THE RAF’s inability to refuel the nuclear-capable F35-A jets the government is ordering suggests Britain will have to shell out more money to lease US military tech, the Campaign for Nuclear Disarmament (CND) has warned.

Two AirTanker-owned Voyager refuelling jets, recently painted by Palestine Action – which saw MPs vote to proscribe the non-violent group under terror laws on Wednesday – are incompatible with the bombers.

Defence Minister Maria Eagle said last month that as a result of this, air-to-air refuelling of F35-As would be ”a Nato mission,” making the so-called ”second pillar” of Britain’s nuclear arsenal impossible to deploy without US collaboration.

CND general secretary Sophie Bolt told the Morning Star: “[Prime Minister Sir Keir] Starmer has committed Britain to spending billions of pounds on a huge expansion of its nuclear capability. 

“The news that it won’t have the ability to refuel these jets begs the question: will Britain have to pay even more money to the US to lease such military tech?

“Not only is Britain making the world more dangerous with these nuclear jets, it is making the British population poorer.

“It will lead to further cuts to public spending, wages, and benefits to fund these US nuclear weapons systems.

“This is yet another disastrous move by Starmer the Nuclear Rearmer which will tie Britain even closer to Trump.”

Concerns have also been raised over Airtanker, which is ultimately owned by a hedge fund, controlling the RAF’s only air-to-air refuelling vehicles, as detailed in a recent exposé by former British diplomat Craig Murray.

A Ministry of Defence spokesperson said: “The Royal Air Force fleet is managed in a way that ensures it can operate how we require.

“The world-class quality of the RAF’s equipment and personnel guarantees the flexibility, speed and reach needed to defend the UK and support global security.”