Brussels (dpa) – The German Airforce will deploy several aircraft to a Nato exercise simulating the use of nuclear weapons to defend alliance territory. A senior figure at Nato HQ in Mons in Belgium informed the German Press Agency that the German Armed Forces is providing three Tornados equipped to drop US nuclear weapons, along with four Eurofighters for the “Steadfast Noon” exercise, which begins on Monday.
The exercise will involve around 2,000 troops from 14 Nato member states and over 70 aircraft, said Daniel Bunch, the senior planning officer for the exercise. Along with the German Tornados and Eurofighters, the exercise will involve US F-35 jets, surveillance and tanker aircraft.
The exercise is intended to send a clear signal to Moscow that, if the worst comes to the worst, the alliance is prepared to defend itself with nuclear weapons, said Nato Secretary General Mark Rutte in a video message issued on Friday.