UK aligns with Trump and will buy 12 fighter jets to bolster its role in NATO

The UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer announced Wednesday during a NATO summit in the Netherlands that the country will buy 12 U.S.-made F-35A fighter jets capable of carrying nuclear bombs.

This acquisition will enable the U.K. to participate in NATO's shared airborne nuclear mission, significantly expanding its nuclear deterrent capability.

The U.K. government described this decision as "the biggest strengthening of the UK's nuclear posture in a generation."

Starmer announced the move on X:

“In an era of global uncertainty, we can no longer take peace for granted. My government is investing in our national security by purchasing 12 new F-35A fighter jets, supporting thousands of high-skilled jobs and opportunities for working people. Secure at home, strong abroad.”

NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte praised the move, calling it "yet another robust British contribution to NATO.”

NATO members

Only three NATO members - the United States, the United Kingdom and France - are nuclear powers, while seven alliance nations participate in the nuclear mission by providing aircraft capable of carrying conventional bombs or the U.S. B61 nuclear bombs stored in Europe.

However, any use of nuclear weapons by the United Kingdom in this context would require authorization from the NATO nuclear planning group, as well as from the U.S. president and the British prime minister.

Criticism of the British decision

Marion Messmer, an expert in the international security program at the Center for Chatham House Studies, pointed out that the British government has not clarified whether U.S. nuclear bombs will be stored on British soil, a decision that could generate controversy.

“The U.K. doesn’t have any nuclear weapons itself that could be deployed via this aircraft,” and she added: “Other states in NATO that participate in this mission also host U.S. nuclear weapons on their territory – these weapons remain entirely under U.S. control.”

Support for Ukraine and reinforcement of anti-aircraft defense

In addition to the F-35A announcement, Starmer, via an official statement, noted that the U.K. will provide 350 air defense missiles to Ukraine, funded with £70 million ($95 million) from interest generated by confiscated Russian assets.

In the same vein, the British government noted in the statement, “This support is vital to European security but is also supporting economic growth across the UK.”

NATO aligns itself with Trump's request

The U.S. president has been warning that NATO member countries must unfailingly contribute to security and increase security investment to 5%.

Starmer's decision is part of a broader commitment by NATO members to increase security spending to 5% of gross domestic product (GDP) by 2035, with 3.5% going to defense and 1.5% to security and resilience efforts.