On October 13, NATO began its annual nuclear deterrence exercise, Steadfast Noon, involving military personnel from 17 Alliance countries. The drills will continue until the end of next week, while Germany has already deployed three Tornado fighter-bombers to Aviano Air Base in Italy.
This was reported by DPA, citing a spokesperson for NATO’s military headquarters in Mons, Belgium.
The Steadfast Noon exercise focuses on practicing the defense of Alliance territory using nuclear forces. Military personnel from 17 countries are taking part.
Germany has deployed three Tornado aircraft from Tactical Air Wing 33 to Aviano Air Base in northern Italy. According to the German Air Force, several dozen German service members are participating in the exercise.
These fighter-bombers are normally stationed at Büchel Air Base in the German state of Rhineland-Palatinate. According to officially unconfirmed reports, US nuclear weapons are stored there and could be deployed by German aircraft if necessary under NATO’s nuclear sharing arrangements.
Military bases in Italy, Belgium and the Netherlands are also considered possible storage locations for US nuclear weapons in Europe.
The scenario for this year’s exercise remains classified. NATO has only stated that its scale is comparable to last year’s drills, which involved approximately 2,000 military personnel and more than 70 aircraft, including F-35 fighter jets, surveillance aircraft and aerial refueling tankers.
According to military experts, such exercises involve practicing the safe transportation of nuclear weapons from underground storage facilities to aircraft and their attachment to fighter jets.
However, no live nuclear weapons are used during the drills. Training bombs without nuclear warheads are used for exercises and simulated attacks.
NATO emphasizes that Steadfast Noon is a routine exercise unrelated to current international developments. At the same time, the Alliance has focused particularly on Russia in its threat assessments in recent years.
In late September, Moscow was once again accused of making nuclear threats. Before that, Russia had raised the possibility of using its entire military arsenal, including nuclear weapons, in connection with NATO exercises and what it described as the threat of Kaliningrad’s isolation.
NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte said this year’s exercise is intended to ensure that the Alliance’s nuclear deterrence remains effective and credible in preserving peace and preventing coercion.
According to Rutte, the drills also demonstrate the unity and resolve of NATO member states.
