NATO’s annual Steadfast Noon exercise began on Monday, this year spanning the territories of several European allies. Around sixty aircraft of various types are taking part, including fighter jets, transport aircraft and air-to-air refuelling tankers. Flights are being conducted over the North Sea and from bases in Belgium, the United Kingdom and Denmark. The drills do not involve live nuclear weapons; instead, they verify procedures, communications and operational coordination under deterrence scenarios.
While Steadfast Noon is a regular fixture on NATO’s calendar, the 2025 edition carries particular weight against a tense international backdrop. The war in Ukraine continues, and the Kremlin’s rhetoric has increasingly featured threats of nuclear use. At the same time, strategic competition between NATO and Russia has intensified, pushing nuclear security back to the forefront of political debate in Europe and the United States.
The exercise tests allied cooperation in crisis conditions, including the coordination of air operations and command structures. Participating nations include those that, under NATO’s nuclear-sharing policy, have access to U.S. nuclear weapons stored in Europe. Other allies are also engaged, contributing aircrews and aircraft to support training and strengthen interoperability.
The undertaking brings together dual-capable aircraft and a broad range of support platforms. The Netherlands has deployed F-35s operating from Volkel, while the United States has sent F-35s in a dual-capable role, accompanied by tankers and other support assets. Germany is taking part with three Panavia Tornados assigned to nuclear-sharing tasks and four electronic-warfare aircraft. Poland has dispatched three F-16s for escort and support missions. Finland is participating with four F-18s, and Sweden has committed Gripens for escort and air-cover roles. The package is rounded out by airborne surveillance and command platforms, including the E-3A Sentry, and KC-135 Stratotanker aircraft that enable prolonged on-station time and longer-range tasking.
Photos: NATO
This year’s exercise coincides with NATO’s continued reinforcement of its eastern flank. Additional forces are being deployed across the region, conventional exercises are under way, and investments in defence infrastructure are designed to improve responsiveness to potential threats. Steadfast Noon complements these efforts, signalling the Alliance’s readiness to defend its members in the nuclear-deterrence dimension as well.
Particular emphasis this year has been placed on strategic communication and transparency. Alliance officials stress that the exercise is defensive in nature and not directed at any specific state. At the same time, the message to the public and to potential adversaries is clear: NATO remains determined to uphold the credibility of its deterrence posture.
Against the current geopolitical backdrop, the drills form part of a broader effort to reinforce internal cohesion and deter Russian actions. Repeated missile and drone strikes on Ukrainian cities, along with a heightened Russian military presence in the Kaliningrad exclave, have made the value of nuclear-related training more visible than in previous years.
Steadfast Noon 2025 underscores that NATO maintains a high level of readiness and is steadily developing its deterrence capabilities in the face of new challenges. Though long planned, this edition carries added political and strategic weight, serving both as a deterrent signal and as a mark of unity and solidarity within the Alliance.
Photo: NATO
This article was prepared as part of the public task commissioned under the Government Programme for the Development of Civic Organizations 2018–2030: “Safe Poland of Tomorrow – strengthening the mission-driven activities of the Alioth Foundation.”
