The certification process began in October 2023 and was completed ahead of schedule. This was an important event for the United States and NATO, as the F-35A was honored to become the first 5th generation aircraft adapted to work with nuclear weapons.
The F-35A can carry a nuclear bomb in the B61-12 version, which is considered more accurate and reliable than the previous generation.
It should be noted that US policy prohibits disclosing details about dual-armed aircraft. It is known that about 100 old variants of the B61 bomb will be deployed with NATO allies, but the F-35A cannot operate with this type of weapon.
The use of the F-35A as a nuclear weapons platform strengthens NATO’s deterrence capabilities and enhances the security of its allies.