Military · Sunday, 19 July 2026
The UK Just Bought 12 F-35As Because Its 48 F-35Bs Can't Carry This Nuclear Weapon
The United Kingdom has purchased 12 F-35A aircraft to supplement its existing fleet of 48 F-35Bs.
TL;DR
The acquisition was driven by the requirement to carry specific nuclear weapons that are currently incompatible with the short-takeoff-and-vertical-landing (STOVL) F-35B variant. This procurement highlights specific capability gaps in the UK's current combat aircraft fleet regarding strategic weapons delivery.
Simple Flying18 Jul, 16:00 BST
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