NATO Exercise Steadfast Noon Begins in the Face of Russian Nuclear Sabre-Rattling

According to AP,NATO will launch its annual nuclear drills on 14 OCT 2024 and they will last about two weeks.The exercise has been held in October or November each year for the last ten years.Boeing nuclear-capable B-52H Stratofortress Strategic Bombers along with other Dual Capable Aircraft (DCA) are participating this year:Panavia Tornado;Lockheed Martin F-35A Lightning II Joint Strike Fighter;and F-15E Strike Eagle.NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte announced the drills,saying:In an uncertain world,it is vital that we test our defence so that our adversaries know that NATO is ready and is able to respond to any threat.*France will not participate as it is not a part of the NATO Nuclear Planning Group.*NATO members belonging to the U.S. nuclear-sharing programme are:Belgium,Germany,Italy,Netherlands and Turkey.These have facilities for storing the Boeing B61-12 tactical nuclear weapon in underground vaults inside an aircraft shelter.According to commercial documents,Great Britain is looking to rejoin the nuclear-sharing programme with the development of the needed facilities at RAF Lakenheath,England in light of Russia's war of aggression against Ukraine.The U.S. Air Force 701st Nuclear Support Squadron looks after the B61-12 tactical nuclear weapons.*The Neatherlands stores approximately 15 B61-12 tactical nuclear weapons in underground vaults inside an aircraft shelter at Vokel Air Base;while Belgium stores 22 B61-12 tactical nuclear weapons in underground vaults inside an aircraft shelter at Kleine Brogel Air Base.U.S. Air Force Security Forces provide security for the nuclear sites.*Despite Russian threats,NATO has seen no change in Russia's nuclear posture.Rutte said that giving into any threat:would set a precedant that using military force allows a country to get what it wants,and we cannot do that.*Angus Lapley,NATO Assistant Secretary General for Defence Policy said the drills are aimed at proving the Alliance has the ability to counter any threat against its 32 member nations,is credible and that:any adversary would need to take extremely seriously indeed.*Lapley said that:Moscow is introducing lots of novel systems and putting more emphasis on investment in short and intermediate range weapons systems.It has recently been talking an awful lot about nuclear doctrine and how that may or may not be evolving...a pretty clear attempt to influence us.*The major manoeuvres will take place over the UK;the North Sea off the Scottish coast;Belgium and the Netherlands.*The nuclear-sharing programme is a dual key arrangement,meaning nothing can be done without the consent of both the U.S. and the host nation.*The drills will involve every step in the U.S. nuclear-sharing prgramme:retrieving a simulated weapon from the underground storage vault;transporting it to the surface on an elevator;and mounting it on or in a Dual Capable Aircraft.*Daniel Bunch,Chief of Nuclear Operations at NATO Headquarters in Brussels,said while the drills will involve several types of military aircraft,a lot of it goes on behind the scenes:Under Staedfast Noon,we seek to stress the overall system,put people in tough positions,high operations tempos.The challenge of coordinating things:literally down to the minute when we would put a weapon onto the target is a very complex activity.*Boeing (BA),Lockheed Martin (LMT)

L3Harris and Northrop Grumman Moving Ahead on F-16 Electronic Warfare Suites - Sept. 19 - Avionics International

L3Harris and Northrop Grumman Moving Ahead on F-16 Electronic Warfare Suites - Sept. 19 - Avionics International: NATIONAL HARBOR, Md.—L3Harris Technologies said that its site in Clifton, N.J., several weeks ago began the build of 166 AN/ALQ-254(V)1 Viper Shield all-digital electronic warfare (EW) suites for F-16 fighters […]*L3 Harris Technologies Inc (LHX),Northrop Grumman (NOC),Lockheed Martin F-16D Fighting Falcon (LMT)

Kerch bridge strike could follow hit on Putin's submarine as attacks on Crimea grow | Admiral Chris Parry - YouTube

with James Hanson and RDL Chris Parry,Royal Navy ret.,military consultant*The Kerch Bridge is illegal under international law.*Lockheed Martin F-16D Fighting Falcon (LMT)

Will F-16 fighter jets tip the balance in Ukraine's favour in its war against Russia?DW News - YouTube

with Frank Leftwidge,Military Analyst with Oxford University*Lockheed Martin F-16D Fighting Falcon (LMT)*The aircraft may be stored in an air base in Western Ukraine that has underground bunkers.

US Air Force. X-62A VISTA, F-22 Raptor and F-16 Fighting Falcon fighters in flight - YouTube

The X-62A VISTA is an experimental aircraft that was derived from the F-16D Fighting Falcon by privately held Calspan Corporation,a testing and research company,and General Dynamics.Calspan has recently been acquired by publicly traded TransDigm Group.TransDigm Group is a global leader in the design of high-quality,high-reliability aerospace components for various aircraft and spacecraft. The X-62A VISTA remains on the curriculum of the USAF Test Pilot School.*General Dynamics (GD),TransDigm Group Inc (TDG)

Just in:B-21 Raider & B-2 Spirit Takeoff - Better film of the B-21 Raider launch,plus a B-2 Spirit launch that occurred a few hours later. 1

The B-21 flew to Edwards Air Force Base nearby.It was escorted by an F-16D Fighting Falcon.The B-2 Spirit was perhaps at Plant 42 for an upgrade or maintenance which are also provided at US Air Force Plant 42.