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2 weeks ago
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This article is organic, in that, I will come back and revise it as I find more information or have more time. Check back if you’re interested…
I thought this might be a good place to bring togther what we know in the public domain about NATO’s nuclear exercises since the end of the Cold War.
As you should know, STEADFAST NOON 2025 is underway now - here on 16 October 2025. My good friend @Etienne_Marcuz has been killing it with detailed analyses on the topic.
STEADFAST NOON is an annual exercise of NATO’s ability to fly the nuclear strike mission, renamed from the previous exercise ABLE GAIN. It occurs within a set of other NATO nuclear exercises that range from planning to safety to control and communication to strike and strike evaluation.
THE BASICS
STEADFAST NOON exercise normally falls in October, but prior to 2011, it occured each Spring. It involves Allied dual-capable aircraft (DCA) - that is, aircraft designed or specially modified and certified to deliver US-owned nuclear air-dropped bombs, alongside Allied non-DCA aircraft flying the various roles to support nuclear strikes. This support is collectively known as Conventional Support to Nuclear Operations (CSNO), and includes flight escort, air interdiction, air-to-air refuelling, ISR, suppression of enemy air defenses (SEAD), and even non-hardware support, such as additional staffing to support the host base. CSNO was formerly known as (the much more sleek and exciting) SNOWCAT (Support to Nuclear Operations With Conventional Air Tactics) missions (grrrr).
The NATO fighter jets that are eligible to be certified as DCA are Tornado PA-200 ECRs, F-16C/D and MLUs, and F-35As. The US also operates F-15Es in a DCA mode. The nations who have certified their aircraft are:
US: F-15Es (492nd and 464th Squadrons) and F-35As (493rd and 495th Squadrons) based at RAF Lakenheath all under the 48th Air Wing
Belgium: F-16MLUs based at Kleine Brogel with the 10th Tactical Wing
Netherlands: F-35As based at Volkel Air Base with the 312th Strike Squadron and at Leeuwarden Air Base with the 322nd Squadron
Italy: F-16C/Ds of the 31st Fighter Wing, 510th and 555th Fighter Squadrons and F-35As and PA-200 Tornados ECRs at Ghedi Air Base with the 6th Wing (102nd and 154th Squadrons)
Germany: F-35As and PA-200 Tornado ECRs of Tactical Air Force Wing 33
Greece (in reserve): F-16C/D with the 110th and 111th Fighter Wings at Larisa and Nea Aghialos Air Bases
Turkey: F-16C/D of the 5th, 6th, 8th and 9th Air Wings at various bases
And, in 2036, the UK will (re-)join with 12 F-35As based at RAF Marham.
The nuclear air dropped bombs are known as the B61. The B61 bomb was upgraded starting in 2022 from the older B61-6 and B61-7 variants, replaced by the B61-12 LEP. There are more than 100 of these bombs stored at various bases around Europe. F-35B cannot store B61s interenally (the bomb bay is too short), so only F-35As can fly stealthily with a B61 payload - more on that later. Previous certified aircraft include F-86s, F-104s, F-4s, A-7s, F/A-18Fs, among others.
STEADFAST NOON 2025
This year’s edition of STEADFAST NOON takes place 13-24 October, 2025, with Vokel Air Base, Netherlands, as the host. 71 aircraft from 14 Allies, and 2,000 troops - with the main exercise area over the North Sea. The exercise also will include Kleine Brogel AB, RAF Lakenheath, and Skrydsstrup AB.
Participating aircraft include: NATO E-3A AWACS, RAF Voyager refueller, US KC-135R refueller, Swedish JAS-39 Gripens, Finnish F/A-18s, Dutch F-35As, Poland, Czech L159s (as enemy airctaft, or the Red Team), Norwegian F-35As, and four Danish F-35s. Note: this is Sweden’s first STEADFAST NOON.
Due to air tracking websites and NOTAMs, we are usually very well able to see where the exercise area is and how the exercise played out. It looks like NATO aircraft were simulating attacks on Leeuwarden Air Base with the Czech aircraft defending.
STEADFAST NOON 2025 Day 2 Analysis (by @Etienne_Marcuz):
The second day of flying for NATO’s annual nuclear exercise, STEADFAST NOON 25, seems to have just concluded (or at least part of it). Some aircraft were trackable on the @ADSBex platform. An interesting detail: the “Red Force” (the adversaries to NATO aircraft) was likely played by at least two L159 light combat aircraft from the private company DRAKEN. The main action took place off the coast of the Netherlands, with a no-fly zone (NOTAM) ~240 km, mainly over the Sea, defended by the L159s. The L159s were flying from Leeuwarden Air Base, which was likely the area the Red Team was tasked with defending. A NATO E-3A airborne early warning and control aircraft was operating near the border between Germany and Luxembourg, possibly coordinating the exercise. Two aerial refueling aircraft—a Royal Air Force Voyager and a USAF KC-135R—were flying racetrack patterns to the west of the exercise area, likely supporting NATO aircraft involved in the exercise.
