Bloomberg: Britain wants to strengthen nuclear defense due to Russia and US uncertainty
Britain wants to strengthen its role in NATO's nuclear deterrent amid threats from Russia and uncertainty from the United States, Bloomberg reported, citing a person familiar with the government's plans.
Britain is exploring the possibility of deploying nuclear weapons on fighter jets as part of expanding its contribution to the alliance's nuclear capabilities.
This comes alongside the modernization of the Trident system, a £15 billion (approximately $19.1 billion) investment in nuclear warhead production, and the construction of up to 12 new nuclear submarines under the AUKUS defense partnership with the United States and Australia .
William Alberk, a senior fellow at the Pacific Forum in Berlin, noted that Britain's increased nuclear deterrence is aimed at compensating for potential US "detachment."
According to him, "fears about Washington's weakening commitments have become a signal for Europe to act more independently."
On June 2, the UK government published a Strategic Defense Review, which recommended starting negotiations with the US on redistributing the burden of nuclear deterrence within NATO.
The document also outlines the reform of the British armed forces to bring them to a state of full combat readiness.
Journalists note that the United Kingdom and France remain the only nuclear powers in NATO among European countries. However, London is currently the only country that directly integrates its nuclear arsenal into the alliance's strategy.
- On May 14, 2025, it became known that Britain had developed underwater drones with the AI-based Lura surveillance system, which will allow it to identify Russian submarines.
- On May 29, it was announced that Britain would create a new Cyber and Electromagnetic Command to protect military networks from tens of thousands of cyberattacks.
- On May 31, it was reported that the UK had prepared a 130-page review of the Russian threat.
