we must be ready to fight and win,” Starmer told The Times.
Britain’s defence spending is set to increase from 2.2% of GDP to 2.5% by 2027, with a long-term goal of reaching 3% by 2034. This would add more than £10 billion ($12.6 billion) in annual funding, positioning the U.K. among NATO’s top military spenders ahead of the upcoming alliance summit.