Day 2 imagery:
STEADFAST NOON 2025 DAY 3 Analysis (by @Etienne_Marcuz):
The scenario’s escalation was particularly noticeable today. Three tankers (2 MRTT and one KC-135R) and a NATO E-3A AEW&C aircraft were operating north of the exercise area, following a quite remarkable flight plan (see image).
The two [Czech Republic-supplied] DRAKEN private company L159 light combat aircraft flew twice, using the callsigns DRAKEN01 & 02 and then DRAKEN26 & 27. Still wondering what is their exact role, can’t imagine the Reds being played only by those two.
Other aircraft may also have been involved, including a Royal Air Force tanker and possibly another NATO E-3A operating off the Norwegian coast, but it is difficult to determine whether they were part of STEADFAST NOON or participating in another exercise.
France appears to be training with Swedish air forces, as a French MRTT tanker flew over Sweden for at least the second consecutive day.
I am not sure if this was the third or fourth day of flights. The DRAKEN L159s have flown twice daily since Monday, but the exercise area NOTAM was not active on the 15th.
Day 3 imagery:
And, some background on the employment of B61 nuclear air-dropped bombs by NATO, from Etienne:
“The nuclear weapon available to NATO is the B61-12 bomb. A bomb means no propulsion, and therefore the need for the carrier aircraft to approach very close to the target. Even if these aircraft will soon all be stealth F-35As, their survivability in close proximity to a strategically valuable and heavily defended target remains questionable, unless other aircraft have already “cleaned up” beforehand. This is the role of the multiple aircraft in charge of the CSNO. This requires enormous resources and a prior formatting campaign to maximize the chances of success of the mission of the DCA aircraft carrying the bomb.
“…potential nuclear strikes within the NATO framework would likely target military objectives close to the front, in accordance with the American doctrine of “flexible response,” which allows for the use of a limited number of weapons in a logic of “escalation management.”
“…If the United States and Russia can afford a flexible response, it is in particular because it is very unlikely that the first detonations would take place on their soil. They would probably target the territories of allied countries, European on the NATO side, Belarus on the Russian side, for example.”
OTHER NATO NUCLEAR EXERCISES
There were several other interesting NATO nuclear exercises, including ABLE ALLY and ABLE TEAM (planning exercises), ABLE CRYSTAL, and, ABLE STAFF,. So, ABLE GAIN is now STEADFAST NOON, ABLE ALLY is now STEADFAST NERVE, but I don’t know shich of the STEADFAST exercises ABLE TEAM and ABLE CRYSTAL are now. ABLE STAFF continues to this day. The other ongoing annual and bi-annual NATO nuclear exercises include STEADFAST NERVE, NIMBUS, NOMAD, and NUMBER. The current STEADFAST exercises are detailed very well in recent Italian legislative documents.
ABLE STAFF, according to national annual reporting (see end of article for references), is the annual command exercise, involving NATO Headquarters, SHAPE, and national cpaitals, covering nuclear consultation and communications, checking the suitability of overall NATO nuclear policy, nuclear planning, and declaratory policy. According to the Polish hGovernment, it includes testing communication through the NATO Nuclear Command Control Response System (NNCCRS) information system.
STEADFAST NERVE (formerly ABLE ALLY) is a command and control execise for planning, preparing, and conducting tactical operations, including transmitting orders from command to DCA units.
STEADFAST NIMBUS is an annual nuclear weapons planning exercise that happens at the NATO School at Oberammergau – to study the requirements of NATO conceptual and guidance documents, to discuss the process of planning, preparing and conducting nuclear operations.
STEADFAST NOMAD includes implementation of operational and organizational and technical measures to ensure nuclear safety, development of interaction issues in covering, protecting and defending nuclear infrastructure facilities in countries on whose territory nuclear weapons and carrier aircraft are located.
STEADFAST NUMBER is held twice a year. It is aimed at solving problems of operational nuclear planning, developing scenarios for conducting limited nuclear strikes, controlling the use of nuclear forces, and monitoring the transmission of combat control commands (signals) to executive control levels.
