Next Monday, NATO will begin an exercise on the defense of its European territory with nuclear weapons. 14 countries and up to 60 aircraft are involved, the military alliance reported.
“The exercise, which will last until October 30, is a routine, recurring training activity that has nothing to do with current world affairs,” NATO officials said Friday. The exercise should therefore not be a reaction to the war in Ukraine.
Participating in detail includes modern fighter jets, surveillance and tanker aircraft. As in previous years, long-range B-52 bombers departing from Minot Air Base in North Dakota (US state, note) come from the US. The German Bundeswehr supplies Tornado jets. A total of 14 NATO countries are taking part in the defense exercise. The scene of the maneuvers is mainly the airspace over Belgium, Great Britain and the North Sea.
No sharp weapons or bombs
According to NATO, no edged weapons may be used in the exercise, which bears the name “Steadfast Noon”. It’s just a “routine, recurring training measure.”
NATO has not yet given further details. According to military experts, the maneuvers, which are regularly held in October, will practice how to safely transport US nuclear weapons from underground warehouses to the aircraft and mount them under the fighter jets. No bombs are used during training flights. American nuclear weapons are said to have been stored in Italy, Belgium, Turkey, the Netherlands and Rhineland-Palatinate (Germany).
Source: Krone
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