Overview

• The High Court dismissed Al-Haq’s challenge to block components for F-35 jets, finding that licence decisions fall under executive authority
• Lord Justice Males and Mrs Justice Steyn held that courts lack jurisdiction to force the UK’s withdrawal from essential multilateral defence collaborations
• Defence Secretary John Healey’s advice on the security and alliance impacts of halting F-35 licences underpinned the carve-out
• The UK contributes about 15 percent of each F-35 jet through a global programme, complicating any unilateral export suspension
• Al-Haq and supporting NGOs say they will pursue further legal and political avenues to challenge the exemption