Italy is hosting NATO’s annual nuclear deterrence exercise, Steadfast Noon, running from October 13 to 23, 2026, across air bases in Aviano and Ghedi in northern Italy. Flight operations and training involving mock nuclear weapons take place in designated airspace over the Tyrrhenian Sea and other sectors under NATO jurisdiction across Southern and Western Europe, rt-english.com reported.
The exercise involves 17 participating NATO countries, marking an expansion from 14 participants in 2025 and 13 in 2024. While the complete roster remains undisclosed, confirmed participants include the United States, Italy, Germany, the Netherlands, and Türkiye. Romania and Poland are expected to provide fighter support and secure integration along NATO’s eastern flank. Newly admitted alliance members Sweden and Finland are fully engaged in the training missions, with Finland having initiated the acquisition of F-35 carrier aircraft that could potentially host US nuclear weapons in the future. France does not participate in NATO’s nuclear planning group and remains uninvolved in the drills, operating its own independent air-delivered nuclear capabilities.
Operations comprise approximately 70 military aircraft and more than 2,000 service personnel. The primary focus centers on dual-capable aircraft engineered to carry both conventional and nuclear payloads, including F-35A Lightning II multi-role fighters, German Tornado IDS strike aircraft, and F-16 multi-role fighters. Under the US Nuclear Sharing program, these European platforms are equipped to carry American nuclear munitions. Swedish JAS 39 Gripen jets are also participating, though those aircraft are not configured to carry American nuclear bombs.
Tactical air units receive strategic support from American B-52H bombers. Air-to-air refueling over the Tyrrhenian and Mediterranean seas is conducted by KC-135 Stratotanker and KC-767A aircraft, while operations coordination is managed through NATO’s E-3A Sentry AWACS fleet. Airbus A400M military transport planes provide logistics support.
Operational Scenarios and Munitions Deployment
Although the official tactical scenario remains classified, the maneuvers center on repositioning nuclear-capable strike aircraft, executing aerial refueling, and coordinating multi-national NATO air forces. Personnel train to transport mock nuclear warheads from underground storage facilities, mount them onto aircraft, perform mid-air refueling, and synchronize air and ground units during a nuclear alert. No live nuclear weapons are mounted or deployed; all strikes and weapon drops are simulated electronically.
NATO's annual nuclear deterrence exercise, STEADFAST NOON, will start in Italy next weekFind out more👇https://t.co/7wegY33S0J
Munitions associated with the European stockpile include B61-series US thermonuclear tactical bombs stored at sites such as Aviano Air Base. The older B61-3 and B61-4 variants are gravity bombs featuring adjustable yields ranging from 0.3 kilotons to 50 kilotons in TNT equivalent. The newer B61-12 model incorporates a tail kit designed by Boeing to convert the free-fall weapon into a guided precision munition. This high level of precision allows operators to reduce explosive yield against fortified command centers while limiting collateral radioactive contamination, gradually replacing older munitions in the American stockpile alongside primary delivery systems like US F-16C/D fighters and fifth-generation F-35A jets.
Strategic Context and Alliance Expansion
Routine military maneuvers carry heightened significance amid ongoing East-West tensions. While NATO maintains that the exercises are strictly defensive—highlighted by modest contributions such as three German Tornado aircraft—the steady growth in participating nations and nuclear-capable platforms points to a shifting operational landscape. Finland participates presently as an observer and student, but its incoming F-35 fleet positions the country to potentially take on nuclear transit duties as alliance integration deepens.
