NATO'S Nuclear Forces To Be Tested in Steadfast Noon 2022

From 17 to 30 October 2022,NATO'S nuclear forces will hold their annual deterrence exercise,Steadfast Noon.It always takes place in the autumn,and up to sixty aircraft will take part from fourteen NATO Allies,practising scenarios related to the deployment and delivery on a target of a tactical nuclear weapon,the US B61,the latest version of which,the B61-12,was to go into full production in May 2022.Besides the conventional/nuclear Dual-Capable Aircraft (DCA),strictly conventional planes will also participate under NATO'S Support of Nuclear Operations With Conventional Air Tactics (SNOWCAT) programme.The SNOWCAT aircraft include Intelligence,Surveillance and Reconnaissance (ISR) types and air refueling tankers,as well as conventional only fighter jets.The DCAs include the F-35 Lightning II Joint Strike Fighter;F-16C/D and up Fighting Falcon;Panavia 200 Tornado (Germany and Italy);F-22 Raptor;F/A-18 Hornet and Super Hornet;F-15E Strike Eagle;B-2 Spirit;and B-52H Stratofortress.The new B-21 Raider will be a DCA as well.* On 14 October,NATO'S Nuclear Planning Group (NPG) met on the sidelines of the Defence Ministerial in Brussels,Belgium.The proceedings are classified,but deal with any aspect of NATO'S nuclear deterrence programme,which is based on a dual key arrangement between the US and Allies Belgium,Germany,Italy,the Netherlands and Turkey.The US stores B61s in underground bunkers on air bases of the five respective Allies.All Allies except France take part in the NPG,which France has chosen not to participate in.* The drills will cover a large area,from host nation Belgium to the North Sea and UK.A different country is host each year.All participants work to ensure that NATO'S nuclear deterrent is safe,secure and effective.Under NATO'S new Strategic Concept,the fundamental purpose of NATO'S nuclear capability is to preserve peace,prevent coercion and deter aggression.As long as nuclear weapons exist,NATO will remain a nuclear Alliance.* On the air bases,the participants will practise the transport of the B61 up from its underground bunker and the mounting of it beneath the DCA.The bulk of the drills will take place more than 100 km/650 mi from Russia.Nuclear strike missions will be simulated,but no actual nuclear bombs will be utilised.* The B61 is 12 ft long and weighs 825 pounds.Its maximum explosive power is estimated to be 50 kilotons of TNT, but its yield can be reduced as needed.*