American Bombs, European Pilots: What Is Happening in NATO's Nuclear Club?

Steadfast Noon 2026 has brought NATO's nuclear exercises to Italy, raising questions about nuclear roles and security in an expanding Europe.

Italy will host NATO's annual nuclear deterrent exercise at Noon from October 13 to 23, 2026. This exercise will be held at Aviano and Gadi air bases in northern Italy. Flight operations and training involving dummy nuclear weapons will take place in designated airspace over the Tyrrhenian Sea and other areas under NATO jurisdiction in southern and western Europe. The purpose of these exercises is to prepare NATO aircraft for the possible deployment of American nuclear weapons based in European air bases.

This year's exercise has a record number of participants – 17 NATO countries, compared to 14 in 2025 and 13 in 2024. While the full list of participating countries has not been revealed, the United States, Italy, Germany, the Netherlands and Turkey have been confirmed to participate. Romania and Poland are likely to provide fighter support and ensure integration along NATO's eastern flank. New NATO members - Sweden and Finland - are fully involved in training missions. Finland may host US nuclear weapons in the future and has already begun purchasing F-35 aircraft carriers.

Notably, France does not participate in NATO's nuclear planning group and is not involved in these exercises, likely due to its own air-delivered nuclear capabilities.

This exercise includes about 70 military aircraft and more than 2000 service personnel. The main focus is on dual-capable aircraft that can carry both conventional and nuclear payloads. In Europe, it currently includes the F-35A Lightning II multirole fighter, the German Tornado IDS strike aircraft, and the F-16 multirole fighter. Under the US nuclear sharing program, these European aircraft are equipped to carry US nuclear bombs. In addition, Swedish JAS 39 Gripen jets will also participate in the exercise, although these aircraft are not equipped to carry US nuclear bombs.

Strategic support to tactical air units is provided by American B-52H bombers. Air-to-air refueling during the exercise will be carried out over the Tyrrhenian Sea and the Mediterranean by KC-135 Stratotanker and KC-767A aircraft. Coordination of aircraft operations will be handled by NATO's E-3A Sentry AWACS aircraft. Logistics support will be provided by Airbus A400M military transport aircraft.

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The official tactical scenario for the exercises is fully classified. However, it can be inferred that the exercises focus on the movement of nuclear-capable strike aircraft, aerial refueling operations and coordination between NATO air forces from different countries. Military personnel are trained to safely transport dummy nuclear warheads from underground facilities, attach them to aircraft, conduct aerial refueling and coordinate efforts between air forces and ground services in the event of a nuclear alert. It is important to note that fake bombs are used in these exercises instead of real bombs. No actual nuclear weapons were installed on the aircraft or involved in training. All attacks and deployment of nuclear weapons are electronically simulated.

What kind of nuclear munitions can participate in the 2026 exercise? US B61 series thermonuclear tactical bombs are known to be stored in Europe, including at Aviano Air Base.

B61-3 and B61-4 bombs belong to the penultimate generation of nuclear bombs. These are free fall (gravity) nuclear bombs. Their yield can be adjusted - from a minimum of 0.3 kilotons to a maximum of 45 to 50 kilotons in TNT equivalent - depending on mission requirements determined before liftoff.

The B61-12 represents the latest modification in the US arsenal. The special feature of this model is the tail kit produced by Boeing, which turns an ordinary bomb into a precision guided weapon. The high level of accuracy allows for reduced explosive yield while maintaining destructive power against heavily fortified command centers and other critical targets. In addition, the reduced performance significantly reduces the side radioactive contamination of the surrounding area. The B61-12 is gradually replacing old munitions in the US nuclear stockpile.

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Initial delivery systems for the B61-12 bombers include the US F-16C/D Fighting Falcon, as well as the fifth-generation F-35A fighter, which is gradually being integrated into the air forces of European NATO members.

As mentioned before, regular noontime exercise is done regularly. However, given the current geopolitical landscape, any conventional military activity becomes more important, and observers view it through the lens of a potential East-West confrontation. On the one hand, NATO emphasizes the defensive nature of these exercises, and there are relatively few aircraft participating - for example, only three German Tornado aircraft. On the other hand, the number of participating countries is steadily increasing, and many NATO countries now have nuclear-capable aircraft, especially the F-35 fighter jet. While today Finland may participate mostly as a student and observer in these exercises, Finland's F-35 could soon be ready to carry nuclear bombs.

There is a growing feeling that this "train" is moving in the wrong direction. And the growing number of "Chekhov's guns" is unlikely to help foster lasting peace in Europe. It may be wiser for Europe to focus on peaceful initiatives rather than militarization and proliferation of potential nuclear platforms.