The United Kingdom has decided to ramp up its nuclear deterrence, reverting to its Cold War-era posture amidst growing concerns in Europe of national security threats. According to the Wall Street Journal, the UK is set to purchase 12 American F-35A stealth fighters, capable of carrying not only conventional, but nuclear-armed ordnance. The purchase of these fighters will enable the UK to fire nuclear warheads from the air for the first time since the late 1990s. Currently, the UK's nuclear weapons can only be deployed from its 4 Vanguard submarines.
The shift in nuclear policy is driven by two forces: escalating Russian aggression in Ukraine and President Trump insisting that NATO countries increase their defense spending as a percentage of GDP. President Trump and his Republican base have repeatedly criticized NATO’s dependence on American capital and the chronic lack of funding by European allies. While some in Europe have started to ramp up their defense spending, the underlying concerns of European leaders haven’t gone away. As a result of President Trump's pressure, Britain, along with multiple other NATO nations, has pledged a 5 percent increase in its defense spending.
With President Trump also dialing back America's financial commitment to Ukraine, European leaders further worry that a Russian victory could reshape the balance of power in the region. Only France and the UK possess nuclear weapons, and a boost to their arsenals is seen as an "incremental improvement," according to James Black, deputy director at RAND Europe. NATO’s secretary-general, Mark Rutte, also approved of the purchase, calling it "a robust British contribution to the alliance.”