The British government has announced it will buy at least 12 F-35 stealth fighter jets capable of carrying tactical nuclear weapons in what it describes as the biggest boost to the UK's nuclear deterrent in a generation.
Sky News reported that the British Air Force and Royal Navy currently possess F-35B fighters capable of taking off from aircraft carriers, but they are not equipped with nuclear weapons. The 12 fighters that the UK plans to buy from the US defense corporation Lockheed Martin will be the F-35A variant and will be operated by the UK Air Force. Although the F-35A can only take off from land because it does not integrate the British Navy's aircraft carrier take-off technology, it has significant advantages over the F-35B variant such as being cheaper, having a larger combat radius and being equipped with both conventional and nuclear weapons, specifically the US-made B61 tactical nuclear bomb.
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| British and US F-35B aircraft on the Royal Navy's aircraft carrier HMS Queen Elizabeth. Photo: Defense News |
Although it is not yet clear when the F-35A fighter jets will be purchased and how much they will cost, British media reports suggest that the entire squadron will likely be based at RAF Marham in Norfolk. Overall, the fifth-generation fighter jet is still one of the most advanced and expensive fighter jets in the world .
The Guardian newspaper commented that the UK's announcement of plans to buy 12 F-35As marks the most significant change in the UK's nuclear stance since the end of the Cold War. The decision was made after warnings about increasing global instability and the UK facing new nuclear threats. "In an age of profound instability, we can no longer take peace for granted, which is why my government is investing in national security...", Prime Minister Keir Starmer explained when announcing the plan to buy F-35As, adding that these dual-mission fighter jets will usher in a new era for the Royal Air Force.
The UK's newly published national security strategy also warns that for the first time in many years, the UK must "proactively prepare for the possibility of the country being directly threatened, with the possibility of a war situation".
According to The Telegraph, the UK Government's Strategic Defense Review (SDR) released in May said that the country will need more F-35 aircraft in the next decade and suggested a combination of A and B variants. In addition, in a plan to focus on nuclear weapons, the UK will significantly expand its fleet of nuclear-powered submarines equipped with conventional weapons.
The last time the British military had air-launched tactical nuclear weapons was in 1998, when it retired the WE177 nuclear bombs equipped with Tornado fighter jets. In 2008, the US withdrew its last nuclear weapons from the UK after realizing that the threat of conflict after the Cold War had diminished. Since then, the UK has not invested in its own tactical nuclear arsenal, and London's nuclear deterrent is based entirely on its fleet of four Vanguard-class submarines, each carrying 16 nuclear missiles. Therefore, the addition of the F-35A squadron will give the RAF the ability to use nuclear weapons for the first time in decades, thereby diversifying its military options and maintaining nuclear capabilities at sea and in the air.
In addition, the arrival of the F-35A is expected to open the door for the UK to join the Dual Capability Aircraft (DCA) programme and contribute to the defence capabilities of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization ( NATO ) in the event of a conflict.
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Source: https://baolamdong.vn/khong-quan-anh-co-bay-cao-voi-f-35a-288610.html
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