NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg, during a press conference at the conclusion of the NATO defense ministers meeting in Brussels today, announced that NATO’s annual Steadfast Noon nuclear exercise will be held next week. “This is a routine training event that happens every October,” he said. “This year, the training will take place over Italy, Croatia, and the Mediterranean Sea. Our exercise will help to ensure the credibility, effectiveness and security of our nuclear deterrent and it sends a clear message that NATO will protect and defend all Allies.”
The exercise is scheduled to run from Oct. 16-26, reported The Associated Press. It will involve 13 NATO allies and a mix of aircraft types, including advanced fighter jets and U.S. B-52 bombers that will fly in from the United States. The bulk of the training is held at least 1,000 km from Russia’s borders.
