A NATO stealth fighter has been certified to carry nukes including the terrifying B61-12 thermonuclear gravity bomb as tensions between NATO and Russia hit a boiling point.
The F-35A Joint Strike Fighter has become the first stealth fighter of its class to be green-lit to carry nuclear weapons.
A spokesperson for the F-35 Joint Program Office told Breaking Defence: “The F-35A is the first 5th generation nuclear-capable aircraft ever, and the first new platform (fighter or bomber) to achieve this status since the early 1990s. This F-35 Nuclear Certification effort culminates 10+ years of intense effort across the nuclear enterprise, which consists of 16 different government and industry stakeholders.”
They added: “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.”
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