Key Points and Summary – In March 2024, the U.S. quietly pushed NATO’s nuclear posture into a new era by certifying the F-35A to carry the B61-12 tactical nuclear bomb.
-The stealth jet is now a dual-capable aircraft, able to deliver both conventional and nuclear weapons while penetrating advanced air defenses far more credibly than legacy F-16s or Tornados.
U.S. Air Force Maj. Melanie “Mach” Kluesner, pilot of the F-35A Demonstration Team, performs aerial maneuvers at the Sun ‘n Fun Airshow in Lakeland, Florida, April 4, 2025. The demonstration team showcases the skill and precision U.S. Air Force pilots and aircraft are capable of. (U.S. Air Force photo by Senior Airman Nicholas Rupiper)
-For NATO’s nuclear-sharing allies in Europe, the certification lets them modernize their part of the mission without fielding their own warheads.
-U.S. control of the bombs remains unchanged, but the means of delivery are now fifth-generation—making the alliance’s deterrent both sharper and more survivable.
The F-35A Is Officially Nuclear Capable: Here’s What That Means
In March 2024, the F-35A stealth fighter was officially certified to carry the B61-12 thermonuclear gravity bomb – and it was big news for both the United States and NATO. For the first time ever, a modern fifth-generation stealth jet has joined the roster of nuclear-capable aircraft, reviving a Cold War-style mission in a substantially different security environment.
The announcement was made some time ago, but as geopolitics continue to change and the threat environment is perhaps even more tense than it was in March last year, the story feels particularly relevant. Why, exactly, was the decision made? And what does it mean for NATO, its European members, and the broader balance of nuclear deterrence?
Meet the Nuclear-Capable F-35 and Its Weapon
The U.S. formally declared last year that the F-35A had been operationally certified to carry the modern B61-12 nuclear bomb.
According to Russ Goemaere, a spokesperson for the F-35 Joint Program Office (JPO), the certification was actually achieved earlier, on October 12, 2023 – months ahead of the original deadline pledged to NATO allies.
U.S. Air Force Maj. Melanie “Mach” Kluesner, the pilot for the F-35A Demonstration Team, performs aerial maneuvers in a USAF F-35A Lightning II during the practice day before the airshow at Jacksonville Naval Air Station, Florida, on 18 October, 2024. The practice day ensures that the team is able to safely and properly display the power, agility, and lethality of America’s 5th generation fighter jet. (U.S. Air Force photo by Senior Airman Nicholas Rupiper)
Speaking to the press, Goemaere described the announcement as a culmination of more than a decade of “intense effort across the nuclear enterprise.”
“The F-35A achieved Nuclear Certification ahead of schedule, providing US and NATO with a critical capability that supports US extended deterrence commitments earlier than anticipated,” he added.
Under the certification, select F-35As are now designated as “dual-capable aircraft” – meaning that they can carry both conventional munitions or nuclear bombs depending on mission requirements. Importantly, the approval covers only the CTOL (conventional take-off and landing) F-35A variant. The short takeoff/vertical landing F-35B and carrier-based F-35C are not cleared for nuclear delivery under the current certification.
A U.S. Air Force F-35A Lightning II assigned to the 60th Fighter Squadron, flies overhead after conducting a live weapons drop at Camp Shelby, Miss., Oct 25, 2023. During the exercise, pilots tested various munitions including the GBU-12s, GBU-31v1s, and 362 rounds of 25mm Training Munitions from the gun.
The B61-12, meanwhile, is a modernized U.S. tactical bomb that features improved precision and flexibility compared with its Cold War-era predecessors. The bomb can now be delivered by a flexible, stealthy modern jet whose low-observable design, modern avionics suite, and survivability dramatically increase the chances of penetrating advanced air defenses. For NATO, this matters: after all, the F-35A’s ability to penetrate deeper into these spaces makes it an arguably far more credible option than older bombers or non-stealth fleets from the 1980s and 1990s.
Deterrence only works if the adversary believes the weapons can be delivered, after all, and a stealth nuclear-capable jet means NATO deterrence – not just U.S. deterrence – is now stronger than ever.
And with uncertainty rising across the European continent, the F-35A now offers a crucial, additional deterrent while NATO member states work on a collective defense and military ramp-up.
Good News for NATO – and Europe
It’s great news for the United States, given that the F-35A is an American platform.
But that being said, many European members of NATO are buying or have ordered their own F-35A’s – partly for the very purpose of fulfilling their role in NATO’s nuclear-sharing architecture. Countries like Italy, the Netherlands, and Germany have made clear that nuclear-capable jets are a prominent priority within their procurement decisions.
Under NATO’s nuclear-sharing arrangements, U.S. nuclear bombs are stored in host countries – Belgium, Germany, Italy, the Netherlands, and Turkey – even though only a handful of states formally maintain nuclear arsenals.
U.S. Air Force Maj. Melanie “Mach” Kluesner, pilot of the F-35A Demonstration Team, performs aerial maneuvers at the Sun ‘n Fun Airshow in Lakeland, Florida, April 4, 2025. The demonstration team showcases the skill and precision U.S. Air Force pilots and aircraft are capable of. (U.S. Air Force photo by Senior Airman Nicholas Rupiper)
With the F-35A in service with NATO’s nuclear-sharing allies, the alliance’s air-delivered deterrence is now moving into a whole new generation.
All NATO states that host nuclear weapons – with the likely exception of Turkey – are acquiring the F-35A specifically to continue their nuclear missions. Over time, Belgium and the Netherlands will replace their F-16s, and Italy and Germany will replace their PA-200 Tornados.
Italy, meanwhile, has already begun replacing its Tornados with nuclear-capable F-35As in mixed squadrons, ahead of a full handover later this decade when the country acquires a total of 75 of the American fighter-bombers.
Who Controls the Bombs?
While European air forces can fly nuclear-capable F-35As, it’s worth noting that they do not own the bombs – nor do they have the authority to launch them. Under the NATO nuclear-sharing arrangement, the warhead remains the property of the United States Department of Defense. Even when the bombs are stored inside allied air bases, they remain under U.S. custody and control.
In practice, that means any mission involving a B61-12 bomb – even one carried by a European-flagged F-35A – requires explicit authorization from the President of the United States and approval via the alliance’s NATO Nuclear Planning Group (NPG).
But that doesn’t mean Europe is powerless. In fact, the structure is there for a reason: it gives NATO more credible delivery systems without multiplying the number of fingers on nuclear triggers. With the F-35A now formally part of that nuclear architecture, NATO’s nuclear posture has moved into the 21st century – stronger and as restrained as ever.
About the Author:
Jack Buckby is a British author, counter-extremism researcher, and journalist based in New York who writes frequently for National Security Journal. Reporting on the U.K., Europe, and the U.S., he analyzes and understands left-wing and right-wing radicalization and reports on Western governments’ approaches to the pressing issues of today. His books and research papers explore these themes and propose pragmatic solutions to our increasingly polarized society. His latest book is The Truth Teller: RFK Jr. and the Case for a Post-Partisan Presidency.
