British Plans to Field Nuclear-Armed F-35A Fighters Confirmed: Will They Share American Warheads?

<p >Following unconfirmed reports that the British Ministry of Defence was <a href="https://militarywatchmagazine.com/article/britain-considers-restoring-second-nuclear-f35a" >considering plans to procure</a> F-35A fifth generation fighter aircraft and nuclear gravity bombs to restore an air-launched nuclear strike capability, Minister of State for Defence Maria Eagle on June 9 confirmed for the first time that such procurements are expected to be made. In response to a parliamentary question from Conservative Member of Parliament Andrew Snowden, Eagle stated that under the new Strategic Defence Review there would be “a shift to a new mix of F35Bs and F35As,” indicating that this could undercut planned numbers of F-35B fighters. The Strategic Defence Review specifically stated: “More F-35s will be required over the next decade. This could comprise a mix of F-35A and B models according to military requirements to provide greater value for money.” The F-35B was previously procured due to its unique short takeoff and vertical landing capabilities, which allowed it to be deployed from <a href="https://militarywatchmagazine.com/article/performance-british-carriers-calls-retirement" target="_blank">Queen Elizabeth Class aircraft carriers, </a>which lack the catapult launch systems or arresting gear needed to operate other kinds of fixed wing aircraft. The much greater contributions made by British industry to manufacturing the F-35B variant compared to the F-35A were also considered an important factor in the decision to exclusively procure the former.</p><p ><img src="https://militarywatchmagazine.com/m/articles/2025/06/09/article_6846f3de9a6535_27106858.jpg" title="F-35A Drops B61-12 Nuclear Bomb During Test"></p><p >As the possibility of procuring the planned number of 138 F-35B fighters increasingly diminished from the early 2010s, procurements of the F-35A have been debated multiple times and have been openly advocated by senior officers in the Royal Air Force. The F-35B is approximately 50 percent more costly to procure, has significantly higher operational costs and lower availability rates, and is far more constrained in its combat potential and its range. The F-35A’s lower costs would allow the Royal Air Force to expand its fifth generation fighter fleet far more affordably, while the aircraft’s range and larger weapons bays make it far more suitable for delivering nuclear attacks. It remains uncertain whether the Ministry of Defence plans to develop an indigenous class of nuclear gravity bomb for the F-35A, much as Israel is reported to have done for its own stealth fighters, or whether the United Kingdom will enter a nuclear sharing agreement with the United States. Nuclear sharing agreements are currently in place with NATO members Belgium, the Netherlands, Germany, Italy, and Turkey, allowing their forces to use American nuclear warheads stationed on their territories in the event of a major conflict.</p><p ><img src="https://militarywatchmagazine.com/m/articles/2025/06/09/article_6846f403633b13_10167681.jpeg" title="British Armed Forces F-35B Conducts Vertical Landing"></p><p >Regarding the possibility of the United States entering into new nuclear sharing agreements with NATO allies, chairman of the U.S. Joint Chiefs of Staff nominee Dan Caine on April 1 <a href="https://militarywatchmagazine.com/article/next-pentagon-chief-confirms-willingness-provide-more-allies-nuclear-attack" >stated</a> that this could be considered "From a military perspective, expanding NATO allies’ participation in the nuclear deterrence mission in some capacity would enhance flexibility, survivability, and military capability. If confirmed, I will work… to evaluate the cost/benefit of such a decision," Caine stated. All nuclear sharing partners are clients for the F-35A, with the exception of Turkey which is currently <a href="https://militarywatchmagazine.com/article/us-considering-turkish-return-f35-program" >negotiating to return </a>to the F-35 program and procure the aircraft. The F-35A’s advanced stealth capabilities in particular make it an optimal aircraft for launching  nuclear attacks. Germany remains the only nuclear sharing partner not to have planned to adopt the F-35A to form the backbone of its fleet, although the country decided to place a small order for 35 of the fighters specifically for nuclear strike roles due to the class’ particularly distinct superiority for such missions. The Royal Netherlands Air Force <a href="https://militarywatchmagazine.com/article/europe-snuclear-stealth-fighter-f35-dutch" >became the first </a>foreign partner to have the F-35 take over nuclear strike roles in June 2024, after the U.S. Air Force <a href="https://militarywatchmagazine.com/article/f35s-cert-stealthy-nuclear-strike" >had done so</a> two months prior in March. As the U.S. Air Force has from 2023 gradually re-established its forward deployed nuclear forces in the United Kingdom, there has been growing speculation that this may have been intended from the outset to facilitate a new nuclear sharing agreement with the British Armed Forces. </p>