Starting Monday, October 13, NATO will initiate its Steadfast Noon 2025 nuclear deterrence exercises. According to dpa, around 2000 military personnel will participate over the next two weeks.
The air segment of the exercises will involve more than 70 aircraft, including German fighters capable of transporting American nuclear bombs stationed in Europe.
This year's maneuvers will primarily take place in the airspace over the North Sea, with active participation from the Volkel airbase in the Netherlands, as well as military bases in Belgium, the UK, and Denmark.
NATO reports that the Bundeswehr is contributing three Tornado aircraft equipped to drop American atomic bombs, along with four Eurofighter jets.
Details of the exercises are kept strictly confidential, and NATO does not disclose specific scenarios.
The alliance emphasized that Steadfast Noon is a routine event and not a response to recent airspace violations by Russian aircraft or other provocations.
NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte stated that these exercises are essential for ensuring maximum reliability and effectiveness of nuclear deterrence.
Moreover, reports indicate that NATO allies are discussing a more decisive response to increasingly provocative actions by Russia against member states, including the possibility of military retaliation. European diplomats have privately warned the Kremlin that NATO is prepared to respond to further airspace violations by Russian aircraft.