Synopsis
Seventy aircraft from 14 Allied countries are taking part in NATO’s annual nuclear deterrence exercise, Steadfast Noon. This long-planned, routine training event is part of NATO’s ongoing efforts to maintain readiness and promote transparency regarding its nuclear posture. The exercise is unrelated to current world events, and no live weapons are involved.
Around 2,000 personnel and multiple aircraft types, including both conventional and dual‑capable aircraft, are taking part in the exercise to test NATO’s nuclear deterrence. Supporting assets include surveillance, air-to-air refuelling, and command and control aircraft.
The 2025 exercise runs from 13 to 24 October.
Footage features Dutch and German aircraft taxiing, taking off and landing as part of NATO’s nuclear deterrence exercise, along with footage of maintenance crews servicing and preparing the jets. It also includes soundbites from Col. Daniel Bunch, Chief of NATO Nuclear Operations at Supreme Headquarters Allied Powers Europe (SHAPE), and Jim Stokes, Director of Nuclear Policy at NATO Headquarters.
Transcript
---SHOT LIST—
(00:00) VARIOUS SHOTS – DUTCH MAINTENANCE CREW PREPARING DUTCH AIR FORCE F-35 FOR TAKE-OFF
(00:23) VARIOUS SHOTS – DUTCH AIR FORCE F-35 TAXIS TO RUNWAY
(00:42) VARIOUS SHOTS – GERMAN MAINTENANCE CREW PREPARING GERMAN AIR FORCE TORNADO FOR TAKE-OFF
(01:02) VARIOUS SHOTS – GERMAN AIR FORCE TORNADO TAXIS TO RUNWAY
(01:19) MEDIUM SHOT – GERMAN AIR FORCE TORNADO TAKING OFF
(01:30) WIDE SHOT – GERMAN AIR FORCE TORNADO TAKING OFF
(01:36) MEDIUM SHOT – DUTCH AIR FORCE F-35 TAKING OFF
(01:49) WIDE SHOT – DUTCH AIR FORCE F-35 TAKING OFF
(01:54) VARIOUS SHOTS – GERMAN AIR FORCE TORNADO LANDING
(02:08) VARIOUS SHOTS – DUTCH AIR FORCE F-35 LANDING
(02:28) VARIOUS SHOTS – DUTCH MAINTENANCE CREW MAINTAIN DUTCH AIR FORCE F-35 AFTER LANDING
(02:52) VARIOUS SHOTS – DUTCH AIR TRAFFIC CONTROLLER OBSERVING THE AIRFIELD
(03:07) SOUNDBITE – COLONEL DANIEL BUNCH – CHIEF OF NATO NUCLEAR OPERATIONS, SUPREME HEADQUARTERS ALLIED POWERS EUROPE (SHAPE)
“Steadfast Noon is our annual live-fly exercise. This year, it includes 14 different nations, flying over 70 different aircraft in a variety of different roles.”
(03:15) SOUNDBITE – COLONEL DANIEL BUNCH – CHIEF OF NATO NUCLEAR OPERATIONS, SUPREME HEADQUARTERS ALLIED POWERS EUROPE (SHAPE)
“Steadfast Noon is a nuclear deterrence exercise, but no nuclear weapons will be used or exercised with during this exercise. That sounds interesting and different, but it is about demonstrating the capabilities of the aircraft and the people maintaining them.”
(03:29) SOUNDBITE – COLONEL DANIEL BUNCH – CHIEF OF NATO NUCLEAR OPERATIONS, SUPREME HEADQUARTERS ALLIED POWERS EUROPE (SHAPE)
“Steadfast Noon is a routine exercise and is not targeted against any one nation. However, we do look at the real threats that we would face. Part of those are emerging and disruptive technologies, and we package and mission-plan around those to provide the biggest operation that we can to address those real-world threats.”
(03:46) SOUNDBITE – COLONEL DANIEL BUNCH – CHIEF OF NATO NUCLEAR OPERATIONS, SUPREME HEADQUARTERS ALLIED POWERS EUROPE (SHAPE)
“Steadfast Noon 2025 this year, we have the F-35 performing the role from Volkel Air Force Base. This is the first year where the F-35 is going to be leading this mission in a variety of different capabilities, but primarily in the strike mission.”
