Royal Air Force F-35A Ordered

The British government announced on 25 June 2025, ahead of the NATO summit in The Hague, that the United Kingdom would buy twelve F-35A conventional take-off fighters in addition to its F-35B fleet. The dual-capable aircraft, able to carry both conventional weapons and US nuclear bombs, will allow the Royal Air Force to rejoin NATO's airborne nuclear mission, from which Britain withdrew in the 1990s; they will be based at RAF Marham. The government called it the biggest strengthening of the UK's nuclear posture in a generation. The twelve jets form part of the next tranche of 27 aircraft within the programme of 138 F-35s.