Committee publication · Correspondence · 15 September 2025
Letter from the Secretaries of State for Business and Trade, for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs and for Defence relating to the global F-35 programme, 12 September 2025
From: Business and Trade Sub-Committee on Economic Security, Arms and Export Controls
Inquiry: Arms exports to Israel
Summary
Three UK Secretaries of State (Business and Trade, Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, Defence) respond to Liam Byrne MP's August 2025 inquiry on F-35 export controls and IHL assessments relating to Gaza. The Government defends its export licensing framework, declines to share the F-35 Memorandum of Understanding citing national security, and explains structural constraints preventing selective suspension of UK components to Israel without disrupting the entire global programme. It publishes a detailed 18 July 2024 Defence Secretary assessment arguing cessation would damage NATO deterrence and international peace.
Key findings
- Government rejects claims of breaching international law or Geneva Conventions; courts have upheld licensing decisions. IHL assessments from April 2024 onwards conclude Israel is not committed to complying with IHL, underpinning September 2024 suspension of certain licences.
- F-35 Memorandum of Understanding structure prevents UK unilateral suspension for Israel alone; any licensing halt would immediately disrupt global spares pool affecting all 19 F-35 operating nations and NATO allies within weeks.
- UK contributes 15% by value of F-35 airframes, including all ejection seats and tail sections; parts flow through US-managed Global Support Solution without destination indication, making selective control technically infeasible.
- Defence Secretary warns suspension would undermine NATO deterrence in Ukraine conflict, damage US-UK relations, signal vulnerability to adversaries, and impact 12 NATO nations' air policing missions and future capability planning.
- Government declines to release F-35 MoU, citing national security statutory test satisfied in court; offers to answer questions on programme mechanics at evidence session instead.
Tone
ProceduralTopics
Key actors
Liam Byrne MP, Peter Kyle MP, Yvette Cooper MP, John Healey MP, Lord Coaker, Lockheed Martin, Pratt & Whitney, F-35 Joint Program Office
Notable line
“… it is not currently possible to suspend licensing F-35 components for use by Israel without having an impact on the entire F-35 programme.”
Key Quotes
“We utterly reject any suggestion that we are in breach of our obligations, or that we are 'content to facilitate serious violations of the Geneva Conventions.'”
“The F-35 Programme is significantly dependent on the UK; we are the largest national provider of component parts outside of the US, most of which are unique to us, critical to the aircraft and amount to up to 15% of the airframe.”
“A suspension of UK licensing for all F-35 nations, leading to the consequent disruption for partner aircraft, even for a brief period, would have a profound impact on international peace and security.”
“It would undermine US confidence in the UK and NATO at a critical juncture in our collective history and set back relations.”
“… an interruption in the supply of spares supplied uniquely by the UK would immediately start to have an impact on operational readiness and fleet resilience.”
Source · parliament.uk record ↗