DTRA and DoD budget documents also describe participation in ABLE STAFF, ABLE CRYSTAL, ABLE ALLY, and the NATO Nuclear Planning Systems Training System prototype, the Air Vehicle Planning System, and the Nuclear Target Data Feed project of NATO targeting support.
NATO NUCLEAR EXERCISE LIST 1998-today
Finally, here is a list of previous NATO nuclear exercises culled from the open sources listed at the references below.
1998
Able Ally 1998 November
1999
2000
2001
Able Ally 2001 5-9 November
2002
Able Gain 2002 16-21 March
2003
Able Ally 2003 1-5 December
2004
Able Ally 2004 4 March
Able Gain 2004 22-26 March, Kleine Brugel Air Base, with 8 aircraft (2xDE Tornados JaBoG 33, 2xIT Tornados 6th Stormo, 2xNL F-16s 312 Squadron, 2xUS F-15Es 48th Fighter Wing)
2005
Able Gain 2005 17-24 March-April 2005
Able Ally 2005 5-9 November
2006
Able Ally/Steadfast Noon 2006 10-24 April, Vokel Air Base (3xTU F-16s)
2007
Able Ally 2007 cancelled (according to Hansard)
STEADFAST NOON 2007 19-23 March, Buchel Air Base (3xGR F-16s)
2008
STEADFAST NOON 2008 21-24 April 2008 with 14 aircraft (BE, DE, GR, IT, NL, US).
Greek F-16s from the 340 Mira squadron based at Souda participated in Steadfast Noon in 2008, suggesting that the Hellenic Air Force (HAF) may still have a nuclear task, though this is uncertain. In all, 14 aircraft, including representatives from Belgium, Germany, Greece, Italy, the Netherlands and the United States participated in the 2008 exercise. The 2008 exercise was noteworthy because of the participation of US Air Force F-16s from Aviano for the first time—supporting the rumour that the B-61 bombs believed to be at stored Ghedi will be transferred to Aviano in the near future if they have not already been moved.
2009
2010
STEADFAST NOON 2010 May, Aviano Air Base (BE, DE, HU, IT, NL, TU, US)
2011
STEADFAST NOON 2011 September, Vokel Air Base (BE, DE, IT, NL, TU, US)
Exercise Steadfast Noon 2011 is to train NATO cross servicing crews in loading, unloading and employing B61 tactical nuclear weapons on several different NATO partners. So this exercise is mainly an X-servicing exercise, although every day a flying mission is planned. The following participants came to Volkel to participate in the exercise: Volkel F-16’s, Kleine Brogel F-16’s, Aviano F-16’s, Büchel Tornado’s, Ghedi Tornado’s and Balikesir F-16’s. Unfortunately the day we went was a non-flying day, but luckily the Turkish Delegation departed back to Turkey including 2 Transall transport planes.
2012
STEADFAST NOON 2012 October, Kleine Brogel Air Base
Exercise Steadfast Noon 2012 is a two week exercise to train NATO cross servicing crews in loading, unloading and employing B61 tactical nuclear weapons on several different NATO partners. The following participants came to Kleine Brogel: Volkel F-16’s, Aviano F-16’s, Büchel Tornado’s and Ghedi Tornado’s. Off course the local F-16’s participated in the exercise too in larger numbers. This is a pictorial overview of the activities on Friday 19 October 2012.
