NATO has begun its annual maneuvers to practice defending Alliance territory with nuclear weapons.
Around 2,000 personnel will take part in the exercises called “Steadfast Noon,” which will be conducted over two weeks, the alliance announced on 13 October at the start of the maneuvers.
About 70 aircraft will be used during the drills, NATO said, including German combat aircraft capable of carrying U.S. nuclear bombs that are stationed in Europe.
This year’s maneuvers are expected to take place mainly in the airspace over the North Sea. The Dutch air base at Volkel and military bases at Kleine Brogel in Belgium, Lakenheath in England and Skrydstrup in Denmark are also expected to play important roles.
NATO says the German Armed Forces have provided three Tornado aircraft capable of delivering U.S. nuclear bombs and four Eurofighters for the exercise.
According to the alliance, these are routine exercises and are not a response to recent airspace violations and other provocations by Russia. Nevertheless, the maneuvers also aim to send a clear signal to Moscow that NATO is prepared to defend itself with nuclear weapons if necessary.
“This exercise is needed to ensure that nuclear deterrence remains as credible and effective as possible,” NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte said last week.
The reason Germany, a country that does not possess nuclear weapons, is taking part in the exercise is connected to NATO’s nuclear-sharing principle.
This principle foresees that, in an emergency, U.S. B61 nuclear weapons stationed in Europe could be dropped by partner countries’ aircraft and used, for example, to destroy enemy forces.
The exact locations of U.S. nuclear weapons in Europe are not publicly known. However, there have been reports that such weapons are in northern Italy, Belgium, the Netherlands and Germany.
NATO has not provided details on which specific scenario will be practiced during the maneuvers.
Military experts say the exercises, which are regularly held in October, include training on the secure transport of weapons from underground storage to aircraft and the mounting of the weapons under combat aircraft.
However, only training bombs are used in these exercises and strike drills — no real nuclear warheads are used. /REL
