NATO begins annual Steadfast Noon nuclear exercise

Today, October 14, NATO begins its annual Steadfast Noon nuclear exercise, which will involve more than 60 aircraft flying training flights over Western Europe.

This was reported by the press service of the Alliance.

The Steadfast Noon exercise will last two weeks and will involve fighter jets capable of carrying US nuclear warheads, but without the use of live weapons.

NATO nuclear exercises are training events that take place every October. Steadfast Noon involves 2 000 troops from eight air bases and various types of aircraft such as nuclear-powered jets, bombers, escort fighters, refuelling planes and reconnaissance planes.

This yearʼs training involves flights mainly over the host countries — Belgium and the Netherlands, as well as in the airspace over Denmark, Great Britain and the North Sea. Planning for the exercises began a year ago and thirteen members of the Alliance will send aircraft to participate in the exercises.

• The exercises are being held shortly after Kremlin leader Vladimir Putin announced new principles for the use of nuclear weapons on September 25. Then he said that the Russian Federation could use nuclear weapons in the event of aggression against Russia and Belarus. Also, according to Putin, aggression by a non-nuclear state with the participation of a nuclear state will be assessed as a joint attack by these countries on Russia. And the Russian Federation can use nuclear weapons, including in response to strikes against Russia with "conventional weapons.”

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