Restoring the Royal Air Force’s nuclear-strike capability is set to become one of its top priorities in the coming years, according to Air Chief Marshal Harv Smyth, who assumed the position of Chief of the Air Staff in August.
“The RAF will soon be able to provide NATO with a credible and resilient nuclear response option, as we’ve added this to our escalation framework,” Smyth said during his keynote address at the 2025 DSEI UK exhibition in London. “A nuclear-capable Lightning fighter will give Britain this enhanced capability.”
His comments referenced the U.K.’s June 2025 decision to procure 12 additional F-35A aircraft, enabling the RAF to participate in NATO’s dual-capable aircraft program. These jets will be able to deploy both conventional and nuclear weapons, a role already filled by U.S., German, Italian, Dutch, Belgian, Greek, and Turkish forces.
The new aircraft will be stationed at RAF Marham, and London still aims to acquire a total of 138 F-35s throughout the program’s lifecycle.
“I would expect our adversaries to take serious note of this development,” Smyth warned, citing Russia, China, Iran, and North Korea as active players in today’s security environment.
“With a government committed to positioning the U.K. as a global defense superpower, we are entering a new phase of strategic investment,” he added. “In uncertain times, air and space power will remain the nation’s frontline defense.”
