Summary: The Royal Netherlands Air Force (RNLAF) has announced that its F-35A Lightning II stealth fighters have officially assumed NATO's nuclear deterrence role, replacing the F-16 Fighting Falcon.

-The F-35A, designed as a dual-capable aircraft, can carry both conventional and nuclear weapons.

-This transition underscores the Netherlands' commitment to NATO's nuclear deterrence strategy.

-The F-35A's capability to carry the B61-12 thermonuclear gravity bomb enhances its role in modern warfare and NATO's security framework.

On Saturday, the Royal Netherlands Air Force (RNLAF) announced that its Lockheed Martin F-35A Lightning II stealth fighters have begun to take on NATO's nuclear mission for the first time. The conventional takeoff and landing variant of the fifth-generation multirole combat aircraft in Dutch service has replaced the F-16 Fighting Falcon in the nuclear deterrence role.

In a post on X, the social media platform formerly known as Twitter, the RNALF stated that the F-35 "will completely take over the Dutch nuclear weapons task within NATO from the F-16."

The F-35A was designed as a "dual-capable" aircraft – which means it can carry both conventional and nuclear weapons.

This is all the more notable in that the Netherlands is not actually a nuclear state, yet, does operate a limited number of B61-12 thermonuclear bombs as part of the international military alliance's nuclear sharing agreement, Simply Flying reported. The RNLAF is now the first operator of the Lockheed Martin fifth-generation Joint Strike Fighter to publicly declare that its F-35s are being employed in the nuclear mission, and it has been speculated that the Lightning IIs have been operating in some nuclear-carrying capability for some time.

"The Dutch transition from the F-16 to the F-35 for the nuclear role within NATO was initiated many years ago. In the last couple of years, the F-35 underwent a comprehensive testing and certification process for the nuclear role of the Netherlands. The RNLAF already started using the F-35 for conventional tasks. Similar to the F-16s, Volkel Air Base will be home to the Dual-Capable Aircraft F-35 squadron assigned to the nuclear role," the Dutch Ministry of Defense (MoD) announced via a statement.

"The transition reaffirms the Netherlands' long-term commitment to the Alliance's nuclear deterrence. NATO's nuclear deterrence is essential to the security of the Alliance, and therefore also to the security of the Netherlands," the ministry added. "The fundamental purposes of NATO's nuclear capability is to preserve peace, prevent coercion and deter aggression."

In April, the RNLAF also began to employ the F-35 Lightning II as its Quick Reaction Alert (QRA) aircraft in BENELUX Air Policing Duties.

The F-35: A Nuclear Bomber

As previously reported by The National Interest, the F-35A attained operational certification to carry the B61-12 thermonuclear gravity bomb this past March. It became the first fifth-generation aircraft with nuclear capabilities.

As a result of that milestone, which was achieved ahead of schedule, the F-35A became a pivotal component of the US and NATO's extended deterrence commitments. This development further highlighted the aircraft's versatility as a dual-capable platform. As NATO-operated jets receive initial certification for the deterrence mission, the integration of the B61-12 further enhances the F-35A's combat capability, solidifying its role in modern warfare.

The B61-12, which is twelve feet long and weighs approximately 825 pounds, is an air-launched nuclear gravity bomb that utilized an inertial navigation system (INS) to make a precision strike on a target. It was first integrated with the U.S. Air Force's F-15E Strike Eagle, where it is carried externally. The weapon will also be certified to be carried inside the Air Force's B-2 Spirit strategic bomber, as well as externally on the F-16C/D fighter. The B61-12 is also carried internally on the F-35.

Author Experience and Expertise: Peter Suciu

Peter Suciu is a Michigan-based writer. He has contributed to more than four dozen magazines, newspapers, and websites with over 3,200 published pieces over a twenty-year career in journalism. He regularly writes about military hardware, firearms history, cybersecurity, politics, and international affairs. Peter is also a Contributing Writer for Forbes and Clearance Jobs. You can follow him on Twitter: @PeterSuciu. You can email the author: [email protected].