World · Europe · 1 hr ago
Germany sends three Tornado jets to NATO nuclear exercise in Italy
Germany is sending three Tornado fighter jets to Aviano Air Base in northern Italy for NATO’s Steadfast Noon exercise.
The planes are normally based at Büchel in western Germany.
The annual exercise practises how NATO would defend its territory using nuclear weapons.
The details of this year’s scenario have not been made public, and NATO said the exercise is not linked to current events or directed at a specific country.
The drills use practice bombs without nuclear warheads, not real nuclear weapons.
NATO says the exercise tests how personnel and equipment work together to maintain a safe and credible deterrent.
The exercise is due to begin on Tuesday and will run over the coming days.
Germany is sending three Tornado jets to Italy for NATO’s Steadfast Noon nuclear exercise.
The aircraft from Tactical Air Force Wing 33 are being deployed to Aviano Air Base in northern Italy.
The exercise is due to begin on Tuesday, and NATO said its scale would be comparable to last year’s.
NATO said the exercise is not linked to current world events and is not directed against any particular country.
Training uses practice bombs without live nuclear warheads.
- Who
- Germany’s air force is sending three Tornado jets. NATO is holding the exercise.
- What
- The jets will take part in Steadfast Noon, an exercise involving the defence of NATO territory with nuclear weapons.
- When
- The exercise is due to begin on Tuesday. The article was published on October 12, 2026.
- Where
- Aviano Air Base in northern Italy.
- Why
- NATO says the exercise demonstrates its readiness and capabilities to defend alliance territory and trains participants to maintain nuclear deterrence.
This story does not have two clearly opposing sides.
Steadfast Noon is intended to demonstrate that NATO is ready to defend alliance territory in the event of an emergency and has the necessary capabilities.
The main purpose is to train the interaction of all participants in order to maintain a safe, credible and reliable nuclear deterrent.
Germany is deploying three Tornado jets from Tactical Air Force Wing 33 to Aviano Air Base in northern Italy.
NATO's Steadfast Noon exercise is due to begin.
- German aircraft
- 3 Tornado jets
- Unit
- Tactical Air Force Wing 33
- Destination
- Aviano Air Base, northern Italy
- Exercise
- Steadfast Noon
- Start
- Tuesday
Sources
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