2013
STEADFAST NOON 2013 (and STRIKEVAL) Aviano Air Base
2014
STEADFAST NUMBER II 11-13 March, Ghedi Air Base
STEASFAST NIMBUS 16-20 June, Oberammergau
STEADFAST NERVE 30 June-4 July, Ghedi Air Base
STEADFAST NOON 2014 20-24 October, Ghedi Torre Air Base (and STRIKEVAL), 7 countries (BE, DE, IT, NL, PL F-16s, TU, US)
STEADFAST NOMAD 3-7 November, Kleine Brogel Air Base
STEADFAST NUMBER I 24-26 November, Ghedi Air Base
2015
STEADFAST NUMBER 10-12 March, Ghedi Air Base
STEADFASAT NERVE 18-22 May, Buchel Air Base
STEADFAST NIMBUS 2015 15-19 June, Oberammergau
STEADFAST NOMAD 14-18 September, Buchel Air Base
STEADFAST NOON 2015 12-16 October, Buchel Air Base
STEADFAST NUMBER I 17-19 November, Ghedi Air Base
2016
STEADFAST NOON 2016 Kleine Brogel and Vokel
2017
Able Staff 2017
STEADFAST NOON 2017 17-20 October, Kleine Brogel, Buchel Air Bases, (BE, CZ JAS-39s, DE, IT, NL, PL F-16s)
2018
STEADFAST NUMBER II 10-15 March, Ghedi Air Base, 6th Stormo
STEADFAST NERVE 14-18 May, Ghedi Air Base, 6th Stormo
STEADFAST NIMBUS 2018, 18-22 June, Oberammergau
STEADFAST NOMAD, 24-28 September, Volkel Air Base, 6th Stormo
STEADFAST NOON 2018 15-26 October, Ghedi Air Base, 6th Stormo A200C-D
STEADFAST NUMBER I 12-14 December, Ghedi Air Base, 6th Stormo
2019
STEADFAST NOON 2019 October, Kleine Brogel and Buchel Air Bases
2020
STEADFAST NOON 2020 October, Vokel Air Base, 50 aircraft
2021
STEADFAST NUMBER I 2021 16-18 March, Ghedi Air Base
STEADFAST NERVE 2021 24-28 May, Ghedi Air Base
STEADFAST NOON 2021 20-23 October, Aviano and Ghedi Air Bases, 14 countries (BE F-16s, CZ JAS-39s, DE Tornados, IT Tornados, NL F-16s,
DCA from Italy, the US, Germany, the Netherlands, and Belgium were exercised, with a significant contributions from other Allies in CSNO. The exercise used two Main Operating Bases (MOBs): Ghedi (MOB1) and Aviano (MOB2). MOB1 hosted Dutch and German forces, while MOB2 hosted Belgian forces, while other strategic support assets (tankers) operated from their European and American bases.
STEADFAST NOMAD 2021 10-17 September, Ghedi Air Base
STEADFAST NUMBER II 2021 7-9 December, Ghedi Air Base
2022
STEADFAST NOON 2022 17-20 October, Kleine Brogel Air Base, 14 countries (US KC-135 and F-35As, BE F-16s, DE Tornados, NL F-16s, TU F-16s, UK) and 60 aircraft
2023
STEADFAST NUMBER I 15-17 March, Ghedi Air Base
STEADFAST NERVE 15-19 May, Ghedi Air Base
STEADFAST NIMBUS 15-19 May, Ghedi Air Base
STEADFAST NOMAD 11-15 September, Aviano Air Base
STEADFAST NOON 16-27 October, US F-15Es, BE F-16MLUs, CZ JAS-39s, NL and IT air refuellers.
3x A-200C (DCA), 2xA-200C, 2xEA-200B, 4x2000, 1xKC-767, 1xSIRRUS, 1xE550A, CAEW,
2024
STEADFAST NOON 2024 14-17 October, 13 countries and 60 aircraft (BE F-16s; CZ JAS-39; DK F-16; DE, Tornado, EF-2000; FI F/A-18s; GR F-16; IT Tornado; NL F-35A; PL F-16; RO F-16; TU F-16; UK Typhoon, F-35B; US F-35A, F-15E, B-52H)
The UK conducted exercise STRIKE WARRIOR concurrently with STEADFAST NOON 2024
References:
STEADFAST NOON is ABLE GAIN: https://www.bits.de/NRANEU/docs/090311_Future_Role_of_Nuclear_Weapons_in_NATO.pdf
DoD Execises 2001-2010 https://www.esd.whs.mil/Portals/54/Documents/FOID/Reading%20Room/Joint_Staff/21-F-0634_Final_Production_Joint_Exercises_11sep01_to_present.pdf
ABLE STAFF: https://www.nbu.gov.sk/data/att/1340.pdf, https://cssas.unap.ro/en/pdf_periodicals/si51.pdf, https://nuclearnetwork.csis.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/10/NATO-Vacancy-Notification.pdf, https://www.gov.si/assets/ministrstva/MO/Dokumenti/MoD_Annual_Report_2017.pdf, https://en-gmr.mapn.ro/webroot/fileslib/upload/files/revista_1%20rmt%202014.pdf, https://www.nbu.gov.sk/data/att/3425.pdf
