Steadfast Noon:NATO's Annual Nuclear Drills Visit Southern Europe

NATO's nuclear exercise Steadfast Noon began on 16 October 2023 and runs until 26 October.The manoeuvres are being participated in by 13 NATO Allies.The US has sent Boeing B-52H Stratofortress strategic bombers to Europe directly from a US base.The drills are being supported by conventional aircraft.No live nuclear weapons are included in the annual autumn event.Flights simulating NATO's response to a nuclear attack are taking place in Southern Europe this year,including Italy,Croatia and the Mediterranean Sea.Said NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg:Our exercise will help to ensure the credibility,effectiveness and security of our nuclear deterrent.* Most of the drills are held at least 1,000 km/621.37 mi from Russian borders and are not linked to current events.According to NATO's Strategic Concept:the fundamental purpose of NATO's nuclear capability is to preserve peace,prevent coercion and deter aggression.*NATO'S nuclear deterrent has two layers:1.Strategic National Forces of the US,UK and France and 2.the Dual Capable Aircraft (DCA) programme,which identifies fighter aircraft with both nuclear and conventional capability.Under the nuclear sharing programme,the US provides tactical nuclear weapons,the B61-12 nuclear gravity bombs,to the following NATO Allies:Belgium,Germany,Italy,the Netherlands and Turkey.These bombs are kept in hardened storage bunkers.The bombs are under custody and control of US Air Force Munitions Support Squadrons co-located on NATO major operating bases.The MSS's work together with host nation Forces.The current DCA are the Panavia PA-200 Tornado IDS and the Lockheed Martin F-16 Fighting Falcon.The nuclear weapon shelters use the US Air Force W53 Weapon Storage and Security System.Germany plans to phase in the Lockheed Martin F-35 Lightning II Joint Strike Fighter DCA when it retires the Tornados in 2024.*According to NATO,the credibility of the Alliance's Nuclear Forces is central to maintaining deterrence,which is why the safety,security and effectiveness of these Forces are constantly evaluated in light of technological and geo-strategic evolutions.The Nuclear Planning Group remains the forum for consultation on NATO's nuclear deterrence.The Alliance reaffirms the unique and distinctive role of nuclear deterrence and maintains credible deterrence;strengthens strategic communications;and enhances the effectiveness of its drills,while reducing strategic risks.At the extraordinary Summit of March 2022,after Russia's unprovoked aggression against Ukraine,NATO committed to enhancing preparedness and readiness for chemical,biological,radiological and nuclear threats.* Context:According to NATO's Strategic Concept,approved at the 2022 NATO Madrid Summit:The Russian Federation is the most significant and direct threat to Allies' peace and security and to peace and stability in the Euro-Atlantic Area.It seeks to establish spheres of influence and direct control through coercion,subversion,aggression and annexation.It uses conventional,cyber and hybrid means against us and our partners.Its coercive military posture,rhetoric and proven willingness to use force to pursue its political goals undermines the rules-based international order.The Russian Federation is modernising its nuclear forces and expanding its novel and destructive dual-capable delivery systems,while employing coercive nuclear signalling...We will individually and collectively deliver the full range of forces,capabilities,plans,resources,assets and infrastructure needed for deterrence and defence,including for high-intensity,multi-domain warfighting against near peer competitors...The circumstances in which NATO might have to use nuclear weapons are extremely remote.Any employment of nuclear weapons against NATO would fundamentally alter the nature of a conflict.The Alliance has the capabilities and resolve to impose costs on an adversary that would far outweigh the benefits that any adversary could hope to achieve.* Boeing (BA),Lockheed Martin (LMT)