"Britain's Tactical Nuke Capable Aircraft?" Topic

I want to compile a list of those aircraft Britain fielded during the Cold War, that were capable of carrying tactical nukes, not including those heavy bombers that carried them as well, and/or the maritime patrol aircraft, e.g. like the Valiant, Victor, Vulcan, Shackleton, and Nimrods.

Just looking for the fighter-bombers, and light bombers that could carry them, e.g. the Buccaneer, Canberra, Jaguar, etc..

Don't want to leave any out, and I suspect there may be a few others not listed above that might have been assigned to that duty as well.

So, any that I'm missing for the UK?

Tornado

I believe Sea Vixens could as well.

Pretty much anything that had a bomb load capability could have.

Supermarine Scimitar

In the case of the RAF, Canberra B models had the tactical nuclear strike role until the early 70s, when they were replaced by Buccaneer. The Bucs were in turn replaced during the 80s by Tornado (The Bucs then went on to Maritime Strike and laser-designation). Not every Tornado squadron was nuke-roled.

At least one Coltishall Jaguar squadron was also nuke-roled during the 80s and 90s. I believe that this was due to their 'Mobile Force' role; they might be deployed 'out of area' (even off rough strips) and out of range of nuke-armed Tornados or Buccaneers. They could then offer tac nuke capability locally to whatever force they were supporting.

I believe that all RN Fleet Air Arm strike aircraft were nuke-roled.

Thanks for the info.

Looking primarily for the main ones assigned in the tactical, nuke strike role, to pave the way for the bombers, so I've read.

I should add Sea Harrier to the above list – not strictly a 'strike' aircraft, but it was all the RN had after the retirement of Phantom and Buccaneer. Sea Harrier could only carry the smaller WE-177A, whereas the RAF aircraft could carry the WE-177B & WE-177C, which had something like 20 to 40 times the yield of the WE-177A.

It's been a while and this is from memory, but I think the A had a yield of 10kt, whereas the B & C had something like 200kt and 400kt? A LOT more bang for the money! However, the advantages of the WE-177A were a. It was small enough to be carrier by Harrier and RN helicopters and b. It could be used as a depth-charge.

IIRC, Jaguar (and possibly Canberra?) could only carry WE-177A. Canberra, Sea Vixen and Scimitar carried 'Red Beard' nukes before WE-177 came along in the 60s.

RAF Harriers were never nuke capable.

It's also worth mentioning that while some RAF Phantom squadrons were briefly given a ground-attack role during the 1970s, they were never nuke-roled.

Talking to my ex-FAA mate: He reckons that Sea Vixen was never actually nuke-roled, though the aircraft were fitted out and aircrew trained to so, in case of delays in the development of Buccaneer. In the event, Buccaneer was delivered on time and exceeded expectations, so Sea Vixen's nuke capability was not required.