Dutch F‑35A jets replace F‑16S in European nuclear role
The Dutch have announced that their F-35A aircraft have taken over the role of carrying American nuclear weapons in Europe from the F-16. We present the capabilities of the F-35A in this regard.
According to Janes, citing a statement from a representative of the Dutch Air Force, the F-35A aircraft replaced the F-16 as the nuclear weapon carrier on 1 June 2024. This is the first instance of a country participating in the Nuclear Sharing programme transitioning from F-16s to F-35A.
F-35A as a carrier of weapons of mass destruction — the ideal candidate for this role
The F-35A Lightning II is a modern multi-role aircraft built using stealth technology. Initially designed as a strike fighter, it eventually transformed into a multi-role machine. However, it is worth noting that aircraft such as the F-22 Raptor or the Eurofighter Typhoon are more suitable for gaining air superiority.
The F-35A has an advanced target detection suite that includes an advanced radar with an active electronically scanned array (AESA) and infrared sensors that see the thermal image of the object. This, combined with a high level of network-centric capability, is meant to offset some of the aircraft's limitations.
These limitations mainly include the restricted weapon carrying capacity and low flight speed. The internal bays of the aircraft can hold up to six AIM-120 AMRAAM air-to-air guided missiles or, for instance, two B61-12 bombs. Moreover, the F-35A reaches a maximum speed of approximately 2,000 km/h and has trouble maintaining supersonic speed without using the afterburner, known as supercruise.
However, thanks to its stealth technology, the F-35A is perfectly suited for conducting attacks on ground targets even in environments with medium-range air defence system activity. A prime example is the flights of the Israeli F-35I Adir all over the Middle East bombing targets in, among other places, Syria or Yemen.
B61-12 bombs - the latest modernisation of a Cold War relic
The Netherlands is one of the locations where B61 bombs are deployed under the Nuclear Sharing programme. It is worth noting that the F-35A was certified to carry B61-12 thermonuclear bombs in October 2023.
B61-12 bombs are a deep modernisation of the B-61 gravity bombs, introduced in the USAF in the early 1960s. This includes adding a satellite and inertial navigation module and a new tail section enabling flight correction to the old bomb with a variable yield thermonuclear warhead (0.3-50 kT).
