IRIA News

5 minute read

NATO kicked off its annual nuclear deterrence exercise Steadfast Noon on October 13, 2025, in four countries, as well as the airspace over the North Sea region. The drills are aimed at strengthening the alliance’s readiness and ensure the credibility, security and effectiveness of NATO’s nuclear deterrent.

The exercise, which involves 70 aircraft from 14 allied nations and around 2,000 personnel, comes at a time of heightened tensions between NATO and Russia.

According to NATO, Steadfast Noon is a long-planned and “routine” training activity that is “not linked to any current world events.” The alliance emphasized that no live nuclear weapons will be used, and the focus remains on testing coordination, deployment, and operational readiness of allied forces.

“This exercise helps ensure that our nuclear deterrent remains as credible, safe, secure, and effective as possible,” said NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte. “It also sends a clear signal to any potential adversary that we will and can protect and defend all allies against all threats.”

The Netherlands serves as the main host nation, with Volkel Air Base designated as the primary operating location. Supporting elements are stationed at Kleine-Brogel Air Base in Belgium, Royal Air Force Lakenheath in the United Kingdom, and Skrydstrup Air Base in Denmark. Additional support operations are also being conducted across Finland, Germany, Poland, and the United States.

Coordination and Deterrence

The exercise features a mix of conventional and dual-capable aircraft, including Dutch F-35 fighter jets, U.S. and British support planes, and specialized assets such as the E-3A Sentry and KC-135 Stratotanker. These aircraft will rehearse deployment procedures, mission planning, and communication protocols essential to NATO’s nuclear mission framework.

Colonel Daniel Bunch, Chief of Nuclear Operations at Supreme Headquarters Allied Powers Europe (SHAPE), highlighted the scale of the undertaking: “Organizing and executing an exercise like Steadfast Noon takes an allied effort. All in all, we are looking at roughly 2,000 personnel directly supporting this exercise.”

He noted that the drills go beyond air operations: “There is a large part of this exercise that focuses on the ground element of securing these weapons, focusing on a variety of different threats that we assess and must defend against, because these are highly protected assets that require the utmost security and safety.”

Jim Stokes, NATO’s Director of Nuclear Policy, said transparency remains a guiding principle of the exercise. “We are promoting transparency when and where appropriate, so that our allied populations and the wider world have a good understanding of what we are doing,” he explained.

“These are conventional aircraft or other capabilities that can be used as part of a nuclear mission. This demonstrates the overall contribution that Allies make, how we share the nuclear burden in different ways, and it really shows the unity we have at the Alliance on nuclear issues,” he added.

Background and Broader Context

The launch of Steadfast Noon coincides with renewed friction between NATO and Russia. In recent months, Russian aircraft and drones have entered allied airspace multiple times, leading to calls within NATO for a tougher response, including the potential to shoot down intruding Russian drones.

The Kremlin has also issued warnings over discussions of advanced U.S. weapons transfers to Ukraine. Following remarks by U.S. President Donald Trump about potentially supplying Tomahawk cruise missiles to Kyiv, Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov cautioned that the missiles could “potentially carry nuclear warheads.” He added, “What should the Russian Federation think? Just how should Russia react? Military experts overseas should understand this.”

Throughout the ongoing war in Ukraine, Russia has repeatedly used nuclear threats, direct or implied, to deter Western military support for Kyiv. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, in an interview on October 12, dismissed such threats as bluffs. “One would have to be crazy to launch a nuclear World War III,” Zelenskyy said.

NATO’s Nuclear Posture

Colonel Martin L. O’Donnell, spokesperson for SHAPE, reiterated NATO’s stance on nuclear deterrence. “As long as nuclear weapons exist, NATO will be a nuclear alliance. That’s why we do exercises like this,” he said.

Participation in Steadfast Noon rotates among allies each year to ensure shared experience and balanced operational knowledge across the alliance. This year’s training will focus on synchronizing air-to-air missions, strike planning, and coordination across multiple command structures, reflecting NATO’s emphasis on interoperability.

The alliance maintains that exercises such as Steadfast Noon are vital for preserving the credibility of its nuclear deterrent, an essential component of NATO’s defense doctrine since its founding. Rutte emphasized that “nuclear deterrence remains the ultimate guarantee of allied security.”

Despite the alliance’s reassurances that the drills are unrelated to any immediate global crisis, the timing underscores NATO’s determination to project unity and readiness amid an increasingly volatile European security environment.

Transparency and Assurance

NATO officials maintain that public visibility of Steadfast Noon is intentional and serves to prevent misperceptions. “Promoting transparency ensures that our actions are understood for what they are, measured, defensive, and routine,” said Jim Stokes.

By publicly disclosing the nature, scale, and purpose of the exercise, NATO aims to balance deterrence with reassurance, demonstrating preparedness without escalation.

As the exercise continues through the week, participating nations are expected to complete coordinated flight missions and command-and-control rehearsals before concluding operations later in October.