(03:59) SOUNDBITE – COLONEL DANIEL BUNCH – CHIEF OF NATO NUCLEAR OPERATIONS, SUPREME HEADQUARTERS ALLIED POWERS EUROPE (SHAPE)
“In Steadfast Noon, we exercise aircraft in a variety of different roles. That includes the strike aircraft and the strike package that gets over the target. But to get to the target, we have to have other aircraft in supporting roles to get there. That includes tanker aircraft, command and control aircraft, and other strike aircraft to protect that aircraft to get to the target.”
(04:18) SOUNDBITE – COLONEL DANIEL BUNCH – CHIEF OF NATO NUCLEAR OPERATIONS, SUPREME HEADQUARTERS ALLIED POWERS EUROPE (SHAPE)
“Part of what we exercise during Steadfast Noon is the command and control aspects that it takes to pull off this operation. That includes weeks of mission planning and getting ready to conduct these exercises with all the assets involved.”
(04:32) SOUNDBITE – COLONEL DANIEL BUNCH – CHIEF OF NATO NUCLEAR OPERATIONS, SUPREME HEADQUARTERS ALLIED POWERS EUROPE (SHAPE)
“Nuclear deterrence is a mission that the Alliance has long performed. One of the things that is new this year that we're looking at is emerging and disruptive technologies, particularly the drone threat. We've seen that during Eastern Sentry activities, and we've seen it here, particularly with the Dutch F-35s performing both of those missions at the same time.”
(04:50) SOUNDBITE – COLONEL DANIEL BUNCH – CHIEF OF NATO NUCLEAR OPERATIONS, SUPREME HEADQUARTERS ALLIED POWERS EUROPE (SHAPE)
“The Nuclear Planning Group is a decision-making body within the Alliance for all operations that would be conducted with nuclear weapons. We at SHAPE take that guidance and conduct the military planning necessary to conduct those operations.”
(05:03) SOUNDBITE – JIM STOKES – DIRECTOR OF NUCLEAR POLICY, NATO HEADQUARTERS
“Since 1949, nuclear deterrence has been a core part of NATO's collective defence and mutual security commitment. And as long as nuclear weapons exist, NATO will remain a nuclear alliance.”
(05:15) SOUNDBITE – JIM STOKES – DIRECTOR OF NUCLEAR POLICY, NATO HEADQUARTERS
“In an increasingly uncertain world, nuclear deterrence remains the cornerstone of Alliance security, and NATO’s nuclear forces are a vital component of our overall deterrence and defence posture.”
(05:26) SOUNDBITE – JIM STOKES – DIRECTOR OF NUCLEAR POLICY, NATO HEADQUARTERS
“The Allies come together in the Nuclear Planning Group to make consensus decisions over any and all aspects of NATO's nuclear forces. Nothing is delegated down to the military. All decisions need to be made at a political level. And that, again, is by consensus. How do the Allies come together to consult on these issues, to make decisions in peacetime or in crisis or conflict?”
(05:48) SOUNDBITE – JIM STOKES – DIRECTOR OF NUCLEAR POLICY, NATO HEADQUARTERS
“This year, NATO is once again holding its annual nuclear deterrence exercise, Steadfast Noon. This is a long-planned event. It's a routine exercise, not linked to any real-world events. And it's not directed against any country.”
(06:02) SOUNDBITE – JIM STOKES – DIRECTOR OF NUCLEAR POLICY, NATO HEADQUARTERS
“In Steadfast Noon, Allies are participating in a variety of different ways, providing different types of aircraft, some of which are certified for a nuclear mission and must be prepared to conduct it, but also supporting aircraft that are in a conventional role, such as tankers or fighter escorts. To be able to show how we can come together, be interoperable, be ready and hence very effective and credible if we ever have to conduct this mission. And Allies can also provide their airspace, air bases, supporting personnel — really a visible expression of how we come together on nuclear deterrence.”
(06:37) SOUNDBITE – JIM STOKES – DIRECTOR OF NUCLEAR POLICY, NATO HEADQUARTERS
“In an alliance of 32 democratic nations, it's important that we talk with our populations about how we're providing for their security. And nuclear deterrence is the cornerstone of Alliance security. This year in Steadfast Noon, we're being more open and transparent to show how the Allies are coming together, providing different types of aircraft or other capabilities to be able to operate together effectively as one force, to be able to support NATO's nuclear deterrence. This is about how we are reassuring our populations that we are taking prudent measures to provide for their security and also deterring any potential adversary.”
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