“Economist”: RAF is considering buying F-35A. Are to carry nuclear weapons

The Royal Air Force (RAF) consider the purchase of F-35A fighters, certified by the US for transferring tactical B61 nuclear bombs-said the British weekly “Economist” in the latest issue. These aircraft are to complement the F-35B fleet currently with 38 machines.

As the weekly noted, type A fighters are cheaper and have a larger range, and type B – these are short start and vertical landing machines, more versatile, which fly from two British aircraft carriers.

According to “Economist,” the United States has deployed about 100 B61 bombs in six bases located in Germany, Italy, Belgium, the Netherlands and Turkey. They are the property of the American authorities, but during maneuvers the European Air Force practice their transfer and dropping.

In a military review published by the British government at the beginning of the month, the authors recommend that London begins negotiations with NATO, including the US, on the subject of “potential benefits (…) by increasing the participation of Great Britain in NATO's nuclear mission.” The report reminded that thanks to the modernization of the RAF Lakenheath military base in Suffolk, it is possible to store nuclear weapons on its area.

Until recently, one of the leading Pentagon officials, cited by the Vipin Narang weekly, said that the introduction of nuclear weapons to RAF is “the largest possible extending of nuclear scares by NATO at the moment.” In his opinion, it is “the fastest, cheapest, the most valuable and best way to scare away (enemies) in price -quality relationship.”

Critics of this idea indicate two problems. The first of them concerns the difficulties related to the fact that B61 is a gravitational bomb, i.e. aircraft must rise practically to the target to lose it. The second is the USA law of the USA regarding the use of B61.

As “Economist” suggests, the United Kingdom could solve these problems by building its own arsenal of maneuvering missiles with a nuclear head. However, London gave up such plans in 1993. In a report published by the British government in 2013 on nuclear policy, it was estimated that the construction of such a weapon would take you about 24 years and would cost from 8 to 10 billion pounds.

According to information provided in April by RAF, so far the United Kingdom has received 38 F-35B fighters from the expected 48 machines. Until 2033, 74 aircraft will be expected to achieve operational capacity in RAF. (PAP)

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