Nearly three decades after abandoning it, the United Kingdom is apparently planning to revive its airborne nuclear deterrent. According to a report in the Sunday Times, the new British strategic review, scheduled to be presented on June 2, 2025, will include plans to acquire Lockheed Martin F-35A stealth fighters and add B61 tactical nuclear weapons. This move would likely mark Britain's participation in NATO's nuclear sharing agreements.
While the Royal Air Force already operates the short takeoff, vertical landing (STOVL) F-35B variant from its aircraft carriers, only the F-35A is compatible with the B61 bomb. The F-35A, a single-engine multi-role fighter variant, was specifically designed for conventional takeoff and landing at airfields and differs from the F-35B in some technical details.
If confirmed, the proposal would represent a significant shift in British nuclear strategy. Since the retirement of the WE.177 tactical nuclear weapon and the decommissioning of aircraft such as the Blackburn Buccaneer and the Tornado GR1/1A in the 1990s, Britain has relied exclusively on a sea-based deterrent. The current nuclear force consists of four Vanguard-class submarines armed with US-made Trident D5 intercontinental ballistic missiles.
British Defense Secretary John Healey hinted at a possible change of course in remarks to The Times, declaring that "the world is definitely becoming more dangerous" and that "nuclear risks are increasing." He emphasized that for the first time in a generation, Britain faces "seriously increasing risks of state conflict."
Return to RAF Lakenheath?
Although the UK is not officially a participant in NATO's nuclear sharing agreements, it hosted US-controlled B2008 nuclear weapons at RAF Lakenheath until 61. These weapons, assigned to the US Air Force's 48th Fighter Wing, could be rapidly deployed by F-15E Strike Eagles stationed there.
Recent Pentagon budget documents show that the nuclear storage infrastructure at Lakenheath has been undergoing renovations for several years, possibly signaling a return of the B61 weapons. These upgrades will involve changes to the aircraft and associated infrastructure at Lakenheath. The USAF's F-15E fighters are to be replaced by F-35A aircraft capable of deploying the modernized B61-12 nuclear bomb. The B61-12 is a further development of the tactical nuclear weapon, featuring improved precision and variable yield.
NATO nuclear sharing and the F-35A
NATO's nuclear sharing program dates back to the Cold War and involves the forward deployment of US B61 free-fall bombs in five allied countries: Belgium, Germany, Italy, the Netherlands, and Turkey. These nations maintain so-called "dual-capable aircraft" (DCAs)—aircraft capable of carrying both conventional and nuclear weapons—and appropriately trained crews to deploy the bombs under US control in the event of war.
Germany cited NATO nuclear sharing as a key reason for acquiring the F-35A in 2022 to replace its aging Tornado fleet. Although the Eurofighter Typhoon was initially considered, US officials warned that certifying the Typhoon to carry the B61 could take up to five years, which would have been too long given the planned retirement of German Tornados by the end of the 2020s. Germany also briefly considered purchasing the F/A-18F Super Hornet, but that model was quietly removed from the US certification list. Ultimately, Berlin chose the F-35A, despite concerns that the decision could undermine the Franco-German-Spanish Future Combat Air System (FCAS) program.
Implications for Typhoon and GCAP
If the UK moves forward with the acquisition of F-35As for nuclear missions, it would become the third member of the Eurofighter Typhoon industrial consortium, after Italy and Germany, to take this step. This could have implications for the long-term relevance of the Typhoon and the development of the Global Combat Air Programme (GCAP), a UK-led sixth-generation fighter project in partnership with Italy and Japan. The UK's decision to pursue the F-35A could call into question the need for its own nuclear-capable variants of the Typhoon or future GCAP aircraft.
The reintroduction of an air-launched nuclear capability would significantly change British deterrence policy and deepen integration with evolving US and NATO nuclear planning.
Increasing strategic tensions in Eastern Europe
More broadly, this move reflects the renewed urgency throughout Europe to respond to escalating Russian nuclear threats, as well as growing doubts about US security guarantees under a second administration of President Donald Trump. Russia's military doctrine envisions the use of tactical nuclear weapons in certain scenarios, raising heightened concerns in Europe.
In 2022, Belarus amended its constitution to allow the deployment of Russian nuclear weapons on its territory, a decision followed by the deployment of tactical warheads and the expected deployment of Oreshnik medium-range missiles capable of carrying multiple nuclear warheads by the end of 2025. At the same time, Ukraine is directly challenging Russia's nuclear deterrent from the air. In a coordinated long-range drone strike, Ukrainian forces targeted four Russian air bases used to house strategic bombers capable of launching both conventional and nuclear-armed cruise missiles. According to Ukrainian officials, more than 40 aircraft were damaged, including Tu-95 and Tu-22M3 bombers.
In this changing landscape, discussions about nuclear deterrence and European strategic autonomy are regaining importance. French President Emmanuel Macron has floated the idea of extending the French nuclear umbrella to other EU states, while German and Polish leaders have reportedly begun talks with both London and Paris about possible joint deterrence frameworks.
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