ABLE ALLY: http://commdocs.house.gov/committees/security/has062030.000(1)/has062030_2T.HTM, http://www.nuclearinfo.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/US_Stratcom_Exercises_2005_2006_2006.pdf, https://hansard.parliament.uk/commons/2008-02-18/debates/0802193000036/ArmedForcesTraining, https://comptroller.war.gov/Portals/45/Documents/defbudget/fy2008/budget_justification/pdfs/01_Operation_and_Maintenance/O_M_VOL_1_PARTS/24_TJS.pdf
ABLE GAIN: https://www.haf.gr/en/structure/htaf/111-combat-wing/330-squadron/, https://www.nuclearinfo.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/05/31TSQN_Exercise_Green_Hill__Able_Gain_2004..pdf, https://en-gmr.mapn.ro/webroot/fileslib/upload/files/revista_1%20rmt%202014.pdf
ABLE STAFF, ABLE ALLY, ABLE GAIN: https://comptroller.war.gov/Portals/45/Documents/defbudget/fy2002/budget_justification/pdfs/03_RDT_and_E/vol4b_dtra.pdf, https://tmd.texas.gov/Data/Sites/1/media/jom/2018/April/23april/af_joint-officer-management-hand-book.pdf, https://www.nuclearinfo.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/08/FutureBritishBomb.pdf, https://comptroller.war.gov/Portals/45/documents/defbudget/fy2005/budget_justification/pdfs/01_Operation_and_Maintenance/Volume_1_-_DW_Justification/TJS_FY05_PB.pdf, https://comptroller.war.gov/Portals/45/Documents/defbudget/fy2001/budget_justification/pdfs/03_RDT_and_E/volume4_part2.pdf
STEADFAST NERVE, STEADFAST NIMBUS, STEADFAST NOMAD, STEADFAST NUMBER: https://www.mfa.gr/images/docs/eukairies_stadiodromias_se_diethneis_organismous/2015/file_get_1.pdf, https://www.natoschool.nato.int/s/conferences/upcoming-conferences/w3-conference/a0EWz000001zlB7MAI/cn0000, https://documenti.camera.it/_dati/leg17/lavori/documentiparlamentari/indiceetesti/036/004_RS/00000008.pdf, https://www.senato.it/service/PDF/PDFServer/DF/349286.pdf, https://www.senato.it/service/PDF/PDFServer/DF/326834.pdf, https://lipovylist.cz/wordpress/ambice-nato-usa-vtelene-do-jadernych-cviceni/, https://documenti.camera.it/_dati/leg19/lavori/documentiparlamentari/IndiceETesti/036/001_RS/00000016.pdf, https://documenti.camera.it/_dati/leg17/lavori/documentiparlamentari/indiceetesti/036/003/00000008.pdf, https://documenti.camera.it/_dati/leg19/lavori/documentiparlamentari/indiceetesti/036/003_RS/INTERO_COM.pdf
Steadfast Noon 2007-2011: https://fas.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/06/Non_Strategic_Nuclear_Weapons.pdf
Steadfast Noon 2011: https://www.sgkoksijde.be/Trips.php?page=trips_2011_Volkel
Steadfast Noon 2012: https://www.sgkoksijde.be/Trips.php?page=trips_2012
Steadfast Noon 2013:
Steadfast Noon 2014: https://fas.org/publication-term/italy/
Steadfast Noon 2015:
Steadfast Noon 2016:
Steadfast Noon 2017: https://fas.org/publication/steadfast-noon-exercise/
Steadfast Noon 2018:
Steadfast Noon 2019:
Steadfast Noon 2020: https://www.nato.int/cps/en/natohq/news_178834.htm
Steadfast Noon 2021: https://fas.org/publication/steadfastnoon2021/, https://fas.org/publication-term/b-21/
Steadfast Noon 2021:
Steadfast Noon 2022: https://www.nato.int/cps/en/natohq/opinions_208037.htm, https://fas.org/publication/steadfast-noon-exercise-and-nuclear-modernization/
Steadfast Noon 2023:
Steadfast Noon 2024: https://www.key.aero/article/nuclear-exercise-steadfast-noon-participants-revealed, https://fas.org/publication/nato-tactical-nuclear-weapons-exercise-and-base-upgrades/
Steadfast Noon 2025: https://www.nato.int/cps/en/natohq/news_238367.htm, https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/2025/10/10/nato-nuclear-exercises-steadfast-noon-russia/f45e9a04-a5c1-11f0-8f8b-d9483809ee65_story.html, https://www.forsvaret.dk/da/nyheder/2025/danmark-deltager-i-arlig-nato-ovelse-i-nuklear-afskrakkelse/, https://www.defmin.fi/sv/aktuellt/pressmeddelanden_och_nyheter?11422_m=15254, https://breakingdefense.com/2025/10/sweden-comes-out-of-its-nuclear-closet-sending-gripens-to-natos-steadfast-noon-drill/, https://www.regjeringen.no/no/aktuelt/norge-deltar-i-natos-kjernevapenovelse-steadfast-noon/id3122925/
